From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has highlighted the role of the Christian faith especially the Catholic church to the peace building efforts in Africa especially within the West Africa sub-region.
The President observed that poverty and socioeconomic challenges are fast penetrating into African societies, hence the increasing agitations and restiveness by its youths who have displayed hopelessness.
President Buhari spoke through the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, at the opening ceremony of the Reunion of the Episcopal Conferences of West Africa (RECOWA) in Abuja, on Tuesday.
Over 200 Catholic Bishops from across West Africa converged in Abuja to participate in the conference which often provide an opportunity to discuss issues that concern the Catholic church and the society in general.
President Buhari, in his remarks, challenged the Catholic Bishops not only explore ways of strengthening the bonds of faith between the church and communities, but also endeavour to build bridges across every divide that threatens to fracture nations of Africa.
He said: “Our goals of unity and integration have always been thwarted not just by concerns of individual sovereignty of our nations, but also by internal crisis and social conflicts in our nations and around the borders.
“Unarguably, Africa is passing through a season of considerable political, economic and social turmoil especially in the Sahel. COVID-19 pandemic weakened many economies, hence unemployment escalated and poverty deepened.
“Since 2017, there have been 12 military coups in Africa and half of them have occurred since 2020. Historically in times like these, parochial prejudices are heightened and the fabric of cohesion becomes frayed, as people retreat into ethnic, religious and other nativist camps. Those that do not speak our language or subscribe to our faith come under great suspicion and they are made scapegoats.
“In all of these, the ideal of an integrated peaceful and prosperous subregion seems almost impossible. However, we must note that peace cannot reign in Africa if it does not reign in our communities and countries first.”
He described the theme of conference, “Fratelli Tutti: Path to Build Brotherhood and Sustainable Peace in West Africa” as apt, insisting that the idea of fraternity and social friendship are the best ways to build a better, more just and peaceful world with the commitment of all people and institutions.
He reminded the church leaders that it is not merely the business of governments and political institutions to secure peace but an inclusive efforts of all including the civil societies of which the faith communities are an important constituency. “So the role of the church in this enterprise is settled.”
He commended the Catholic Church and the Bishops conference for always speaking truth to power in line with the highest prophetic traditions.
“Over the years, the Church has modeled profound approaches in challenging the impunity of some state actors and errant power. But my Lords, it’s time to speak to violent non state actors. Some of them undoubtedly, are propagating genuine causes but with mindless violence that have led to the destruction of lives and property.”
He reassured them that the Federal Government was committed to collaborating with the Church and all actors in promoting peace and security in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the RECOWA President, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, in his welcome address, noted that Africa is faced with serious socioeconomic and political issues that have contributed to the absence of peace and development in the region.
He said: “We know that in our region, political governance in many cases is unfortunately not about service based on charity, justice, truth and transparency.
“Without becoming politically partisan, our prophetic voices must continue to ring out on behalf of the voiceless multitude suffering. We do not pretend that we have the solutions to the multidimensional political, security and social problems.
“The Church can only continue to play her role in educating the conscience of Christians, non-Christians and people of good will in our society.”
President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji, in his remarks, noted that there’s the need for social dialogue, cross cultural dialogue, inter-religious dialogue, peace-building, forgiveness and reconciliation in order to sustain human fraternity and sustainable peace in “fractured” West Africa sub-region.
“To achieve the enduring and sustainable peace envisaged by Fratelli Tutti, there is also need for a re-orientation in our attitudes, where we must place the individual person, with his dignity and rights, over and above other considerations.
“The adoption of such a “revolution of values” will help to curb our greed and selfishness, and push for a more altruistic approach in governance. Before any other thing, the other person’s wellbeing comes first. This is another way of saying that each one of us must see the other as either brother or sister. This idea of universal brotherhood, based on our common humanity, is a point Fratelli Tutti never ceases to emphasize.”