“Enough of your deceit” is the terse message of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria to Nigerian politicians who specialize in propagating conflicts along tribal, ethnic and religious lines.
In an address at the formal opening of the Second Plenary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria in Sokoto today, the President of the Conference, Archbishop Augustine Akubeze said those politicians mislead Nigerians into hating each other. In the process, the politicians steal the people’s common wealth.
As Nigeria moves towards the 2019 general elections, the CBCN President said the political atmosphere is tensed up with many politicians changing political platform to seek re-election. The concern of most Nigerians he further said is not the political party in power. All that the citizens crave for is improved economy, security of life and property, justice and fairness in the distribution of social amenities, a stable, qualitative, functional, and affordable educational system.
The Vatican Nuncio in Nigeria, Archbishop Antonio Guido Fillipazi and Cardinal Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan were among the senior prelates at the conference.
The conference also had in attendance, all Bishops and representatives of the few who could not attend. Equally present at the opening were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Barrister Boss Mustapha who represented the Federal Government, Governor Solomon Lalong of Plateau State, the Deputy Governor of Kebbi State, Wazirin Sokoto who represented the Sultan of Sokoto, the Atyap of Zangon Kataf in Kaduna State and some other traditional rulers.
In the morning of the opening, the Bishops had concelebrated the opening Mass at the Holy Family Catholic Cathedral, Sokoto during which the host Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah preached the homily. He traced the history of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto to the efforts of priests of the Society of African Missions and the Dominican Community.
