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WEEKLY NEWS - SPECIAL ISSUE of: 24-12-2000

Here below is a COMMUNIQUE issued at the end of the First Plenary Meeting 
of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) for the Year 2002.
Maybe you are interested in it.
Greeting
Paolo
anb-bia
============================



A COMMUNIQUE

Issued at the end of the First Plenary Meeting of the Catholic Bishops' 
Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) for the Year 2002, held at the Pope John Paul 
II  Catholic Centre,  Abuja,  from 18th to 22nd February 2002

HEALING THE WOUNDS OF THE NATION

1.	PREAMBLE

We,  the members of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of  Nigeria, held our 
First Plenary Meeting for the  year 2002  at the Pope John Paul II Catholic 
Centre, Abuja, from the 18th to 22nd February, 2002.  The theme of our 
Conference was Healing the Wounds of the Nation.   After prayerful 
deliberation on matters affecting the Church and society in our nation, we 
issue the following communiqué.

2.	OUR BLESSINGS

God has been kind to our nation.  He has blessed us with wonderful climate 
and abundant natural and human resources.   He has blessed our nation with 
wonderful people, resilient, hard-working, and joyful.  Our people are 
deeply religious and God-fearing. Our ethnic and cultural diversity is a 
blessing yet to be fully realized. The hunger of our people for true 
democracy has never been stronger, as was demonstrated recently in the 
opposition to the unfair and unjust provisions of the electoral law. The 
Human Rights Violation Investigation Commission (Oputa Panel), the first 
such body in the history of Nigeria, has increased the demand for 
accountability of public officials past and present.  Our role and 
responsibility among the nations of Africa have been recognized, and our 
image among the nations of the world has improved. We have seen generous 
and selfless responses from our citizens to the various national 
emergencies and crises. In addition, there has been noticeable progress in 
infrastructural development and provision of social services. This can be 
seen in the improvement of roads, in more constant supply of fuel, the 
granting of radio and television licenses to private owners, and the return 
of schools to the Church in some states.

3.	OUR WOUNDS

These and other blessings do not, however, prevent us from taking a hard 
look at the many wounds - mostly of our own making - that fester in us and 
in our nation.  These wounds are glaring, and we call attention to some of 
them under the following categories:  physical, psychological/emotional, 
socio-political, economic, and spiritual/moral.

Physical:
Many Nigerians are literally nursing physical wounds as a result of 
inter-communal and religious conflicts, bomb explosions in Lagos, armed 
robbery, outbreaks of fire, and road accidents.  The AIDS pandemic 
decimates the Nigerian population and brings untold pain and sorrow to 
individuals and families.  Some, indeed thousands, are no longer nursing 
wounds:  they have died and are buried.  May the Lord grant them eternal 
rest.  We share in the agony of those who have suffered, and continue to 
extend a hand to those who are most in need of help.
	Our fertile land and environment are being severely wounded. Rivers and 
streams are polluted, fish die, forests are despoiled, desertification 
spreads south.  Refuse litters our streets because waste disposal services 
are practically non-existent. Oil spills and gas flares pollute and poison 
the environment in the Delta Region.

Psychological/emotional:
A pervasive sense of insecurity breeds fear that leads to violent reactions 
in place of dialogue and reconciliation.  The value of human life has been 
eroded and violence is often seen as the solution to problems.   For the 
majority of our people, unmet needs, broken promises, unfulfilled 
expectations, and frustration with the democratic process becloud the 
horizon.   In this atmosphere, lack of trust and mutual suspicion increase 
the credence given to rumours and the polarization of ethnic and religious 
groups.

Socio-political:
Religion and ethnicity have been used and abused to achieve selfish, 
political ends.  The Sharia problems has led  in many cases to political, 
social, and personal  violence. There is not only the temptation, but the 
reality of leaders, sometimes with the cooperation of the media,  telling 
bare-faced lies to the people. The very identity and full citizenship 
rights of the Nigerian are denied when there is discrimination based upon 
state of origin, notwithstanding long domicile in a particular state. 
Vicious infighting within political parties has  led to struggles for power 
that sometimes result in assassination.  Those in power seem to be prepared 
to do everything imaginable to hold on to power till death.  The situation 
is worsened by the recruitment and maintenance of private armies, even by 
some political office holders.

Economic:
Corruption and the mismanagement of  resources affect everyone in one way 
or another, but the poor and weak pay the highest price.  We continue to 
embark on prestigious projects which make no sense and indeed bring more 
poverty to the  slum dwellers and the forgotten people in the villages. 
Youths are wounded by the reality of massive unemployment and 
under-employment. Many workers, including even the Police, rightfully 
complain of inadequate salaries, and salaries not paid on time.   The gap 
between the very poor and the very rich continues to widen, and the middle 
class seems to be rapidly  wiped out.

Moral/spiritual:
Materialistic and worldly religion, preaching prosperity and  promising 
healing and miracles, devoid of sacrifice and the cross,  damages and even 
replaces authentic religion. Some religious leaders control the minds of 
their adherents, who are often ignorant and needy, exploiting them for 
selfish advantage.  The "God" preached by some religious leaders seems not 
to be the God of justice and  love,  but an intolerant "God"  who fosters 
hatred and division.

4.	THE  ROOT CAUSE OF OUR WOUNDS

Our seemingly incurable wounds are symptoms of a deeper and more chronic 
sickness, namely sin. This is manifested in our lack of love, lack of 
concern, and selfishness at individual and  group levels. The pervasive 
presence of greed, selfishness, corruption, the culture of impunity, the 
politics of power rather than development, all contribute to a nation of 
wounded people. These vices prevent us from putting in place structures 
that heal and unify. While some have more responsibility than others for 
our wounds, no one is totally without blame.   "If we say we are free from 
the guilt of sin, we deceive ourselves" (1 Jn. 1:8).

5.	ACTION  TO BE TAKEN

All of us Nigerians need first to admit that all is not well.  Government 
at all levels should resist the temptation to tell lies to the people.  One 
cannot deceive all the people all the time.  The process of healing of 
wounds involves both short-term alleviation of pain, and long-term 
preventive steps.  The process of healing receives its power and 
inspiration from God and then calls forth action and commitment on our part.

On the Part of Government

·	We renew our call for a national conference  that will examine the 
sources of conflict and propose measures to heal the divisions.  To say 
"no" to dialogue is to say "yes" to violence.
·	We call upon government to put in place qualitative and functional 
education at all levels, which should include sound moral and religious 
instruction.  In this connection, we renew our demand for the return of 
schools to their legitimate owners.
·	We re affirm  the secular nature of the Nigerian State as enshrined in 
the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
·	Government should initiate a frank discussion on the issue of Sharia 
rather than continue to wish and hope that it will disappear.
·	We request that the report of the Oputa Panel be made public.
·	Government should intensify efforts at creating job opportunities for the 
unemployed.
·	Government should not only allow but foster the creation of  more 
political parties so that more options are  available to the public.
·	Insecurity in the land is not solved by the proliferation of dubious 
vigilante groups. There is no civilized alternative to a well-trained, 
well-equipped, and well-paid Police Force.
·	We call upon government to conduct its business  in the open,  and not as 
if it were a secret cult.  People have the right to full knowledge of what 
programmes and plans are discussed in the halls of government.
·	The war against corruption has so far proved ineffectual, partly because 
many of the principal actors in government are themselves not free from 
corruption.  Good intentions are not enough. An independent body should be 
given full power and authority to wage  an effective war against corruption 
at all levels of government and business.

On the Part of the Church

·	The Church as family of God not only suffers wounds  in its body, but 
sometimes its members cause wounds to one another and to the larger 
society. And so in the spirit of Lent, we affirm the need for personal 
conversion.
·	We urge all Christians to that conversion of hearts, minds, and attitudes 
to the way of Jesus, to the gospel values that he lived and died for. 
Without interior renewal and conversion, nothing can be achieved.
·	We call on all Nigerians to shun violence and imbibe a culture of 
dialogue and non-violence.
·	We reaffirm the indispensable role of the Justice, Development, and Peace 
Commissions/Committees  (JDPC) at the parish, diocesan, provincial and 
national levels. These Commissions/Committees are not simply another group 
or society in the Church but are to oversee and take leadership 
responsibility in the struggle to heal the wounds of the nation.
·	In accord with the Social Teaching of the Church, we encourage  Catholics 
to enter the difficult world of politics.   Through the  Justice, 
Development and Peace Commissions/Committees and the Catholic Social Forum 
(CSF)  the Church will provide political education and formation  both for 
candidates vying for office and the electorate.
·	Catechesis in parishes  should include the Church's teaching on the 
social dimension of sin and grace,  and on how Catholics should be agents 
of healing and reconciliation, standing for  non-violent action for justice 
and peace.
·	The Church will continue and intensify its efforts to complement the 
programmes of government in providing health care, education and other 
social services.
·	The Church commits itself to establishing  centres  of vocational, 
functional education that will lead to gainful employment.
·	Working with government, we will put in place programmes to combat the 
HIV/AIDS pandemic.  These programmes will aim at creating AIDS awareness, 
arresting the spread of the virus, and extending pastoral care to infected 
individuals and their families.
·	We remind all God's people, and the laity in particular, that they are to 
be salt of the earth and light of the world.  All Catholics must be seen to 
be part and parcel of the healing process of the nation.
·	The Church will continue to set an example for the nation by renewed 
efforts to follow the example of  Jesus by preaching the good news to the 
poor  (cf. Lk. 4:18), and looking after those who are most neglected.  If a 
nation cannot truly be great when it neglects the needs of its poorest 
members, how much more true is that of the Church, the family of God?

6.	  CONCLUSION

"By his wounds we are healed" (1 Pet. 2:24). Jesus Christ, the Wounded 
Healer, freely took upon himself the sins, the wounds of 
humankind.  Through his death on the Cross, he gives us the power to be 
freed from our sins and wounds.   Since many of our wounds are of our own 
making, then the solution and way forward are also within our 
reach.  Empowered by the grace of God and following in the footsteps of 
Jesus, the process of healing and reconciliation will demand sacrifice for 
the common good and the spirit of forgiveness articulated so clearly by 
Pope John Paul II:  "No peace without justice, no justice without 
forgiveness"  (World Day of Peace, 2002).  Even as we move through Lent, we 
remain an Easter people, a people of hope.

If my people, upon whom my name has been pronounced, humble themselves and 
pray, and seek my presence and turn from their evil ways, I will hear them 
from heaven and pardon their sins and heal their land  (2 Chr. 7:14).

May Our Lady, Comforter of the Afflicted and Hope of Christians, so close 
to the wounded Jesus Christ on the Cross, intercede for us and assist us in 
our efforts to heal the wounds of our nation.



+Most Revd  John Onaiyekan				+Most Revd Joseph Ajomo
    President,   CBCN					    Secretary,  CBCN
    Archbishop of Abuja			  	    Bishop of Lokoja