Catholic Justice and Peace Official in Nigeria Urges Church Leaders to Speak out against Poor Leadership

The Nigerian priest also faulted Nigeria’s political elite for prioritizing their interests over the welfare of the people. 

“Our political leaders are self-serving. They are already preparing for the 2027 elections instead of addressing pressing governance issues. This is why we must leverage our population and influence to demand policies that serve the common good,” the Nigerian Catholic Priest said.

Fr. Udoye, who also serves as the Director of Migrants and Refugees for the Onitsha Archdiocese, proposed a practical solution to food insecurity in Nigeria. 

He called on Catholics to revive the tradition of cultivating parish gardens, a practice common during the early days of Christianity in Nigeria.

“In the past, parishes had gardens where they grew vegetables and fruits. Today, we have replaced those with interlocked pavements,” he said, and added, “We must return to farming. Every individual, family, and parish should plant something. This simple act can help combat hunger and starvation in our nation.”

Fr. Udoye announced plans to launch a 2025 campaign encouraging every Catholic to contribute to food production. 

“If each family plants even a small garden, we can collectively make a significant impact on food security,” he said.

The November 19-22 general assembly brought together National Directors and Coordinators from various sectors such as the Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), Family and Human Life, Migrants and Refugees, Health, and Education. 

The focus was on leveraging Catholic Social Teachings (CST) as a framework for socio-economic and political transformation.

In his keynote address during the event, the Director of Church and Society at CSN, Fr. Uchechukwu Obodoechina urged Catholics across Nigeria to use their population to influence the nation’s political environment.

He emphasized that the Church is inherently part of society and has a moral mandate to contribute to its transformation.

Highlighting the numerical strength of Nigerian Catholics, Fr. Obodoechina remarked, “We have over 40 million Catholics in Nigeria, 6,000 priests, and 87 bishops. Why can’t we move this nation forward? Why should we remain on the sidelines? Why are we not at the pressure points of power to influence politics and policies?”

The Nigerian Catholic Priest urged Catholics to utilize their influence to reshape Nigeria’s political narrative for the common good. 

“Outside of God, the next most critical entity is government and power. Who influences the government? We must. And we can do so by applying the principles of Catholic Social Teaching,” he said.

Fr. Obodoechina clarified that while Priests cannot participate in partisan politics, they can evangelize the political space. 

(Story continues below)

“As Clergy, we are not politicians, but we have the responsibility to evangelize. We can provide policymakers with the tools articulated in Catholic Social Teachings to guide their work,” he said.

He outlined methods for this engagement, saying, “It’s through influence, lobbying, advocacy, and soft diplomacy. Unless we actively engage, it will be difficult to change the narrative of our country.”

The Catholic official challenged the Clergy to maximize their influence in fostering political consciousness among their parishioners. 

“The Parish Priest commands unparalleled respect in the parish environment. Every Sunday, thousands listen to him. What is he doing with this authority?” he said.

He pointed out that organizing a rally to attract a thousand people might cost political parties millions of Naira, yet a parish priest can gather the same number weekly without spending a dime.

“Imagine the aggregated influence of 6,000 Priests across Nigeria every Sunday. That is a powerful platform to start reshaping our society,” he said.

The Catholic Priest however cautioned against inaction, saying, “For too long, we have talked without acting. We attend meetings, drink tea, and go back to the same issues. The situation remains unchanged because we have not taken concrete steps to alter the governance structure in our country.”