Lent 2025, Let’s Transform “from selfishness to self-giving, hatred to love, evil to good”: Nigerian Catholic Archbishop

He encouraged Christians to deepen their relationship with God during the Lenten Season, saying, “Our hearts remain restless until they find rest in Him. When we surrender fully to God, we will experience true peace, and that peace will radiate to others.”

The Local Ordinary of Abuja challenged the Nigerian government to prioritize the needs of vulnerable populations in the country, including youths, recalling that the Church has consistently championed the welfare of such persons.

“Nigerian youths deserve attention from the government. Many of them are poor, unemployed, and lack basic means of livelihood. As Church leaders, we continue to call on the government to address their plight because the future belongs to them,” he said.

Archbishop Kaigama urged the government to collaborate with the Church in tackling poverty and unemployment, adding, “As a Church, we are doing a lot. But it feels like the government does not even acknowledge or appreciate our efforts.”

“The Catholic Church is not a business; we have been serving humanity for over 2,000 years, always standing with the poor,” the Catholic Archbishop, who started his Episcopal Ministry in April 1995 as Bishop of Nigeria’s Catholic Diocese of Jalingo said. 

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He continued, “We are deeply involved in education and healthcare. We are not seeking financial gain; rather, we want the government to assist us so that we can help the people more.”

“When the government supports us, we acknowledge it publicly. Unfortunately, there seems to be little interest from their side,” Archbishop Kaigama lamented, and went on to urge government officials to engage faith-based organizations in addressing the West African nation’s socio-economic challenges.

“I am waiting for the Minister of Education, the Minister of Health, and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs to come to us and ask, ‘What can we do together? How can we overcome hunger, poverty, and insecurity?’” he said. 

The Local Ordinary of Abuja since November 2019 affirmed, “If we work together and put our heads together, solutions will emerge. Because we work with God, and when we turn to Him, answers will come.”

Abah Anthony John is a Nigerian Journalist with great enthusiasm and interest for Catholic Church Communication and Media Apostolate. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Mass Communication from Benue State University, Makurdi, Benue State Nigeria. He has vast experience in Print,  Electronic and Multi-Media Production.