ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! STOP THE KILLINGS NOW!

THE MASS PROTESTS READ…

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS’ CONFERENCE OF NIGERIA

MUHAMMADU BUHARI-LED GOVERNMENT

The nationwide mass protest rally organized by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), the first in Nigerian history, which followed immediately after the Requiem Masses in different dioceses of Nigeria, was massive, impressive and faithfully carried out amidst national and international media outfits in all conceivable platforms. In fact, it was like: “So the Catholic Bishops could instruct their Priests, Nuns and Catholic faithful to carry placards and do mass protests on the streets of Nigeria?” It was the mother of all protests and gave some confidence to many that have lost every single hope in this colonial concatenation called Nigeria.

In all the dioceses of Nigeria, well-drafted letters were sent to the Federal Government through the State and Local government authorities bearing the same massages: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! STOP THE KILLINGS! BE FAIR! DO JUSTICE! ARREST AND TRY THE NOTORIOUS KILLER FULANI HERDSMEN! PROTECT THE CITIZENS AND THEIR PROPERTIES! In some cases, the titles simply read two words: PMB RESIGN! These themes resonated in all the homilies in the different Churches and were boldly stamped on the numerous banners held out during the prayerful processions to the various government houses. The procession lines in the Archdioceses of Lagos and Abuja stretched to more than 10-15 km respectively stuffed with protesters..

Thus, preaching at the requiem Mass held at the Christian Centre, Central Business Area, Abuja; to commemorate the burial of the 2 Catholic Priests and 17 other faithful murdered by Fulani herders, the Auxiliary Bishop of Abuja, Most Rev. Anselm Umoren charged the Christians: DO NOT SUCCUMB TO THREATS OF MARAUDING FULANI HERDSMEN. The celebration was attended by representatives of all the Church bloc-members of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) led by Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion.

With a big cursor on President Buhari, Bishop Umoren, inter alia, pointedly said, “Mr. President I call you to keep your promise. We wish to remind you that the rampaging squad of terrorist herdsmen who have turned Nigeria into a killing field seems to be above the law; because we are yet to hear of any arrest or prosecution of these murderers who continue to amuse themselves with the blood of innocent Nigerians. The Bishop continued: “I want you Mr. President to know that there are no Nigerians that we know of who go to bed with the assurance that their constitutional rights are in safe hands. Those who go to bed with their two eyes closed are murdered in their sleep. We wish to remind you that the basis for the existence of government is the security of lives and properties of the citizens; this is what we are asking for. We are not asking for too much we are only asking the government to live up to its covenant to Nigerian people. Secure our lives, people are dying in our country and many of us are wondering whether there is still a government”.

The Bishop admonished the people in these words: “My dear friends, difficult and trying times like this calls us to renew our faith in God. We are the people of hope, because we are the people of the Resurrection. Those who die because of their faith in Jesus are not lost or wasted; their reward is great in heaven. Let us also never be discouraged because the Lord is with us. The Lord does not abandon His own and we know that he will hearken to our prayers.”

So were other letters, homilies and orations: dense, unabridged, firm and bold, unambiguous, directed and blatant TRUTH. Nothing could have been as direct, prophetic, fearless and truthful like the pronouncements of the Bishops on that day. As we say: truth is bitter.

This site publishes here the well-conceived and articulated Letter written to President Muhammadu Buhari, by Most Rev Alfred Adewale Martins, the Archbishop of Lagos. It serves as the prototype of the numerous letters/sermons of the other Bishops.

Truly, the members of the CBCN have no stronger expression to Mr President and his Government than those strongly worded letters and homilies with consistent chorusing of the national cliché: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

Let it be said that, by this nationwide mass protest rally, the Nigerian Bishops have restored the confidence the seeming timid Catholic faithful repose on them. They, undoubtedly, made a huge statement and, in unambiguous terms, REMINDED President Buhari and his cabinet that the reason or the primary purpose of government is the security of lives and properties of citizens. Failure to abide by or accomplish this covenant with the electorate, the people, the citizens must result in humbly taking the exit door: RESIGN!