Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Abuja (Fides Service) - From Abuja the capital of Nigeria where over 130 people have been killed in five days of riots the Catholic Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan says “it is incorrect to speak of a conflict of religions and as always in these cases criminal elements promptly take advantage of the situation of disorder to loot homes and shops. Not by chance in the north violence targets Ibo people, Christians, mostly Catholics, who moved here from the south. These people are mostly shopkeepers and seen therefore as better off than others”. Religious and ethnic tension in various parts of Nigeria is heightened by uncertainty about the country’s political and economic future. The Archbishop who is also President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria said the violence feeds on the inflated rhetoric of certain local preachers who have no trouble convincing unemployed youths that the extremist message can be a raison d’être “Official Islam has difficulty in controlling these self-proclaimed preachers” the Archbishop explains.
Archbishop Onaiyekan reiterates that it is up to the civil authorities to guarantee citizens’ security: “It is the responsibility of the civil authorities to prevent violence and the organisers of the demonstrations in Maiduguri must be held responsible for the degeneration of the protest”. On February 18 a peaceful authorised demonstration against the notorious Danish cartoons turned into a violent attack on churches and homes and shops belonging to local Christians. In the riots several people were killed including a Catholic priest. “When public demonstrations are organised there are certain norms which must be respected by both the organisers and the authorities. And this is to prevent armed infiltrators joining the peaceful crowds - Archbishop Onaiyekan recalls -. I repeat once again. the State must guarantee public order. A rule of law is the best curb for violence”.
The Archbishop underlines the ever present danger that religion can be exploited for political purposes: “For example, let us take the case of the introduction of Sharia law in several northern states. For years Nigeria had heads of state who were Muslims and no one ever felt the need to introduce Islamic law. Now that the president Mr Obasanjo is a Christian, suddenly there is a need to make Sharia law the national law”.
The Archbishop said one of the country’s major problems, a weak economy, is easily exploited. “In Nigeria we have oil, but because it produces corruption it is a curse” he says, lamenting that the basic needs of the people are neglected. “Until 15 years ago we had a manufacturing industry which was abandoned in order to chase the oil ‘manna’. Now we have to import everything from abroad. In the meantime our young people cannot find work and are easily lured into organised crime and extremism” says the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja who makes an appeal to Europe: “Widespread corruption in my country is also caused by people in the West who bribe our leaders to obtain oil at a more convenient price. However I think this policy will not last long. I think in the long run it will be more convenient for Europe to guarantee a future for Nigeria’s youth and help us build an authentic democracy and real rule of law”. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 24/2/2006 righe 51 parole 649)
