KADUNA STATE GOVERNMENT GIVE US ENOUGH LAND TO BURY OUR PRIESTS

Fr. Isaac Patrick Musa

Our experiences as priests, in Kaduna State, have been that of total memory black out, confusion, desperation, helplessness and indecisiveness on what to do or say as bandits and terrorists continue to attack, kidnap and kill us unabated. Our diplomacy and maximum respect to the constituted authority of the state is equal to non. The ecclesiastical authority, led by the Archbishop, Most Revd. Dr. Matthew Man Oso Ndangoso, has been highly considerate and understanding with the efforts of the State Government in combating insecurity in the state. The presbyterate and her members have suffered the most from the evil activities of the bandits and terrorists. The ecclesiastical authority has continually maintained a serene posture and kept preaching hope and courage before her members. His Grace has never failed to appreciate the courage, passion, zeal, sacrifices and leadership role of his priests. This has been the source of our strength and consolation.
It is not an easy task for him at these perilous times. However, he has been so firm and strong to resist the temptation of preaching hatred and inciting violence in the state. I am very sure, he has been battling with the temptation to lead a protest match against insecurity in the state, of which he is mostly affected more than any prominent personality in the state. He has array of reasons to protest and he will be massively supported by the people; but he has decided not. May the Holy Spirit continue to guide you in your duties and daily decisions.
It takes not less than Nine (9) years to train a Roman Catholic Priest. The training in the Catholic Seminary runs into millions of Naira. The Seminary Training has high sense of moral discipline and intensive academic works for the holistic formation of a candidate for the Roman Catholic Priesthood. This formation is so effective, so much that people who have passed through the seminary but could not make it, find it very difficult to completely get integrated back into the normal society. The higher ideals learned during seminary formation cannot be found in our secular institutions in this country that has collapsed.
Why do bandits and terrorists choose to attack priests? Why do they target priests? Briefly, bandits and terrorist have an agenda; to instil fear, conquer territories and extort money forcefully from their victims. In doing this, they are also conscious of the law catching up with them anytime and they know that the consequences can be disastrous on them. And so, they will prefer softer targets, such as; lonely roads, forest, dispersed settlements, rural areas and places with weak security outfit to carry out their crimes.
No matter how big, learned, famous or graded a priest is, can be posted anywhere his bishop wants him to work. The priest accepts such responsibility in total obedience. Because, all priests took the vow of obedience to their bishop and his successor. Many priests, from my experiences as one, in the Archdiocese of Kaduna, prefer to work more in the rural areas than in the cities, if not for this insecurity. It is highly satisfying as a priest to work among the poor and the weak ones in the society. Your effort and impact in their lives are much appreciated compare to those in the cities. Again, most of these rural areas have been neglected by the government and the representatives of these people to the government. The priest very often appears to be the last hope of the common man and woman in such areas.
The priests in these communities are highly valued and respected more than the Senators, House of Representative members, House of Assembly Members, Chairmen of Local Governments and Councillors. They are more effective in leading the community and providing relieve and strength more than their representative in government. The priest does not only preach Christ in the community, but also brings development to the community. Most of the social amenities in the rural communities were instigated and facilitated by some priests through the representatives of the people in government. Priests have been the light and the brains behind the many demands of the people from their elected government.
Many communities have been seen crying and storming the Archbishop’s office with their sons and daughters to plead for him to allow their priest to remain in their parish for a longer period. Some have even protested transfers of their priests because the see that as blinking the little hope they have.
We have never had of such when a chairman or any prominent politician vacates office. Except the death of late Mr Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, the formal Governor of Kaduna State. Most of our politicians are only known or seen on pages of newspapers or posters by the people they govern or represent. I am Ten (10) years a priest, and I have never known or seen a serving politician who is a senator or house of representative member. Maybe, because they mean less to me or they have never been of interest to me. If at my level as a priest, I do not have this privilege easily, what about the rural dwellers, the poor masses and the weak in the communities? The places most of our priests in Kaduna work are among the commoners, who are abandoned by their government. Some of these places, if not the mission structures, there are no traces of government presence at all. Priests after being trained with church offertory, tithes and harvests monies are sent to these rural places not to take care of the Catholic members only, but to serve the communities and leave with them. Most priests leave sacrificial lives. Places that doctors, layers, nurses, engineers, teachers and politicians, who never received his kind of rigorous and verse training cannot leave, a Roman Catholic Priest will stay, survive and make meaningful impact, and drive home development. Most of the local government, state and federal roads are missionary roads to link up communities. Most capital cities were mission centres. And that still continues till date. Communities fight for pastoral centres and out stations because these are the visible signs of emancipation for them.
The common people only know their priests as their Governor, Senators, Representatives, Chairmen and Councillors. They talk, cry and demand from you as though, they elected you to be their priest. If the church does not send you to their community, they would not have known you. Sometimes the anger, they have against their government, they pour them on you.
The funniest thing is that, the government very often does not know how to engage her citizens in these communities. We have witness how government institutions are run in these rural areas; We have seen teachers, health workers, engineers, architects, etc carried out their jobs in these rural areas. Sometimes, the presence of priests in these communities have mounted pressure on these government agents to be on their toes.
When the State Government of Kaduna dethroned most of the traditional rulers of many communities in the state, that really caused anarchy in the land. Priests in these communities till date are still standing in the gab. When the state government sacked civil servants in the state, priests became their hope. The Archdiocese of Kaduna, through JDPC continues to role out programmes bordering on skill acquisitions and empowerment to cushion the effects of these bad decisions on the people. It has been a surprise to the government of the day – that in spite her destructive and marginalizing policies that favour only one side of the divide, our people are still stronger and surviving without worries. Constructions and developments are going on in Kaduna State by this administration, we see them, but non is intentionally directed for the benefits of Christians in the state.
The attack on priests is the best target to hit the common man and woman in Kaduna State. The killing of priests in Kaduna State is an attack on the government of the poor and ruler dwellers. The attack on priest is an attack on the last hope of civil servants sacked by the government. If the priests match out in protest, these people will come out in solidarity, If the priests carry arms these people will carry arms, if the priests declare war these people will be ready to die fighting on the street.
The priest is not trained for any of the above mentioned. We passed through a formation that respect the dignity of human life irrespective of class destination and religion. We are trained to be law abiding citizens and to preach same to everyone. We are the light of the societies we serve.
Kaduna state government should protect our lives to keep serving the people in the state. But if she cannot, at least provide land to bury our priests. Our burial ground is filled, our priests have died in crisis and banditry in the state and without you providing protections to our people, we will not stop working amongst them. As bandits are killing and kidnapping your citizen, they will continue to kidnap and kill us too. Just provide space to bury us. We are not safe and we are not afraid to die in the cause of discharging our pastoral duties. We are not going to stop being with the poor. The violent Bandits seems to be your agents.