Nigeria’s Catholic Bishops Urge President Tinubu, Officials To Hunger And Insecurity

The Catholic Bishops of the Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province on Tuesday urged President Bola Tinubu, state governors and local government leaders to quickly address the severe hunger, high living costs, and ongoing insecurity issues in Nigeria.

They asked the leaders to listen to the people's concerns and start addressing their problems quickly and effectively. This message was delivered in a communiqué released at the end of their meeting in Akure, The Niche reported.

The communiqué was signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the Province, Most Reverend Leke Abegunrin and Most Reverend John Oyejola. The Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province of the Catholic Church includes the Ibadan Archdiocese and the Dioceses of Ilorin, Ondo, Oyo, Ekiti and Osogbo.

While the bishops urged the officials to take a step towards helping Nigerians, they also noted that protests could not solve problems.

"Protests should cause no consternation in any normal democratic setting because the right to protest is guaranteed in true democracies all over the world. Protests are organized to draw the attention of governments and authorities to the opinions or demands of people or groups in society," the message from the bishops said, Premium Times reported.

"In Nigeria, the impending protest has raised a furore of opinions regarding its legitimacy and expediency. Many believe that protests are not a solution to Nigeria's problems. They are right. Protests are not meant to provide solutions to problems."

The communiqué stated that protests are a last resort for people who haven't received solutions to their problems and feel oppressed. Protests should be used to amplify their voices and should not serve any other purpose.

The Catholic Bishops advised the protesters to cancel their plans if they could not protest without disrupting legal businesses or causing problems. They urged protesters to be considerate and not to disturb or intimidate those who choose not to join the protest.

The communiqué was issued after several Nigerians announced they would go on a nationwide protest from Aug. 1 to 10.

Earlier this week, Labour Party's Peter Obi shared his support for the planned nationwide protest against Nigeria's economic problems, while Abia State Governor Alex Otti urged for an open dialogue with the government.