Renowned health and wellness expert Rev'd Tony Akinyemi and Dr Grace Bajomo of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi Aba, Abeokuta, have advised churches in Nigeria not to regard faith and medicine as adversaries, but as collaborators in preserving lives. The duo spoke last Saturday during the third edition of the S.G.O. Uyeh Public Lecture Series, themed “The Responsibility Of The Church In Promoting Holistic Health For National Growth And Development.” The event was held at The Apostolic Church Nigeria headquarters, LAWNA Territory, Ketu, Lagos.
Speakers Honor Celebrant’s Legacy
The speakers praised the leadership and legacy of the celebrant, Pastor Senior Gabriel Okpako Uyeh, one of the longest-serving ministers in the church, who voluntarily retired in April 2026 after serving as LAWNA Territorial Chairman for over three years.
Church Must Collaborate with Healthcare Professionals
Akinyemi, who also served as the guest speaker, stated that the Church must work collaboratively with healthcare organisations and professionals. He cited Luke in the Bible, who was both a physician and a disciple of Jesus Christ. Emphasising that the Church has played a major role in healthcare development in Nigeria through mission hospitals, schools, and humanitarian interventions, he urged church leaders to partner with healthcare professionals for the well-being of their members.
Akinyemi encouraged the church to use pulpits as a platform for public health education on various topics, including hypertension, diabetes, malaria prevention, nutrition, maternal health, mental health, HIV/AIDS awareness, family health, and sanitation. He noted that the church has access to millions of Nigerians to address these issues, adding that ignorance remains one of the greatest causes of preventable diseases.
The Lead Pastor of The Shepherd's Flock International Churches, Nigeria and Overseas, called on the body of Christ to organise free medical screenings, blood pressure checks, eye care programmes, wellness seminars, and rural healthcare outreaches periodically. He implored churches to maximise their presence in communities by mobilising internal healthcare professionals and funding the procurement of reagents and medications to serve the less privileged. He noted that screening for diabetes and hypertension would provide a frontline defense against silent killers like hypertension for both church members and the wider community.
Health as a Holistic Matter
Dr Grace Bajomo argued that health is not only a medical matter but also a subject affecting the pulpit, family, hospital, school, community, and the nation. According to her, health concerns the whole person—spirit, soul, mind, and body—while development relates to the strength of a people, the stability of families, and the moral direction of society. She disclosed that holistic health is about the future of the nation and that a healthy church helps build a healthy nation.
Calling on the church to uphold the sanctity and dignity of life, Bajomo identified five responsibilities the church must adhere to: teaching a holistic understanding of health; approaching divine healing with both conviction and wisdom; avoiding any teaching that makes people ashamed to seek help, afraid to report symptoms, or condemned for receiving treatment; educating society on socio-spiritual realities; and collaborating for the common good.
Drawing examples from Genesis 1:27 and 3 John 2, Bajomo emphasised that man was created in the image of God and that every life carries value, whether for the strong or the weak, the rich or the poor, the healthy or the sick, even the silently burdened. She added that the church cannot be indifferent to human suffering while preaching on redemption and neglecting human wellbeing.
“Many still think of health only in physical terms, while others see it only in spiritual terms. But real life is not divided that way. A person can be active in worship and still suffer emotional distress. A family can appear stable and still be deeply wounded. A young person can be full of promise and still struggle with anxiety, addiction or confusion,” Bajomo said. She urged the church to teach that prayer, holiness, obedience, and faith matter, as well as nutrition, rest, hygiene, mental wellbeing, family support, and timely care.
Territorial Chairman’s Remarks
In his opening remarks, LAWNA Territorial Chairman of TACN, Pastor Moses Oluwole Ogunibe, described holistic health as broadly including spiritual wellbeing, physical health, mental and emotional stability, social responsibility, and economic empowerment. He added that a healthy church produces healthy families, which in turn build healthy communities, and that healthy communities contribute to a prosperous and stable nation. He urged the church to champion sound values, promote healthy lifestyles, encourage access to good healthcare, support mental wellbeing, foster social justice, and provide moral leadership for sustainable national development.
Ogunibe said: “Pastor Senior Gabriel Okpako Uyeh stands as one of the notable fathers of our faith whose impact transcended ecclesiastical boundaries and touched lives across generations. Pastor Uyeh distinguished himself through exemplary leadership, spiritual discipline, integrity, humility and dedication to kingdom advancement. His years of service were marked by remarkable contributions to church growth, leadership development, missionary expansion, and the strengthening of the Apostolic heritage entrusted to us.”
Celebrant’s Closing Remarks
The celebrant, Pastor Senior Gabriel Okpako Uyeh, in his closing remarks acknowledged that the church occupies a strategic position in society as God’s instrument of transformation. He noted that the church is not only called to preach salvation but also to promote healthy living, sound values, community development, and compassionate care for humanity. Apart from bringing together church leaders and people of different social statuses, the event witnessed the unveiling of Uyeh’s foundation and the presentation of his biography.
