Pope Francis has identified peaceful co-
existence as the only solution to the crisis in
some parts of Nigeria.
In his message at the celebration of the World
Day of Peace, which is an annual event of
Catholic faithful worldwide, the Pope noted that
with the use of brotherly love, many of the
country’s problems will be solved.
The Pope’s message was read by the
Archbishop, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos,
Most Rev Adewale Martins, at the Holy Cross
Catholic Church, Lagos.
“It is easy to realise that fraternity is the
foundation and pathway of peace. When we
have the value of fraternity, a feeling of
brotherhood, love and care for one another,
many of our problems would not be there.
“Our fraternity is based on the fact that we are
all made in the likeness and image of God. Our
brotherhood is not based on any factor other
than that we are all children of one God.
“What is to be done is to get back to the roots
to identify ourselves and recognise and deal
with ourselves as brothers and sisters that we
are. It will go a long way to bring peace back
into the world,” he said.
He attributed the situation to the inability of
genuine relationships among the people and
lack of solid family and community
relationships.
“We are concerned by the various types of
hardship, marginalisation, isolation and various
forms of pathological dependencies which are
currently on the increase.
“This kind of problems can be overcome only
through the rediscovery and valuing of
fraternal relationships in the heart of families
and communities.
“Also in the sharing of joys and sorrows of the
hardships and triumphs that are a part of
human life,” he said.
In his own New Year message, the Catholic
Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan,
also charged Nigerian politicians to be mindful
of their choice of words to avoid overheating
the polity.
According to him, the use of words like
“capture” in the political lexicon, would in no
small measure contribute to over-heating the
polity
Onaiyekan gave the charge when he fielded
questions from newsmen yesterday after the
New Year Service at the Our Lady Queen of
Nigeria Pro-Cathedral in Abuja.
He said 2014 was crucial, noting that in view of
the chaotic political terrain already being
experienced in the country, it might not be a
smooth sail politically.
Onaiyekan noted that “the Pope’s message is
directed to the whole world and it’s the job of
the local church to review it and see; what
does it say to my country?
“My job is not finished by simply illustrating, I
will have to carry it incessantly throughout this
year. 2014 is crucial; there are lots of political
campaigns and it’s not going to be smooth this
year.
“It’s already getting very complex almost
chaotic but sometimes we don’t have to worry
about the complexity that we see because in
my own opinion, it all depends on the present
process when people begin to create alliances,
we don’t know what they are doing.
“The major message we should be able to
pass to our people is that politics is supposed
to be a decent game of confrontation of ideals,
where people find out who is in the best
position to move this nation forward. It is not a
battle; it’s not a do-or-die affair.
“Words like ‘capturing’ should never be used in
politics but we hear it so often. Because when
we talk of ‘capturing’, it means whoever loses
in the game is practically defeated and kicked.
“In Nigeria if you lose an election you are
finished which is why politicians who lose
elections go back to the party that is presently
ruling, since the ruling party seems to control
everything and doesn’t allow other people to
feel like they belong to the whole community.
“This has to change; if it changes then Nigeria
can have decent politics not moving from one
crisis to another. Let me give you an example:
why is it that every time when we have an
election, on the morning of the election, the
whole country is brought to a standstill and the
whole nation is filled with soldiers?
“Can’t we see what is happening in civilized
nations? Election day is a normal day, you
take off some time from your job, go and cast
your vote. In Nigeria it has been turned into a
battle. This has to stop and I ask myself where
all these soldiers are for whom? Who are
those who are causing the insecurities?”
Onaiyekan stressed.
On what could be done to remedy the situation
apart from prayers, he said: “We have been
doing other things, we have not been praying
only. It’s work and pray and heaven helps
those who help themselves and even we as
religious leaders we have only a little part to
play in indicating the right part.”
existence as the only solution to the crisis in
some parts of Nigeria.
In his message at the celebration of the World
Day of Peace, which is an annual event of
Catholic faithful worldwide, the Pope noted that
with the use of brotherly love, many of the
country’s problems will be solved.
The Pope’s message was read by the
Archbishop, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos,
Most Rev Adewale Martins, at the Holy Cross
Catholic Church, Lagos.
“It is easy to realise that fraternity is the
foundation and pathway of peace. When we
have the value of fraternity, a feeling of
brotherhood, love and care for one another,
many of our problems would not be there.
“Our fraternity is based on the fact that we are
all made in the likeness and image of God. Our
brotherhood is not based on any factor other
than that we are all children of one God.
“What is to be done is to get back to the roots
to identify ourselves and recognise and deal
with ourselves as brothers and sisters that we
are. It will go a long way to bring peace back
into the world,” he said.
He attributed the situation to the inability of
genuine relationships among the people and
lack of solid family and community
relationships.
“We are concerned by the various types of
hardship, marginalisation, isolation and various
forms of pathological dependencies which are
currently on the increase.
“This kind of problems can be overcome only
through the rediscovery and valuing of
fraternal relationships in the heart of families
and communities.
“Also in the sharing of joys and sorrows of the
hardships and triumphs that are a part of
human life,” he said.
In his own New Year message, the Catholic
Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan,
also charged Nigerian politicians to be mindful
of their choice of words to avoid overheating
the polity.
According to him, the use of words like
“capture” in the political lexicon, would in no
small measure contribute to over-heating the
polity
Onaiyekan gave the charge when he fielded
questions from newsmen yesterday after the
New Year Service at the Our Lady Queen of
Nigeria Pro-Cathedral in Abuja.
He said 2014 was crucial, noting that in view of
the chaotic political terrain already being
experienced in the country, it might not be a
smooth sail politically.
Onaiyekan noted that “the Pope’s message is
directed to the whole world and it’s the job of
the local church to review it and see; what
does it say to my country?
“My job is not finished by simply illustrating, I
will have to carry it incessantly throughout this
year. 2014 is crucial; there are lots of political
campaigns and it’s not going to be smooth this
year.
“It’s already getting very complex almost
chaotic but sometimes we don’t have to worry
about the complexity that we see because in
my own opinion, it all depends on the present
process when people begin to create alliances,
we don’t know what they are doing.
“The major message we should be able to
pass to our people is that politics is supposed
to be a decent game of confrontation of ideals,
where people find out who is in the best
position to move this nation forward. It is not a
battle; it’s not a do-or-die affair.
“Words like ‘capturing’ should never be used in
politics but we hear it so often. Because when
we talk of ‘capturing’, it means whoever loses
in the game is practically defeated and kicked.
“In Nigeria if you lose an election you are
finished which is why politicians who lose
elections go back to the party that is presently
ruling, since the ruling party seems to control
everything and doesn’t allow other people to
feel like they belong to the whole community.
“This has to change; if it changes then Nigeria
can have decent politics not moving from one
crisis to another. Let me give you an example:
why is it that every time when we have an
election, on the morning of the election, the
whole country is brought to a standstill and the
whole nation is filled with soldiers?
“Can’t we see what is happening in civilized
nations? Election day is a normal day, you
take off some time from your job, go and cast
your vote. In Nigeria it has been turned into a
battle. This has to stop and I ask myself where
all these soldiers are for whom? Who are
those who are causing the insecurities?”
Onaiyekan stressed.
On what could be done to remedy the situation
apart from prayers, he said: “We have been
doing other things, we have not been praying
only. It’s work and pray and heaven helps
those who help themselves and even we as
religious leaders we have only a little part to
play in indicating the right part.”
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