2016-06-30 14:13:00

Archbishop Kaigama upbeat about Nigeria’s challenges


Nigeria is Africa's most densely populated country. About 20 million of a total of approximately 170 million Nigerians are Catholic. Some of the challenges currently facing the country are the terrorist organisation, Boko Haram and corruption. In an interview during a visit to the International Catholic pastoral charity, “Aid To The Church In Need,” Nigeria’s Archbishop of Jos and President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria, (CBCN) Ignatius Kaigama, explained that the Church is dealing with the challenges.

Describing the political climate in his country, Archbishop Kaigama said that before the general elections, pessimists were predicting the disintegration of Nigeria. However, the elections went off peacefully and for the first time in the history of the country an incumbent President lost and accepted his defeat.

“We needed change, and this change came in the person of President Muhammadu Buhari. He has now been in office for about a year, and we want to give him a chance to implement his promises to fight corruption and terrorism, ” Archbishop Kaigama told Aid To The Church In Need.

Nevertheless, Archbishop Kaigama noted that unfortunately, on the state level – and especially in the primarily Muslim North all is not well.

“There are signs of discrimination. For example, Muslim students have their own Mosques, while the Christians have to hold their services in classrooms. There is religious instruction for Muslims, but what about for Christians? They do not have the same options. Furthermore, the government does not make it easy for the Christians in the North to build new Churches and the Christians do not even have the authorization to buy land privately,” the Archbishop said.

According to the prelate from Jos, “If you refuse Christians access to a Christian education based on narrow-minded religious prejudices, then this is absolutely not helpful. It is even detrimental because this means that we create people without faith, without established morals, who can be dangerous for society. We want everyone to be strengthened in their faith and religious identity, to ensure that better citizens are raised for society,” he said.

Asked by Aid To The Church In Need if he thought that President Buhari is doing the right thing to defeat Boko Haram, the Archbishop replied in the affirmative.

“Absolutely. We have long been praying for the embattled Nigeria. We also composed a prayer against corruption. We have prayed it for years, and I believe that God has heard our prayers. Something is being done about corruption; Boko Haram is being combated. Our prayers have been answered,” Archbishop Kaigama said.

On corruption, Archbishop Kaigama praised  President Buhari’s drive against corruption and said the Church was also playing its part.

“We as a church are trying to impart positive values to the families. It is such a large problem that it will take time to overcome it,” outlined Archbishop Kaigama.

(Original interview: Aid To The Church In Need)

Email: engafrica@vatiradio.va








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