By Sunny A. David, Awka
The Catholic Bishops of the Lagos Ecclesiastical Province concluded their first plenary meeting of 2025 on Tuesday, issuing a communiqué addressing various concerns affecting the Church and Nigeria.
The meeting, held at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Maryland, Lagos, saw the bishops express gratitude for the blessings of the past year while acknowledging significant challenges.
The bishops highlighted the significance of the Jubilee Year 2025, proclaimed by Pope Francis, emphasizing the theme “Pilgrims of Hope.” They announced plans to launch a provincial program of activities to celebrate the Jubilee, urging the faithful to utilize the Sacrament of Reconciliation and participate in Jubilee events.
The communiqué noted a significant increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life, praising the efforts of priests, religious congregations, and lay associations and the bishops encouraged continued efforts to foster vocations and explore new evangelization initiatives.
The bishops expressed deep concern over the plight of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), migrants, and refugees in Nigeria, citing a UNHCR figure of over 2.5 million people displaced due to terrorism, conflict, and natural disasters.
They commended the efforts of organizations like Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria and the Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) but urged all levels of government to significantly increase aid and protection for these vulnerable populations.
The communiqué highlighted a worrying rise in neo-paganism among young people, linked to involvement in money-making rituals and internet fraud.
The bishops called for urgent action from religious leaders and parents to provide young people with a strong moral and biblical foundation, mentorship opportunities, and open dialogue to counter this trend.
The bishops described Nigeria as being at a critical juncture, citing persistent insecurity, corruption, poverty, and violence and they pointed to the tragic loss of life during a December incident involving the distribution of palliatives as evidence of the need to shift from a “palliative mentality” to an “empowerment culture.”
They called for collaboration between government, civil society, and the private sector to promote transparency, accountability, and good governance.
Concluding the communiqué, the bishops urged Nigerians to unite to build a better future, calling on leaders to govern with integrity, honesty, and the fear of God, working towards justice, equality, and prosperity for all.
The communiqué was signed by Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins, Archbishop of Lagos and Chairman, and Bishop Francis Obafemi Adesina, Bishop of Ijebu Ode and Secretary.
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