By Joseph Edegbo
Catholic Churches across Nigeria on Tuesday mourned the two Catholic Priests and eighteen lay faithful including children killed in Makurdi, Mbalom Diocese of Benue State, North Central of the country through solemn prayer rally and procession against the incessant killings in all parts of Nigeria as the slained priests were being laid to rest.
The Priests were Reverend Father Felix Tyolaha and Reverend Joseph Gor.
The solemn rally prayer and procession was in response to a wakeup call by the Catholic Bishop Conference of Nigeria to show concern about the continuous and incessant gruesome Killings in the country.
It was also to share the grief with families who lost their beloved ones in these unfortunate circumstances, Irrespective of creed, tribal, religious or Political affiliations.
Speaking shortly after the Rally and Procession at Saint Augustine Catholic Church, Mahuta, the Archbishop of Kaduna, His Grace, Most Revered Dr. Matthew Man’oso Ndagoso said the rally was also for all men and women of goodwill to express their deepest displeasure with the current state of the nation and to pray to God for peace in the country and to appeal to whoever is responsible, to stop the killing in Nigeria.
The Archbishop who was represented by the Vicar General Administration Kaduna – Archdiocese, Reverend Father Bulus Karis Luka said “Who will deny the fact that our families are torn by violence? Our communities are destroyed by violence. Even our faith is tested by violence? We have an obligation to respond.
“Violence – in our homes, our schools and streets, our nation and world – is destroying the lives, dignity and hopes of millions of our sisters and brothers turning many into widows and orphans refugees in our land. Fear of violence is paralysing and polarising our communities.
“Beyond the violence in the land, is the violence in our hearts. Hostility, hatred, despair and indifference are at the heart of this growing culture of violence. Verbal violence in our families and communications contribute to this culture of violence Archbishop Ndagoso stressed.
Archbishop Ndagoso urged government at all levels to wake up to its responsibility of protecting the life of every Nigerian irrespective of creed, tribe or political affiliation.
According to him, the Government must guarantee safety of life and property of every Nigerian everywhere at all times, saying there is too much bloodshed in the land, Life is sacred and must be cherished and protected by all means.
“We are here as citizens of this great country to ask our government to wake up to its responsibility of protecting the life of EVERY NIGERIAN irrespective of creed, tribe or political affiliation.
“The Government must guarantee safety of life and property of every Nigerian everywhere at all times. There is too much bloodshed in our land, Life is sacred and must be cherished and protected by all means.
“Our social fabric is being torn apart by a culture of violence that leaves children dead on our streets and families afraid in our homes. Our society seems to be growing numb to human loss and suffering.
“We can turn away from violence; we can build communities of greater peace. It begins with a clear conviction: respect for life. Respect for life is not just a slogan or a program; it is a fundamental moral principle flowing from our teaching on the dignity of the human person.
“It is an approach to life that values people over things. Respect for life must guide the choices we make as individuals and as a society: what we do and won’t do, what we value and consume, whom we admire and whose example we follow, what we support and what we oppose. Respect for human life is the starting point for confronting a culture of violence. We cannot ignore the moral and human costs of so much violence in our midst” he said.
The Kaduna Archbishop informed that Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society which is the foundation of all the principles of the social teaching.
He lamented that in the society, human life is under direct attack from abortion to herdsmen gruesome murder of innocent people while value of human life is being threatened by poverty, unemployment, lack of social amenities, corruption, and bad government policies.
His Grace was of the opinion that the intentional targeting of civilians in war or terrorist attacks is always wrong as Catholic teaching also called on all and sundry to work to avoid war and must protect the right to life by finding increasingly effective ways to prevent conflicts and resolve them by peaceful means.
“The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society.
“This belief is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching. In our society, human life is under direct attack from abortion to herdsmen gruesome murder of innocent people.
“The value of human life is being threatened by poverty, unemployment, lack of social amenities, corruption, and bad government policies.
“The intentional targeting of civilians in war or terrorist attacks is always wrong. Catholic teaching also calls on us to work to avoid war.
“We must protect the right to life by finding increasingly effective ways to prevent conflicts and resolve them by peaceful means.
Every person is precious and people are more important than things, and that the measure of every institution is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person” He noted.
A representative of Zazzau Emirate, the Hakimin Barnawa Mal. Kabiru Zubairu prayed that “as we carry out the exercise during the Islamic fasting period, God will grant us peace in Kaduna, Nigeria and the world at large.”
Bishop Simon Thomas, representing the Chairperson of Christian Association of Nigeria, Chikun LGA and Arewa Peoples Unity Association prayed for unity in Nigeria as he requested for a thunderous exclamation of ‘PEACE.’
A representative of Sa Gbagyi, Lawrence Dogo, said the traditional ruler identifies himself with the noble course and lauds the efforts of the Catholic Bishop Conference of Nigeria.
