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Abuja (Agenzia Fides) – Building a nation, overcoming divisions and evils that impede the people of Nigeria from realizing their potentials was the focus of the Message from the Bishops of Nigeria, published at the close of their Plenary Assembly, which took place March 9-14, in Abuja.
“While there are many reasons for which we Nigerians must thank God, we must not fail to recognize that the journey to nationhood is still long,” reads the Message, a copy of which was sent to Agenzia Fides. “For us, nationhood is a gift and a task. We are yet to build a nation where people dwell in security. Life and property are constantly exposed to danger: the Niger-Delta crisis in the south; the religious conflicts in the north, and ethnic conflicts in different parts of the country. Corruption and theft of public funds, which have largely remained unabated despite our call for prayers, have brought our country to its knees. This is noticeable, for example, in the collapse of infrastructure in the land, in the lack of basic amenities, and in the increasing number of unemployed, in the ever-rising crime wave. The fact is evident that we still have a lot of work to do so that we, our children, and our children’s children can have our legitimate aspirations fulfilled and our potentials actualized.”
“We are saddened by the recent riots in the cities of Jos and Bauchi, despite our emphasis on dialogue as veritable means of resolving crisis. Each time we witness ethnic and religious conflicts, each time we hold elections lacking in credibility, we lose opportunities to build a nation,” the Nigerian Bishops affirm, adding that “religion is not a threat to nationhood. Abuse of religion is. It is not religion that threatens our peaceful coexistence. It is the misreading and misuse of sacred texts of venerable religious traditions by preachers who are either inadequately formed or not at all formed for the preaching ministry in a multi-religious entity such as Nigeria. Ours is a country full of places of worship, of churches, mosques and shrines. But this is nothing if we do not heed the word of God, and worse still, if the same word is misinterpreted and abused through incompetent and or mischievous preaching.”
In responding to this problem, the Bishops “acknowledge, commend and encourage the initiatives undertaken by the Nigerian Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) towards a peaceful coexistence, particularly between Muslims and Christians in Nigeria. The Council has been able to bring together not only Christian and Muslim religious leaders, but also Christian and Muslim youths. We support the Council’s plans to bring together Christians and Muslims. We see in these initiatives proactive measures against violence, and a strong foundation for peace and stability.”
The Bishops say that collaboration among the faithful is the key to elaborating the shared values on which their national unity is based: “Given the fact that there can be no nation where there are no shared core values, the word of God teaches those core values necessary for building a nation. Christ, the Word made flesh, has redeemed every race and elevated what is good in every culture. The Incarnate Word of God sheds his light on core values that are inherent in our traditional African cultures. These values, shared by Nigerians irrespective of their ethnic affiliation, can serve as common ground in our quest for nationhood. The word of God teaches us that a core value which we in Nigeria must have is respect for the sovereignty of God in the respect for the dignity of every human person. An overwhelming percentage of Nigerians profess belief in God. But this profession of faith must show itself in the respect of the dignity of every Nigerian as a human being and as a citizen.” (LM) (Agenzia Fides 20/3/2009)
