Nigerians need to explore ways of addressing the root causes of bad governance in their country, a Catholic Bishop in the West African nation has said.
In his homily during the opening Mass of the August 22-30 Second Plenary Meeting of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Bishop Gabriel Ghieakhomo Dunia said that the August 1-10 anti-government street protests were “against symptoms” of bad governance.
“Recently, some section of the populace embarked on end-hunger/end-bad governance protest. To me, that was a fight against symptoms of the disease instead of a fight against the origins or sources of the disease,” Bishop Ghieakhomo said on August 22.
For him, the “origins or sources of the disease” include selfishness, greed, callousness, cruelty, and a lack of empathy.
Addressing these issues is critical in ending not only bad governance but also other societal ills such as Boko Haram, kidnapping, banditry, and corruption in Nigeria, Bishop Ghieakhomo said in his homily at Immaculate Conception Cathedral of Nigeria’s Auchi Catholic Diocese.
“If we all drastically and radically resolve to purge the foregoing bad spirits, as it were, from the depth of our hearts and minds, bad governance, and all other vices will vanish into oblivion forever,” he said.
Referring to St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians and the First letter to Timothy, Bishop Ghieakhomo urged Nigeria’s elected leaders to serve selflessly, likening them to husbands who must love and sacrifice for their wives.
The Nigerian Bishop also called on those in authority to govern with love and sacrifice for the people, rather than for personal gain, just as Christ sacrificed himself for the Church.
The Local Ordinary of Auchi Diocese since his Episcopal Ordination in February 2003 cautioned against despair in the life of prayer and fasting.
“Some have grown weary of praying for Nigeria, believing that the prayers are ineffective,” he said, and emphasizing the need for deep faith in the Most Holy Eucharist added, “We need to fast and pray more,” he said, adding is essential for bringing about the desired change.
