Nigerian Bishops in Lagos

[anb-bia <anb-bia@village.uunet.be>]

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WEEKLY NEWS - SPECIAL ISSUE of: 12-09-2001   -  NIGERIA


The following forms a background to Nigeria's current religious tensions.
We received this report on 12 SEPT 2001.
Greeting
Paolo
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NIGERIAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS'MEETING OPENS IN LAGOS

By Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Badejo and Peter Ajayi Dada

The Second Plenary meeting of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria 
(CBCN) opened today with a Eucharistic Mass celebrated at St. Leo's 
Catholic Church, Ikeja Lagos with 41 bishops, several priests, Rev. 
Sisters, lay faithful, and others in attendance.  The Chief celebrant was 
the President of the Conference, Most Revd. John Onaiyekan of Abuja 
Archdiocese while Archbishop Anthony Olubunmi Okogie of Lagos preached the 
homily.  The Papal Nuncio to Nigeria, Most Revd. Osbaldo Padilla attended 
the Mass as well as State dignitaries.

The President of the Conference, Archbishop John Onaiyekan speaking at the 
opening ceremony lamented the current atmosphere of tension and violent 
clashes in some parts of Nigeria, which made it impossible for some of the 
bishops to be present at the Conference.' As we gathered here there is 
tension and violent clashes in the city of Jos and the surrounding towns. 
Our colleague, the Archbishop of Jos Most Revd, Ignatius Kaigama, has to 
remain at home to be able to keep an eye on developments and so cannot be 
with us,' he declared.

He further lamented that Jos is not the only place where there is discord 
and conflict. We have heard about recent happenings in Nassarawa and Bauchi 
States.'' He described these tensions and clashes as "symptoms of greater 
inner discord within our Nigeria nation. "Whatever may be the cause of 
discord and conflict, real or imagined the Church must constantly be there 
to be counted upon to be an agent of reconciliation and peace… those who 
use the name of religion to perpetrate atrocities are only giving religion 
a bad name.  We believe that the majority of Nigerian Christians and 
Muslims want nothing but to live in place with one another."

Archbishop Onaiyekan reiterated that the issue of the Sharia still needs to 
be thoroughly addressed if there is ever to be religious harmony in this 
country.  "The failure of government to call to order those who insist on 
disturbing our religious peace becomes an encouragement for them to 
continue to take undue liberties."

He traced the conflict in our sub-region and within Nigeria to 
injustice.  "When there is a sustained condition of injustice.  It is 
inevitable that tensions will build up."  There is need to have the courage 
and political will to put in place a just social order in our country, he 
pleaded.

Archbishop Okogie in his homily earlier at the Mass lamented that Nigeria 
has witnessed a lot of upheavals "Constant military coups have battered the 
nation's psyche and the looting of public treasury has added economic 
stress to our economy."  He stressed that selfish politicians have added 
stress to the nation with their political game of grabbing it all for fear 
that the national cake may not last long.  "Bribery and corruption have 
taken permanent places in Nigeria, " he lamented adding that Nigeria is a 
nation that has lost her credibility and self-esteem, a nation that does 
not recognise the value of education.  We are now a nation without a vision 
and future, he said.

He suggested that it is imperative that the leadership of the Church has to 
shift its emphasis to the integral development of the whole person.  There 
is the need for concerted action between the family, the Church and the 
State if success is to be achieved "the ultimate reason for our current 
problem is the absence of God in people's heart." He charged his brother 
bishops that,"the more sane voices are roused on national issues, the 
better the chances we have to improve on Nigerian's fortune and 
destiny".  Archbishop Okogie added that it is important that the hierarchy 
join with one voice others who speak on issues of national importance.

He also stated that the Church needs to produce men and women of aggressive 
vision who can respond to challenges"… who will only state God's position 
and stay by it, even at the cost of their lives.  It is our duty as leaders 
to provide this caliber of men and women needed for the reconstruction of 
the nation.

The Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Osbaldo Padilla in his address called on 
the bishops to "draw inspiration from the purifying spirit of humble 
repentance of the Holy Year, and reflect upon our Episcopal ministry not as 
a form of power and prestige but rather an authentic expression of service 
for the Church and for the world.

He also reminded them that enduring problems today require the Church, in 
exercising her mission, to be a source of hope, which leads to the 
continuous renewal of the world.  "In concrete ways, this is the case also 
in the ministry of the bishop in his particular Church.  The service of the 
bishop will be the source of hope and aspiration of spiritual renewal to 
his particular Church," he stressed.  The Conference will end on Thursday 
when a statement on the state of the nation will be issued.



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x - Un homme meurt chaque fois que l'un d'entre nous se tait devant la 
tyrannie (Wole Soyinka, Prix Nobel litterature) -  Everytime somebody keep 
silent when faced with tyranny, someone else dies (Wole Syinka, Nobel Prize 
for Literature)
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