The Bishops of Nigeria, precisely in the ecclesiastical province of Ibadan, have issued a press release, calling all citizens of a different faith to unite in peace, in an impassioned plea «to exercise restraint and set out on a new course, free from rancor and violence» and to put an end to «violence and the senseless bloodbath» that is consuming a large part of the nation.

 

At the heart of the concerns of the Nigerian Bishops is trafficking and exploitation of minors; for crimes against children, they are asking for the introduction of stronger punishment. Among the issues concerning the violation of the rights and the dignity of children, there are also the problems of early marriage, teenage pregnancies and the recognition of homosexual unions. In the Note, the Bishops address «a call to all Nigerians to protect the traditional values of marriage and the family in order to promote a cohesive society». «We reaffirm that a family is composed of a man, a woman and their children».
 

In an interview published in the newspaper “Vanguard”, Msgr. Alfred Adewale Martins, Archbishop of Lagos, expressed his hope that soon there will be «a united Nigeria, in which everyone feels a sense of belonging as part and parcel of the nation». This hope is expressed in a communiqué issued at of the end the recent meeting that brought together Christians and Muslims. Commenting on this meeting, the President of the Bishops' Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop of Jos, Msgr. Ignatius Ayau Kaigama, said: «In order to be heard, the religious leaders must give the good example with the consistency of their actions».