Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Executive Secretary, Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), Rev. Fr (Prof) Cornelius Afebu Omonokhua, has said that there are no inter-religious conflicts in Nigeria.
The Secretary General of the West Africa Inter-Religious Council (WAIRC) in an interview with Sunday Sun in Abuja, stated that what obtained in Nigeria is that some people in privileged leadership positions in the country use religion and ethnicity to selfishly drive their agenda to satisfy their greed.
Omonokhua, a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Auchi, said: “I think that we really do not have inter-religious conflicts in Nigeria. What we do have is that some people in privileged leadership positions use religion and ethnicity to selfishly drive their agenda to satisfy their greed. Because of hunger and deprivations in many parts of the nation, those at the grassroots level are easily manipulated, while the middle class who should be the voice of the voiceless are bribed to mortgage their consciences.”
The former Director, Department of Mission and Dialogue, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, also dwelt on the cry of marginalization in the country, saying that only the restructuring of the country will put an end to marginalization.
Going by your experience in inter-religious dialogue, what do you think is responsible for incessant ethno-religious crisis in Nigeria?
I think that we really do not have inter-religious conflicts in Nigeria. What we do have is that some people in privileged leadership positions use religion and ethnicity to selfishly drive their agenda to satisfy their greed. Because of hunger and deprivations in many parts of the nation, those at the grassroots level are easily manipulated, while the middle class who should be the voice of the voiceless are bribed to mortgage their consciences. What takes the form of incessant ethno-religious crisis is the reality of lack of respect for justice and federal character in the distribution of amenities and political positions.
Is the objective for establishing NIREC, its mandate, being achieved considering the spate of religious conflicts across the country?
I think things would have been worse if not for the existence of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council. To live in peace, social cohesion and justice, the leaders of the two principal religions, Islam and Christianity in Nigeria voluntarily decided to come together to form the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council on the 11th day of September, 1999, and the association having been inaugurated on the 29th day of September, 1999; guided by divine regulations and the dictates of our Creator, determined, within the context of our religions, to forge inter-religions harmony and concord (Preamble to the Constitution of NIREC). This means that we need to have a meeting point outside the newspapers and social media to discuss the way forward. Christian and Muslim journalists who claim to be talking and writing in the name of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) should consider the feelings of the others in their utterances and publications. Some of these publications in the media give negative impression. This does not mean that all is well. The scourge of the terrorists is affecting everybody irrespective of religion and ethnicity; hence NIREC insists that we must work together in the form of dialogue of social engagement. I think that the objectives of NIREC are being achieved.
Is the government yielding to the advice of NIREC?
That the government supports NIREC is a sign that the political leaders have the political will to accept the joint recommendations of NIREC. If the expression “government” is not restricted to the president, governors and political leadership, then it means that if we work together, we can be the voice of the voiceless. Together, we can speak truth to power; hence we need a common action to transform fanaticism and radicalism to orthodox faith of the main stream religions. We can make this nation great if we can manage our differences, religious sentiments and ethnic bigotry. The Muslims believe that Islam is a religion of peace, while Christians believe that Jesus is the Prince of Peace. This is why we can together combat terrorism, kidnapping, religious bigotry, ethnic and religious discrimination. Criminality has no religion; hence we must trust that the criminals are not acting out a script of any religion. A criminal is a criminal. It does not matter whether he answers a Christian or Muslim name. If the criminal with a religious name acts in the name of his or her religion, then he or she would cease to be a criminal. Crime is a sin in any religious context. Coincidently, most political leaders in Nigeria are either Christians or Muslims who should serve as ambassadors of their religions in governance.
What has been your interaction with religious and traditional rulers so far?
Most members of NIREC are religious leaders and some of them are also traditional rulers. I interact with them at this level. Besides, I am in contact with some religious and traditional rulers who are not members of NIREC when there is need to do so.
Where lies the problem of religious intolerance in the country? Is it with religious, political or traditional leaders?
Religious intolerance depends more on the way and manner a person was brought up and trained in religious matters. Every religion has the mandate to evangelize, but those who have been indoctrinated and brainwashed, have the tendency to be fanatics or radicals. Some people who teach and preach religion are not well trained. Self-acclaimed pastors and Imams are the main problems because they are the protagonists of religious intolerance.
President Muhammadu Buhari is being accused of skewering political positions to favour Muslims in the country. What is your position on this?
If President Buhari were a Christian, he would still be accused of promoting Christianity and favouring Christians. I think the issue should not be reduced to religious favouritism. Our emphasis should be the promotion of efficiency, merit and the capacity to do a job irrespective of religion. We have credible Nigerians who can make this nation a great country if we can control our religious and ethnic sentiments. We need leaders who can deliver on their political promises. It does not matter where the leader comes from and his religious affiliation. Sierra Leone has a very high percentage of Muslims. The Muslims vote for credible people such that most presidents in Sierra Leone have been Christians. Only one Muslim has emerged as president in Sierra Leone, yet both Christians and Muslims in that country fast and pray together for peace. In Nigeria, some Christians have benefited from Muslims and some Muslims have benefited from Christians, hence we must not encourage this useless competition between Christians and Muslims in leadership. We should rather compete for credible leaders with integrity.
Boko Haram is seen to be a product of religion. What is NIREC doing to dialogue with the self-styled Islamic group?
That you refer to Boko Haram as “Self-Styled Islamic Group” partly answers your question because the main stream or orthodox Muslims believe that Boko Haram does not represent Islam. This means that they are seen as criminals whose dialogue partners must be the law enforcement agents. The best NIREC has done is to prevail on government to bring the terrorists to justice like every other criminal. Criminals should not be given religious labels even if they claim to belong to a particular religion. The repentant terrorists should be debriefed, de-radicalized and reformed, while those who are not ready to repent should face justice.
Do you see its war with the government coming to an end soon?
If the Nigerian Army could excel in restoring peace to Sierra Leone and Liberia, I think the same Army can assist the government to bring the war with the insurgent to a final end as soon as possible if there is political will, honesty and lack of sabotage in the form of military conspiracy.
One of the achievements of NIREC is that it has succeeded in stopping reprisal attacks in the country as a result of the activities of Boko Haram. How did NIREC succeed in achieving that?
This could be credited to the leadership of NIREC and the docility of NIREC members. For instance, December 2019 to February, 2020 was very challenging for the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council. I received messages from some prominent Christians and Muslims who contemplated resigning from NIREC because of the publications that gave the impression that the Christian Association of Nigeria and the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs were in conflict. Knowing that one of the strategies of the terrorists is to cause religious war by turning Christians and Muslims against each other, I responded by sending a text message to the co-chairmen of NIREC who graciously met and put a stop to the spark that could lead to an inferno. I personally reached out to some Christians and Muslims who made provocative statements and publications that were reported in the media. I invited some to NIREC office and appealed to them to take their grievances to NIREC. The scenario of religious combat in the media is what gave rise to the theme of the 1st quarter meeting of NIREC at Sheraton on March 12, 2020. This theme was: “Together we can grow peace for the nation.”
The cry of marginalization by Christians, is it justified?
This issue was discussed exhaustively in the 1st quarter meeting of NIREC. It depends on how you look at marginalization. The Christians are seen to be marginalized in the North, while the Muslims complain that they are marginalized in the South when it comes to acquiring land to build houses of worship. Whoever feels marginalized in justice has the right to cry out, but we need to look at this whole issue from a more objective and global perspective than political appointments. The cry of marginalization will not stop until the nation considers the option of restructuring.
What is the way out of religious crisis in the country?
The way out is to know in the first place that in Nigeria, there is no conflict between Christianity and Islam. Christians and Muslims can enjoy peaceful co-existence through dialogue of life, dialogue of religious experience, dialogue of social engagements, dialogue of theological exchange, dialogue of love and dialogue of encounter.
What role can religious and traditional rulers play in the ongoing pandemic ravaging the world, particularly Nigeria?
We need to seek the face of God and see what lessons we can learn from the ongoing COVID-19 that is ravaging the world. Perhaps, God is calling us to review our lifestyle so that we can have change of attitude and values. This time calls for mental re-engineering. This time has shown the need to put our nation in order because no condition and position are permanent. Religious and traditional leaders should ensure that their followers obey the civil authorities in curtailing the virus. We must obey our religious and traditional leaders to observe the rules.
How can they complement government’s efforts?
The religious leaders should ensure that religious gatherings are in line with the legislations of government, while the traditional rulers should put on hold, all traditional gatherings and festivals.
What is your take on the temporary restriction on religious worship in public places in the country?
There is no ban on religious worship. People are encouraged to pray at home like the Christians of the early Church. Sr. Prof. Teresa Okure (SHCJ), a Professor of Biblical Studies in the Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA) did a reflection on “Locked Church Doors and Prohibition of Public Masses as Measures to Stop the Spreading of COVID-19.” I think she provides the best answer to your question. I would like you to share this with the public for better enlightenment. According to Sr. Prof. Teresa Okure SHCJ, many people are asking: how can the church run away from COVID-19, especially at this time? Does it mean that the church has no faith; etcetera? The lay faithful feel abandoned by the church. At face value, these questions are very sound. Perhaps, we need to look at this situation in a different light. Who is the church? What is the church? Does our daily going to church on Sundays make us truly the church, body of Christ, family of God? Or a congregation of people coming to sing, dance, feel good; then leave the church without connecting with each other, knowing each other and caring for each other even during the Mass?