By Luminous Jannamike, ABUJA
The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, His Grace, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, has said Nigeria’s problems of insecurity and corruption would be over should the people observe the laws of Islam and Christianity.
He stated this in his sermon at Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro-Cathedral, Abuja on Sunday.
Kaigama said, “If we were observing sincerely the laws of our two main religions in Nigeria, Islam and Christianity, about not stealing, corruption will be long gone and poverty will not be a problem because our human and natural resources will be appropriately utilized. If we pay attention to the injunction not to kill, bandits, kidnappers and religious extremists will not be violating people’s innate human dignity while calling on the name of God.
“We would not have had the Chibok, Kagara and the Jangede abduction of innocent schoolchildren. Similarly, the unnecessary tension between Muslims and Christians; Ibos, Tiv, Yoruba, tribes of Southern Kaduna et al, and Fulani who practise the ‘Abrahamic religions’ will not arise.
“When public officials take oaths of office, with their hand on the Bible or the Koran, they promise to serve selflessly, but many soon commit very unpatriotic acts and corruptly rob the poor, polarize and factionalise our people based on religious, ethnic or economic interests.”
Referencing a biblical text from the book of Psalms 51: 10, the Archbishop also lamented that some clerics have either commercialised or politicised religion, and were little concerned about forming their adherents to have a pure heart and a clean conscience in all things.
He added, “What can save Nigeria from the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah is the non-hypocritical obedience to God’s commandments; not the going about in long robes, erecting conspicuous places of worship in strategic places, or shouting the loudest about God and religion.
“Many, today, see as foolishness the laws of God and are influenced by moral relativism, believing there is no universal or absolute set of moral principles, and freedom is to do as one pleases. They want God to live up to their standards; rather than obey God’s laws to foster human solidarity, sustainable peace, harmony and progress.
“So, there must be a ‘spiritual sanitation’ of the hearts of ALL Nigerians so that justice and peace can flow from our hearts.”
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