His Grace, Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama is the President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) as well as the President of the Episcopal Conference of West African Catholic Bishops. An avid bridge-builder, Most Rev. Kaigama has facilitated many peace processes, both as a clergy man and in his capacity as the chairman of the Plateau State “Inter-religious Committee for Peace”. In this interview with NETA NWOSU, the Archbishop of Jos speaks on the various challenges bedeviling the country and the need for the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to play its appropriate roles devoid of political interests among other things.

Few months ago, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) wrote a letter to the national leadership of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to stay out of its activities on the premise that CAN has deviated from its primary objectives. What is CBCN’s present disposition towards CAN?

Our earnest desire is to see the CAN return to its original mission and vision by promoting Christian unity, harmony and mutual understanding among the different Christian groups. After a fruitful discussion with the national leadership of CAN, we are sincerely optimistic that the way has been paved for a more meaningful and enduring participation of the Catholic Church in the national activities of CAN. CAN must be stronger, more credible and prophetic, and devoid of the distractions of material or political interests. Christian leaders must focus more on initiatives that promote ecumenical unity; speak with a united voice on serious national issues and not in disjointed prophetic utterances that are sometimes not more than mere personal, political or commonsensical projections.

For several years now, there have been persistent calls for prayers to save Nigeria. The latest prayer advocate is Governor Ayodele Fayose who again stated that we must all pray to save Nigeria from imminent collapse. Can prayer alone turn around Nigeria’s economic woes?

This is a frequent statement one hears even from some highly placed Nigerians that “only prayer can solve the problems of Nigeria”. The statement may be true in one sense but in another it is not only a fallacy but buck passing. St. James says prayer and good works must go together. Leaders must therefore not abandon their social responsibilities by amassing incredible wealth, taking from the poor and yet thinking that it is God’s duty to care for the poor, the helpless youths, and the needy. There is a raging fire going on and all we say are prayers and more prayers instead of also looking for a bucket of water to quench the fire! We worship God in exotic places of worship spread all over, but fail to seek permanent social remedies to our national maladies.

Christians across Nigeria have accused the Federal Government and Kaduna State governor of bias in the handling of killings that have left till date hundreds of indigenes and residents of Southern Kaduna dead and properties worth millions destroyed. Do you share this same sentiment?

The lesson to be drawn from the recent Southern Kaduna circle of attacks is that we intentionally, as a nation, hardly get into the root causes of crucial matters. Our approach is often lackadaisical, parochial or indifferent tinged with sentiments of ethnicity, regional interests and religious bias instead of patriotism and thus crippling efforts at practical solutions. A clear policy followed by concrete and creative measures on how to stop the menace of herdsmen is long expected from the presidency and yet the herdsmen become so fierce and assertive! Could the same zeal used in tackling Boko Haram not be applied? Sambisa forest has fallen, but when will the empires of kidnappers and the marauding herdsmen fall?

Your Grace, can you please assess the performance of the present government, especially as it affects the fulfillment of its campaign promises?

We no doubt commend the positive achievements by the Buhari administration in fighting insurgency and the renewed consciousness brought to Nigerians about the evil of corruption and the social paralysis it inflicts on us all. Unfortunately, it is true as our dear President pointed out that if you fight corruption, corruption will fight back. This is what seems to be happening. Corruption has remained hydra headed and refused to be tamed in Nigeria.  At the top, centre, bottom, sides, corruption has taken firm roots that it will take more than just wishful political talk to expel it from our psyche. The elders have seemingly perfected the art of corruption and the youths as good copy-cats have unfortunately keyed in and see no problem with it. Like a menacing cancer, it has spread even to religious bodies and judicial organizations; it is found in the market places, among officers of the law, security agents, and those in and outside government; it is cascading dangerously on all aspects of our life. Today, it means nothing to swear an affidavit in a court to change one’s year of birth so as to elongate one’s civil service career; some parents pay and negotiate with school authorities so that their children who have failed exams can be facilitated to pass. Even very young school children know this and would wonder why the parents of some other children have not influenced their results! It is now clear that the culture of corruption is very deep and no single leader, no matter how well intentioned can enforce and win a war against it in Nigeria. We need to act together and go back to the basics of family values, moral education and witnessing by example even in such small things as keeping to time.

Also, a culture has remained with us whereby criminals are defended or vindicated and even celebrated so that convicting them does not appear as an indictment or portrayal of their political, ethnic or religious constituencies in negative light.

We Bishops are not merely armchair observers of the great suffering caused by the uncontrollable inflation caused by the present economic recessions. We have been at the grassroots with the suffering masses. It is not in doubt, for example that Bishops and priests among us have and are still there with the Boko Haram victims in Yola, Maiduguri, Yobe and far away Cameroun and other hot spots like Southern Kaduna, Agatu, Nimo, Niger Delta. To our greatest surprise and chagrin, we hear that  some unscrupulous officials divert  funds or relief materials meant for victims of crises! We plead that the Federal Government should not only allocate significant resources for the rehabilitation of those displaced but ensure that no one person or group is allowed to steal from these poor and traumatized Nigerians again!

The FG recently adopted a “whistle blowing” policy so as to encourage Nigerians to come forward and report financial and related crimes, with 5% of the discovered loots going to them as reward, does Your Grace think this could help strengthen the anti-graft war of the government?

Our country is full of fresh and brilliant but abandoned ideas. We often begin some things well but we scarcely pursue them to a logical conclusion for the benefits of all. Can you recall how some noble policies  as  the compulsory use of seat belt, helmet, control of speed limit, identity card for all Nigerians, National poverty eradication programme (NAPEP), War against indiscipline (WAI), Operation Feed the Nation (OPN), (don’t mind the imported plastic rice saga today), the free feeding programmes in schools, prison welfare,  Sure – P, registration of Mobile phone numbers, installation of CCTV cameras, functional street lights, investigation of murder cases, etc. All started well but ended without any meaningful and verifiable results.

Only God knows what the recent “whistle blowing” policy will amount to. Worse of all is the zero culture of roads and infrastructural maintenance. Many roads are built at over-valued contracts, the job is poorly done, and once “completed” they never ever receive any prompt attention again until they are riddled with valleys and rivers and accidents claim so many lives before new inflated contracts are awarded again! What about the government Commissions of enquiries, panels of investigations whose reports never see the light of day?  This was the case with the expensive national conference held some two years ago, not to talk of the Oputa panel.

Suffering pervades the land, primarily because of the economic downturn the country is experiencing. What is the CBCN doing to help this situation?

We Bishops are not merely armchair observers of the great suffering caused by the uncontrollable inflation caused by the present economic recessions. We have been at the grassroots with the suffering masses. It is not in doubt, for example that Bishops and priests among us have and are still there with the Boko Haram victims in Yola, Maiduguri, Yobe and far away Cameroun and other hot spots like Southern Kaduna, Agatu, Nimo, Niger Delta. To our greatest surprise and chagrin, we hear that some unscrupulous officials divert funds or relief materials meant for victims of crises! We plead that the Federal Government should not only allocate significant resources for the rehabilitation of those displaced but ensure that no one person or group is allowed to steal from these poor and traumatized Nigerians again!

Do you see hope sir?

We cannot give up on our beautiful country blessed by God and destined for higher heights. We as religious leaders will continue to call for sanity in the equitable distribution of national resources with reciprocal patriotic, attitudinal behaviour by citizens. We shall do our part, constantly examining  where and how we have gone wrong and we expect all Nigerians to do a search of conscience and resolve to do only what is right, noble and honourable. I pray that our discussions and prayers during our conference will not only help us to contribute to the renewal of Christianity in Nigeria, but also to achieve a new national rebirth anchored on true love and genuine service to God and neighbour. We commend our President, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari to prayers for God’s healing and speedy recovery as well many other Nigerians suffering all manners of illnesses.