Nigerian Catholic Officials Call for Courageous Advocacy Against Bad Leadership
Catholic leaders in Nigeria have been urged to rediscover their role as moral watchdogs and advocates for societal transformation by speaking out against poor governance and championing socio-economic reform.
Speaking after the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) held from November 19–22, Fr. Edwin Udoye, Director of the Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) in the Archdiocese of Onitsha, lamented the Church’s hesitance to confront bad leadership.
“We, as a Church, have been too afraid to speak out against poor leadership, and society is suffering for it,” Fr. Udoye said during an interview with ACI Africa on November 25.
Drawing from the courage of early Christians, Fr. Udoye emphasized the need for boldness in addressing societal ills. He criticized the political elite for prioritizing personal ambitions over national welfare and urged Catholics to leverage their population and influence for the common good.
Practical Steps for Change
As a solution to food insecurity, Fr. Udoye proposed reviving the practice of parish gardens, where communities grow fruits and vegetables to combat hunger.
“In the past, parishes had gardens where they grew vegetables and fruits. Today, we have replaced those with interlocked pavements,” he said.
He announced plans for a 2025 campaign to encourage every Catholic family to cultivate small gardens as a collective response to food scarcity.
Leveraging Catholic Social Teaching
During the AGM, Fr. Uchechukwu Obodoechina, Director of Church and Society at CSN, emphasized the numerical and moral strength of Nigerian Catholics as a force for political and social change.
“We have over 40 million Catholics in Nigeria, 6,000 priests, and 87 bishops. Why can’t we move this nation forward? Why should we remain on the sidelines?” Fr. Obodoechina asked.
He challenged the Church to engage actively in politics through lobbying, advocacy, and influence, aligning actions with Catholic Social Teachings (CST) to shape policies for the common good.
The Role of Clergy in Political Advocacy
While priests are prohibited from partisan politics, Fr. Obodoechina encouraged them to “evangelize the political space” by offering policymakers tools rooted in CST.
“The Parish Priest commands unparalleled respect. Every Sunday, thousands listen to him. Imagine the aggregated influence of 6,000 priests across Nigeria every week. That is a powerful platform to start reshaping our society,” he remarked.
He urged Church leaders to shift from passive discussions to active steps in reshaping governance structures.
“For too long, we have talked without acting. The situation remains unchanged because we have not taken concrete steps to alter governance in our country,” he warned.
Transforming Words Into Action
The AGM, which brought together leaders from various Church sectors including health, education, and refugees, focused on utilizing CST as a framework for addressing critical issues such as food security, environmental sustainability, and socio-economic development.
The call for decisive action is a rallying cry for the Catholic Church in Nigeria to maximize its influence in fostering a just and equitable society.
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