The Catholic Bishops of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province on Tuesday appealed to Nigerians to be agents of hope in their activities by being “Good Samaritans” to one another.
The bishops, in a communique issued at the end of their meeting in Ibadan, urged Nigerians to be driven by the words and actions of Jesus Christ at the “Last Supper”.
“The Last Supper was when Jesus Christ washed his disciples’ feet,” the bishops led by the Province Chairman, Most Rev. Gabriel Abegunrin, said.
They pointed out that to have faith was to believe in the common fraternity of all by bringing hope to all.
The Catholic bishops then enjoined governments to engage with experts as well as creative and social engineers, to reduce the rate of hunger in the society.
“Government should provide infrastructure and incentives to train and enable people to earn honest living, through better infrastructure,” they said.
The Catholic bishops went on in the communique to advise on the national conference for youths, which was proposed by President Bola Tinubu in 2024.
They stated that it should not be another talk shop or cosmetic exercise.
“There is an urgent need for price and monetary stability in Nigeria. Price stability in any economy means that the general price level in an economy doesn’t change over time.
“Thus, prices of goods need to be sincerely monitored to avoid indiscriminate fixing and increase of prices of goods.
“We are also convinced that such a ‘confab’ of youths can generate fresh creative ideas if the government gets the representation process right with authentic spokespersons of the youths all over Nigeria,” Abegunrin explained.
He enjoined government and security agencies to see the media as partners in nation-building and desist from all forms of intimidation and tricks to gag the media.
Abegunrin urged all faithful to hold on to hope, saying this never fails.
“They should also believe that God will have the final say in their lives by living holy,” he said.
The Province Chairman, while congratulating all Christ faithful on the Jubilee Year, noted that Pope Francis had restated the imperative of hope by declaring 2025 as a jubilee year of hope.
“With the theme ‘Pilgrims of Of Hope’, this jubilee year calls on all God’s children to become pilgrims of hope.
“We should sow hope in a world suffering from the impact of war, insurgency, climate crisis, poverty and other vices,” he said.
Abegunrin also commended Nigerian leaders for managing the security situation in the land, urging them however not to rest on their oars.
“We must denounce the threat posed recently by the resurgence of the menace of herdsmen attacks and other vices in Yoruba land.
“We appeal to governors and security agencies in the South-West to take up the challenge and maintain peace and security.
“Efficient intelligence-gathering, good remunerations, equipping of security outfits and determination to prosecute crime without favour are necessary for provision of security and must be pursued with some single-mindedness,” he said.(NAN)
