Nigeria and the celebration of World Fraternity Day

“The king will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of mine, even the least of them, you did it to me’” (Mt 25:40).  This verse is better understood when the whole parable of the last judgment is read in […]

“The king will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of mine, even the least of them, you did it to me’” (Mt 25:40).  This verse is better understood when the whole parable of the last judgment is read in Mathew 25:1-46. Verse 30 to 46 explains in detail the specific parable of the sheep and the goat. Jesus described how the sheep were rewarded for taking care of humanity and the goats were punished for neglecting humanity. 

There is nothing in the Bible that would suggest that it is possible to separate love for God from love for people. We love and worship an invisible God, who has created mankind in his image. If we would see and serve him, we must see and serve our fellow man. But beyond that, we must see and serve “the least of these” because in this we can better know that our service is rendered to God for love of him and for his glory. Serving those who are of worldly importance, especially those who can return the favor (Lk 14:12), is not wrong, but the motive for such service could always be in question, especially if the kind of service that Jesus is describing never occurs.

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In the parable of the sheep and the goats, neither the sheep nor the goats expected the response of the master. The sheep are surprised that they were serving Christ by serving “the least of these”. The goats were surprised that they were failing Christ by failing “the least of these”. The goal here would be to do all things and render all service to all people for the glory of God and the sake of the Gospel. Jesus said of the sheep, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” (Mt 25:35-36). The goats, failed to do the very same.

Last week, the Kukah Centre, in partnership with KAICIID, the Commission for Interreligious Dialogue of the Diocese of Sokoto and Veritas University, organized a one-day conference on Fratelli Tutti, a document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together. This document was signed by Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, Sheikh Ahmed Al Tayep, in Abu Dhabi. This important initiative marked the 800th anniversary of the meeting between St. Francis and Sultan Al Malik Al Kamal, by inviting Christians, Muslims, and the faithful of other religions to work for reconciliation and peace-building anywhere in the world.

A year later, on 21 December 2021, the UN declared February 4th  as the International Day for Human Fraternity. The UN General Assembly invited the Member States, the UN system, and all stakeholders to observe this date in a manner each considers appropriate to promote interreligious and intercultural dialogue. Taking inspiration from the teachings of Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, and responding to the call of the United Nations, the Kukah Center, KAICIID, Veritas University and the Commission for Interreligious Dialogue of the Diocese of Sokoto, organized a national conference that discussed the myriad of issues that arose from the document: 

1. How Culture can build friendship and Human Fraternity by Majeed Dahiru.

2. Civil Society and Human Fraternity by Chi Chi Aniagolu. 

3. Human Fraternity in times of Global Terrorism. 

John Cardinal Onaiyikan gave a broader context to the document and Sheikh Nuru Khalid responded. At the panel session bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah chaired the panel conversation. All the panelists made a very good case for our national integration, and the way forward. Nigeria may have ratified to implement the document at the UN general assembly, but there seem to be no mention of it from the government at the federal, state, or local level. On that note we must appreciate all the organizers for bringing to our attention this important document. A lot has happened to us as a nation, and only good government and a high sense of brotherhood can restore the lost hope. 

Brotherhood and friendship can open real and imaginary doors, while hatred and suspicion can close every door of opportunity and growth. From the 17th to the 20th of May 2021, Daily Trust Newspaper published an exclusive news report on the plight of Igbo Muslims, in the South East. The journalist who wrote the report, did an excellent job. He gave a brief history of Islam in the region as a religion that has been there for decades. He highlighted the persecution many of the Igbo Muslims were facing, and how many were forced to relocate to the north, because many of their Igbo brothers and sisters became hostile to them. Disu Kamor, Executive Chairman, Muslim Public Affairs Center (MPAC), explains, “The worsening situation of the Muslims living in the South East, especially with regards to their personal security, freedom of religion and constant demonization, shows that being a Muslim in that part of the country carries a price tag, and that the hatred they face is institutional. Igbo Muslims are especially targeted for their faith in their homeland because they are seen as “enemies within” and betrayers of their tribe. Igbo Muslims are largely excluded from government appointments and jobs; their communities and leadership are mostly avoided by politicians during campaign and election periods.”

I find the above comment quite interesting, and I hope it truly forms a major topic in our national conversation. Religion in Nigeria is a very big issue. The elite have understood the manipulative power of religion, and they deploy it all the time to divide the people they are meant to unite. I have lived in northern Nigeria all my life. And for the past eight years I have been working as a priest in Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi and Katsina States. All the concerns raised by Disu Kamor is exactly the concerns faced by Hausa Christians. The Hausa Christian communities in Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto are not regarded as indigenes because of their Christian faith. Mr Samai Bulam (not real name) has been a teacher with a northern state government for ten years. He noticed that his salary was not paid to him for two months. On getting to the office to enquire the reason for the delayed payment, he noticed that his file could not be traced anywhere and the only file that was later found, indicated he was now retired. Mr Samai Bulam is just one out of the thousands of the Hausa Christians whose basic rights are been infringed upon on the basis of their faith. Mr Disu talked about politicians avoiding Muslim Communities in the East. I live with that reality everyday too in the north.  

All of these issues are not a failure of government alone. They are also a failure of our sense of brotherhood. Let us all take brotherhood as a personal project. That is what Fratelli Tutti is all about and invites us to do.

Fr Stephen Ojapah is a priest of the Missionary Society of St Paul. He is equally the director for Interreligious Dialogue and Ecumenism for the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, a member of IDFP. He is also a KAICIID Fellow.