Superiority Complex, Prejudice Behind Various Crises in Nigeria, Archbishop Says

Tracing the origin of the “denominational prejudices” from missionaries who brought the Christianity to the West African nation, Archbishop Kaigama advocated for an “honest and loving interaction and an objective study of the history of the Church to bring understanding among Christians and provide an opportunity for collaboration.”

According to the Archbishop, failure to interact with the history of Church in the country will “carry on with inherited prejudices which affect Christian unity and we will continue to see one another in a negative light and even becoming very uncharitable to ourselves.”

He cautioned Nigerians against the tendency to “quarrel, compete, argue and fight dirty verbally and physically over religion.”

“Let us rather try to outdo one another in living out the edifying values of our respective religions,” the 62-year-old Archbishop said, adding, “We should ask for a new and better way of being Nigerians, translating our faith convictions into good actions, beyond external rituals, for faith without good works is dead.”

Africa’s most populous nation has been experiencing violence linked to religious extremism and inter-ethnic violence.

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In the North-eastern State of Taraba, members of the Tiv and Jukun communities have taken arms against each other since 1959. 

The Islamist militant group, Boko Haram, is also responsible for several incidences of violence and kidnappings in the country, one of the most recent being the kidnapping of 300 boys from the Government Science School in Nigeria’s Katsina State. 

As a way forward, the Local Ordinary of Abuja went on to call on Nigerians to put an end to their differences and work towards what is beneficial to all. 

“Brothers and sisters let us hold each other’s’ hands and together we as Nigerians, can climb the highest hill, and prove those wishing our disintegration as a nation wrong. Love is the cost,” said Archbishop Kaigama.

He continued, “We need to expand our horizon. He or she who loves not the neighbour is living in darkness.”

He urged the people of God in Africa’s most populous nation to “pray and watch” amid the high levels of insecurity in the country. 

“In these difficult times of insecurity, I think of the old woman who makes the sign of the cross in front and behind, claiming it is to avert dangers coming in front and behind. Today, dangers come from all sides,” the Nigerian Archbishop said. 

He further said, “Like Joshua, with firm faith, let us march into the New Year, confident that the Lord of history will not abandon us.”

Making reference to the book of Numbers, Archbishop Kaigama implored for God’s blessings in the country saying, “The face of the Lord will shine on us, that He be gracious to all Nigerians and give us His peace so that we can have the desired social transformation; a transformation that helps us to value every Nigerian and not to treat one another with religious, ethnic and political bias.” 

Magdalene Kahiu is a Kenyan journalist with passion in Church communication. She holds a Degree in Social Communications from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). Currently, she works as a journalist for ACI Africa.