Currency of Nigerian Catholic Bishops & National State of Affairs

Introduction

The ongoing dilapidation of Nigerian politics and economy has provided a set of responses from various collective stakeholders including religious groups. It is poignant to stress that Catholic voice and positions remains subtle at various levels and at best diplomatic. It is the position of this article that subdued pronouncements of the Catholic hierarchy on Nigeria state of affair is not a choice rather an outcome of complicated & watered interpretation of relationship between church & state.

In the Beginning

The last 2 decades has seen Nigeria accelerate her strides in retrogression, abuse, waste and self-destruction.  On most social, economic and cultural indicators; the numbers are mostly low, negative and stagnant. Of course not everything is negative but for the most part the picture needs enhancement. One may conclude that the biggest achievement Nigeria had was not independence as it was handed down like a Greek gift on a plate, rather the conclusion of Nigeria-Biafra War. For better or for worse since Gowon Syndrome, successive governments have failed to shake off the syndrome rather raise its profile.  Gowon Syndrome is former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon’s conclusion that Nigeria’s problem is how to spend her wealth not how to manage it.

Flair of Faith

Nigeria has always been a space of religions and faiths nevertheless one must state unequivocally that non-indigenous religions entered this space on the vehicle of violence, genocide and inter-generational destruction where applicable.  Christian faith including Catholicism did not enter Nigeria based on free missionary programme rather at the behest of geopolitical machinations of empires on ‘civilisation missions’.  London had no strategic problem for non-Anglicans especially her enemy, Rome to assist her pacification programme of recreating or making New Men/New Women in the conquered space for Monarchy & Country. One must recall earlier relationship between Warri and the Portugal from the 15^th century which despite increases in trade and catholic religious missions foundered when the Warri catholics calls for Lisbon’s assistance in face of expanding slave trade went unanswered.

Biafra War

While Nigeria’s political evolution carried religious weight or significance for sections of the population, there is no record of resorting to zealous and fanatical violence by those who profess Christianity as means for projecting power or obtaining political relief. Historically, the current Islamic gangsterism playing out in sections of Nigeria is an illustration of denied early warning sign ever present before the emergence of Nigeria ‘on a plate’.  Biafran War opened a new frontier of complex relationship between the Catholic Church in the war theatre & the then military government.  

While the Church saw herself as a religious cum charitable organisation helping civilians as best as it could, the military government remained suspicious of the ordain leaders and foreign partners not solely on what they are doing rather how they are doing it. The climax of this relationship was the expulsion of catholic charities by Lagos on the same suspicion.  One of the positive results is the elevation of the church ordained leaders in the war theatre to positions of enormous responsibility with all the complexity associated with it until the war ended in 1970.

Hierarchy Public Confusion

It is now a given that Catholic bishops do not make public pronouncements of many issues of politics and economy rather are adroit in taking the diplomatic option even though they are citizens of the same Nigeria. The last time I recalled a senior church official made series of serious comments on politics was the period when then Archbishop Okogie was in charge in Lagos.  He had views as a catholic and as a Nigerian and those views were made in the public space and some of them rattled the government in power. These views were not outcomes of academic research, or articles on a newspaper/glossy magazine or whispers from a press secretary.  They were ‘live’ outpourings of a ordained catholic leader during interviews on various social, economic and political situations.

No one reads or hears similar briefings from members of Nigeria Catholic Bishops. There seem to have been a sea change which has limited their statements, briefings and public comments on situations in the land. One must confess that situation in Nigeria in the last 2 decades continues to be dreadful politically, economically and socially. This is rather serious to the point that the head of Nigerian Muslims (Sultan of Sokoto) if there is any such thing, has concluded that Nigerian Muslims or sections of Muslims are marginalised.  Real or imagined is debateable.

The Difficult Path

Becoming and being a Catholic is non-trivial & complex like other human decisions. Being an active lay catholic leader in public space is a complex matter which in no way is the fault of these leaders. It is even more difficult for priests and bishops despite their agency and freewill. The complexity of priests and bishops in public space in recent times is conditioned on geopolitical forces and realities between Vatican and national governments. In sense, one is free to conjecture that ‘permission’ to practise catholic faith is based on an understanding between Nigerian government and Vatican.   

Unlike non-catholic Christians who are not constrained by compliance demands or meeting obligation of an external entity, Vatican is to all intent and purpose the owner of Catholic Church in various countries except China. In some countries with other Christian traditions, this relationship is strictly regulated even to the point of actual lines of the Creed said at Mass like in Greece and allocation of Holy days.  This is the focus of Vatican geopolitical sensitivity and its efficient ‘muscular’ diplomatic machine.

To ensure excellent relationship between Vatican (Nigerian Catholics) and Nigeria per se, they exchange ambassadors. Vatican ambassador or Papal Nuncio’s role among other things it keeping tabs on the national church, ensuring that priests/bishops fall in line with expectations especially in areas of potential clash of interests and finally submit timely reports of the national church to Vatican. On this crucial point, the complexity of ‘separation of church and state’ becomes bare and unhinged. Many Catholics maybe aware of this dynamic and its rich complexity or couldn't care less about it. The dangerous aspect is the complexity is expressed in defining a catholic in any state. Is a catholic a citizen of 2 states even without possessing passport of one? This is beyond the scope of this piece nevertheless one may begin to share former Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin’s concern when he asked, “How many battalions has the pope (Vatican)”?

However it is important that in a turbulent political and social space, the catholic leadership not only manage and administer temporal and spiritual processes but equally make unambiguous public statements to update and teach the general population as citizens of the state. One will even go as far as suggesting that in a space of contested politics and economic meltdown, it behoves the national catholic hierarchy to adopt a robust & active progressive programme of cost-effective intervention through services provision especially in deprived areas. It is also essential to encourage new crop of leadership from lay people with less ecclesiastical baggage to enable them respond or collaborate with other forces timely and appropriately on crucial issues at various geographies of the state.

Crystal Ball

There is a serious concern with benign public profile of Nigeria bishops in recent times. For the past 500 years or so, Vatican sat under geopolitical constructions with highest economic, political and military profiles. It is also a fact that Vatican relationship with US hegemony/imperialism advanced during WW2 when both interests converged on the fact the Nazism was the primary threat and communism the secondary threat. Conclusion of the war provided the first test of the policy in Yugoslavia under Marshall Tito and was further accelerated when Stalin expelled Yugoslavia from the communist club.  

With gradual rise of China in a post-communist era and by implication contraction of economic power in Europe and North America, Vatican’s influence may be constrained by Beijing’s profile. This is also connected with unresolved problems between Vatican and various member of the Orthodox Church which includes Russia even though Moscow has no global ambition. There is growing concern that Vatican has not publicly expressed her position with regard to Africa and Nigeria and there is clear signal of an understanding from the Nigerian church. Similar issue can be raised on hegemony and imperialism projected by US AFRICOM and US destabilisation of Africa.

It behoves Nigeria Catholic Church to have robust position on these issues with an independent disposition, realistic objective and clear ideas based on experiences/concerns drawn from the faithful and in line with Nigeria’s strategic objective and strategic interests.