By Debra Abidemi Ajulo
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| Cardinal John Onaiyekan |
Ahead the 2019 general elections in the country, the
Archbishop of Abuja, Roman Catholic Church, Cardinal John Onaiyekan has called
on politicians in the country to emulate the peaceful transition of power from
one to the other as it is done in the Church.
The Archbishop who spoke to journalists on the
sidelines of the ordination of Bishop Paul Adegboyega Olawoore as the Bishop of
Ilorin Catholic diocese pointed out that, “passage of power from one hand to the
other is a natural process and should not become a cause for war, conflict
bloodshed and confusion. You can see how one Bishop takes over from another in the
Roman Catholic Church, we don’t fight over it.”
The cardinal who described the conduct of some politicians
in the country as shameful urged them to retrace their steps and also urged
them to avoid desperation and engaging in violence in their quest for political
offices.
While stressing that any government that lacks the fear
of God will become a plague and a punishment on the people the Cardinal
described what is happening in the country as a shame as things are not running
as it should.
He also lamented the killings of people in Nigeria,
adding that government had not lived up to its constitutional responsibility of
securing lives and properties in the country.
In his words, “One life lost is one life too many.
It does not matter whether they are Christians, Muslims or nobody. Even one
Muslim killed worries me as much as Christians killed. There are various
reasons for wanting to kill. We should go to the root of that. That is the job
of the government which it is not doing.
“This is why we bishops of Nigeria have said we have
lost confidence in the present government. We look to God to give us a
government that will do the right thing.”
The Catholic Bishop of Oyo Diocese, Bishop Emmanuel
Badejo, also lamented the killings in some parts of the country saying, “the
message of the church is that life is precious, every life is precious and all
those who have the responsibility to protect lives and properties must do it because
they have a responsibility to Almighty God and humanity.”
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