Bishop Habila Daboh of the Diocese of Zaria in Nigeria spoke to ACN about the difficult situation for Christians in the north of the country, but also insists that, despite everything, his people are happy, because they have Jesus Christ.
Christians in northern Nigeria have to endure many difficulties. An assortment of jihadist activity, common criminality, and tribal rivalries poses a direct threat to their safety and lives, aggravated by the imposition of Sharia law in several regions.
Nonetheless, according to Bishop Habila Daboh of Zaria, “the numbers of Christians are growing astronomically in northern Nigeria.”
In an interview with international charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Bishop Daboh explains that since the times of colonization, missionaries were dissuaded from operating in the north, which was mostly Muslim. When Christianity did begin to make inroads in the region, harmony prevailed, but a recent influx of fundamentalist ideas among the Muslim community has soured the atmosphere.
“We grew up together with the different tribes,” the bishop, who is originally from the region, told ACN. “Life was normal. We shared Christmas food with the Muslims, and during their celebrations, they shared their food with us. We ate together; we played football together; we went to the same markets; we bathed in the same streams. Then the extremists arrived, who claimed that if you are not a Muslim, then you shouldn’t be alive, and life became terrible for Christians.”
“And that is where the current tension comes from. They think we are not allowed to be in this area, and they see we are growing, and see it as a threat to the Muslim community.”
The bishop recalls the paradoxical incident in 2020, when four of his seminarians were kidnapped. Three were eventually released, but one, Michael Nnadi, was murdered. At the time, people speculated that other seminarians would quit in fear. “Interestingly, the reverse became the case, because a lot of young boys started applying. They want to become a priest. And when we ask why, they reply that they want to preach Jesus Christ, to tell people that Jesus was a man of peace, and he preaches peace; he preaches love. They want to be priests so that they can preach the Gospel of love to the whole world. Despite the tension, we have people who are zealous, who are interested in Christianity, and that is why Christianity is thriving in northern Nigeria. It is growing. People want to preach love. They want to preach peace. They want to make people know that your neighbor is your neighbor. He may not be from your tribe, he may not be the same religion as you, but we still believe that he is your neighbor and you are his neighbor, and that is the Gospel of Christ.”
While more extremist jihadist groups, such as Boko Haram, are steadfastly opposed to any form of Western education, the Bishop of Zaria insists that Christians are invested in their studies. “My people are hungry for education. When they are educated, they are liberated: with education, they can find food on their own; with education, they will know what is right and what is wrong.”
For these reasons, Bishop Daboh told ACN that he believes that even though they face constant threats, and many Christians are displaced, his people find happiness in the midst of hardship.
“My people are a happy people. Despite the difficulties, despite their poverty, despite the persecution, my people remain a happy people,” he said.
“They are happy, because they have Christ.”
