The Church in Nigeria has been on the receiving end of the incessant killings and mayhem happening in some parts of the country for some years now.
While cases of insecurity have taken some level of national coloration in the recent past – as it appears no part of the country is currently spared from the killings.
However, the Church seems to be in the forefront of the vanguard for peace, justice and progress. This is so because nothing meaningful can take place in an atmosphere of chaos that appears to blur many parts of the country.
Nigeria is adjudged a land richly endowed with human and natural resources, yet her people continue to struggle under the weight of economic hardship, insecurity, and social injustice. However, targeted killings in any part of the country either under the disguise religion or socio-economic challenges only speaks to a broader problem – religious freedom and the right to worship.
“Nigerians feel vulnerable and unprotected irrespective of their faiths, ethnicity or social classes. A significant part of our social life has literally collapsed as many citizens now fear large gatherings for social events or prayer. It is important to restate that things were never really always like this,” Matthew Hassan Kukah, bishop, Catholic diocese of Sokoto, said in a speech delivered at the Augustinianum Hall, on October 21st, 2021, Vatican City.
Kukah was invited by Aid to the Church in Need to speak in response to the release of the biennial report on ‘Religious Freedom’ in the World. The 1248 pages report covers the state of religious freedom across the world between January 2023 and December 2024.
Aid to the Church in Need is an international Catholic pastoral aid organization, which yearly offers financial support to more than 5,000 projects worldwide. Aid to the Church in Need’s General Secretariat and Project Headquarters is in Königstein, Germany. The report cuts across all faiths and focuses only on the degree to which countries comply with the fundamental human right on religious freedom.
“Religious freedom in Nigeria is under grave threat, principally due to legal measures that support discrimination against Christians in the northern states, as well as severe and relentless atrocities committed throughout the country. It is therefore deeply discouraging to note that prospects for religious freedom in Africa’s most populous nation remain extremely grim.
Read also: Nigerian Church must advocate for truth – Archbishop Akinola
According to Kukah, the report is a wake-up call for Nigeria, especially on the need to create a country of common citizenship. The Catholic bishop of Sokoto stated that there is an urgent need to bring all laws, under the purview of the Constitution of Nigeria.
“President Bola Tinubu ordered Nigeria to return to its old national anthem, emphasizing that one of the stanzas says, we want to; build a country where no one is oppressed. Now is the time to live up to these principles.”
Kukah is of the view that action speaks louder than voice; hence the need to remind all politically-exposed individuals of the need to ensure Nigerians are not denied their constitutionally guaranteed rights to worship and religious freedom.
“Religious freedom matters in Nigeria because lasting impact comes from conviction, not coercion,” Wale Olasoji, senior pastor, Living impact Church, told BusinessDay.
According to him, true influence only happens when individuals are reached, taught, and allowed to act according to their beliefs, rather than being forced into practices contrary to their convictions.
“No one in Nigeria should suffer or be harmed because of the faith they choose.
“Above all, God commands us to love our neighbours, and that principle must remain sacrosanct in all we do, strengthening trust, unity, and the moral fabric of our society,” Olasoji said.
Taiwo Akinola, presiding Archbishop, Rhema Christian Church & Towers, said many Nigerians have lost their lives, property, and the freedom to worship peacefully.
“Reports continue to reveal alarming levels of violence against Christians and churches. The Open Doors International World Watch List 2024 ranked Nigeria 6th globally for Christian persecution, with a score of 88,” Akinola said.
He said that while the Church remains committed to peace, forgiveness, and interfaith harmony; peace must be built on justice. “The Church condemns these acts in the strongest terms and calls upon the government to uphold the constitutional right to freedom of religion, protect all worship centres, and bring perpetrators to justice,” Akinola said.
