WHAT NEXT AFTER THE CHURCH'S PROTEST?

By *Aleonokhua Abraham Oshioke*

On Tuesday 22nd May, the Catholic church in Nigeria embarked on a nation wide peaceful protest. To commiserate with the two priest and parishioners who where brutally murdered by Fulani herdsmen in Benue state. The protest was also a way to register their displeasure about the incessant killings going on the country and the perceived clueless ways the government is going about it.

Before I continue, I want to state categorically that *I am a born Catholic and a practicing one.* And also to say that whatever I write here is a product of my thinking and what I feel should be.

It should be noted that the letter the CBCN sent to the presidency passing a vote of no confidence on him and  the attendant declaration of a peaceful protest came at a wrong time.

Does it mean the church has been blind to all the political killings, kidnapping, nepotism, and bad governance that has bedeviled this country?

*It has to take the blood of two priests to wake up the Church and her leaders from her slumber?*

What this translate to is that *the Church would have still be quiet if those priest weren't murdered.*

At this junction I have to declare in part *"... oh happy fault, o necessary sin of Adam..."*

The church need to realise that they are the *voice of the voiceless in these times*

Silence is consent. The Church should shun her age long obvious silence and speak up in times of trouble. Another priest does not need to die before they realise this.

As a matter of fact, the Church should begin sanitisation of her members.

*Members who do not have PVC should be denied holy communion,matrimony should not be conducted for those who don't have PVC, infant baptism should not be given to children of parents who do not have PVC.* Yes it has gotten to that. You can not baptise a child whose future is not secured in this country.

The Church should as a matter of urgency field a candidate in the coming presidential election. *What stops a priest or a bishop from contesting as a president of this country? After all he has nothing to loose. No cabal to please.*

Priest should start to take active part in governance. Preaching about good governance from the pulpit alone is no longer enough.


Until the Church takes up drastic measures, the peaceful protest will amount to nothing.

#JustMyCandidOpinion
#NotForTheFeableMinded.

*Spread the message.*