By Fr. Michael Nsikak Umoh, CSN
The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), through its President, Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, has made certain critical demands of all Presidential Candidates as the nation marches into the next political dispensation. These are in addition to the other basic expectations bordering on their personal integrity and capability.
These concerns by the Bishops arose against the background of numerous squandered dreams and hopes and betrayed visions by every successive administrations. The prelates observed that “Each new administration promises to repair the damage inflicted on us (Nigerians) by its predecessor but leaves us (Nigerians) worse than where it found us.” Thus, “every individual in Nigeria knows that the country is close to a dangerous cliff,” and “a majority of Nigerians are dissatisfied with the state of the country they love so dearly,” they stated.
The Bishops said the dialogue with the Presidential candidates have become necessary “so we can listen to you and gauge how you intend to do things differently from your predecessors.”
Their concerns are under the following three major areas: The constitution and the freedom of religion; Common citizenship; and Enhanced collaboration between Church and State.
On the first concern, the constitution and freedom of religion, the Bishops frowned at “how religion has been manipulated and turned into an instrument of oppression in the country.” They reminded that though Chapter two Section 10 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria states that Nigeria shall not adopt any religion as a state religion, “however, from our experiences across the country and over time, these sections have been seriously breached.” “Therefore, we propose that the spirit of the Constitution be aligned with the principles of pluralism in a Democratic society.”
Flowing from the above, the Catholic Bishops condemned the practice of denying Christians land to build their places of worship in northern Nigeria; unprovoked attacks on Christians and their places of worship in most part of the North; denying Christian children admission to schools because they bear Christian names; and denying them high-profile courses like Medicine, Architecture, Engineering, etc.
In view of the above, the Bishops made the following three demands:
1. We, therefore, DEMAND that as long as they meet the criteria, all religious groups must have access to lands to build places of worship across the country.
2. We DEMAND the provision and access to lands for the building of Christian Chaplaincies in ALL Tertiary Federal and State Educational Institutions and the proper certifications of lands in northern Nigeria.
3. We also DEMAND the teaching of Christian Religious Knowledge in ALL Primary and Secondary schools in northern Nigeria.
They affirmed that “Denials or infringements of the rights of Christians in northern Nigeria is a clear violation of Section 38(1) of our Constitution.”
Moreover, on the second concern, on the issue of Common citizenship, the Bishops condemned the practice of Indigenes versus Strangers/Settlers dichotomy which tends to exclude some citizens from spheres of public life. They especially mentioned the marginalization of Christians in northern Nigeria who are being treated as if they are foreigners in their country. “We want a country with equal rights for all citizens, irrespective of where they live or what they believe, as long as they are law-abiding.”
Additionally, the Bishops also condemned the sponsorship of bodies like HISBAH by some northern Governors and the issue of BLASPHEMY LAWS, noting that “We do not feel that we are citizens under one law,” since these “suggest that a particular religious group can decide what right and wrong or modes of public conduct in a plural society is.”
In view of the above, the Bishops made another two demands:
1. We DEMAND the abolition of any law enforcement body that does not conform to the principles f our Constitution.
2. We DEMAND that the sacredness of human life is guaranteed and those who take life must face the law as it violates Section 33(1) of the Constitution.
Furthermore, on the third concern which stressed the need for enhanced collaboration between Church and State, the Bishops noted that this age-long practice has been very beneficial for the common good of the society especially in the area of a very high-quality education with sound moral foundations. They condemned the forceful take-over of mission schools which has led to the deplorable educational system in the country.
In view of the above, they petitioned as follows:
1. We, therefore, DEMAND a new, open and frank discussion about Catholic schools’ future that the military government forcefully took over after the civil war.
2. TETFUND should extend its resources to private Universities.
3. There is the need to enhance sincere national integration.
4. To achieve a minimum level of the common good, our leaders in the next political dispensation must go beyond rewarding cronyism and sectional interest by fishing out the best that are plentiful in the available human resource in our country.
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