Nigeria’s Catholics Urged to Participate in “more intensive evangelization”, Uphold Moral Education

For him, “When people see that Christians live differently, that they are honest, compassionate, and forgiving, it becomes a powerful message. This is the kind of evangelization Nigeria needs today.”

Bishop Apochi warned that the Church must not ignore the challenges that families and youths in Nigeria grapple with.

“We are living in difficult times in Nigeria. There is violence, there is corruption, and many families are struggling to survive. Evangelization must speak to these realities. It must offer people hope, strength, and the courage to continue living as children of God,” Bishop Apochi told ACI Africa.

He added, “Our young people are looking for direction; they need to hear that God has a plan for them and that they can contribute positively to this nation. If we fail to evangelize the youth, we will lose a whole generation.”

Bishop Apochi went on to reiterate the need for evangelization to begin in families and be supported by parishes through catechesis, and Small Christian Communities (SCCs), and outreach to the poor and marginalized.

“The family is the domestic Church. Parents must live their faith and pass it on to their children. Parishes must also create spaces where faith is lived out in community, where people support each other in prayer and daily life,” the Local Ordinary of Otukpo Diocese told ACI Africa, following the September 11-19 Plenary in the Catholic Diocese of Ikot Ekpene.

He continued, “Parish Priests and lay leaders must create programs that reach out to the poor, the marginalized, and those who have abandoned active practice of the faith.”

The Nigerian Catholic Church leader further said CBCN has put in place initiatives to strengthen Catholic formation. These include Catechesis training centres, schools of evangelization, and workshops to equip lay faithful with the tools to live and share their faith.

According to Bishop Apochi, Catholics in Nigeria have the responsibility to live as missionaries, bringing Christian values into every sector of society.

“The Catholic Church in Nigeria is blessed with numbers, but numbers alone do not make a strong Church; what makes us strong is when every Catholic sees himself or herself as a missionary. Each one of us must evangelize,” he said.

The Nigerian Catholic Bishop, who has been at the helm of Otukpo Diocese since his Episcopal Consecration in February 2003 added, “My prayer is that Nigerian Catholics will not grow tired but will see this as the moment to evangelize with more commitment. The Lord is counting on us to transform our country through the power of the Gospel.” 

Meanwhile, in another interview with ACI Africa, Bishop Michael Kalu Ukpong of Nigeria’s Catholic Diocese of Umuahia underscored the role of Catholic schools and institutions in shaping moral and intellectual values.

“The role of Catholic education in promoting morality in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized,” Bishop Ukpong told ACI Africa on September 20.

He added, “Our schools have produced men and women of integrity, people who serve society with honesty and dedication. Catholic education teaches not only how to make a living but also how to live rightly.”

He noted that Catholic institutions of learning prioritize character formation, and added, “We educate the head and the heart; we insist on discipline, respect for authority, and the fear of God. These values are the foundation of moral life, and without them, education becomes empty.”

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Bishop Ukpong further underscored the importance of institutions of higher learning in raising responsible citizens.

“We do not want graduates who are clever in the head but corrupt in character. Education must produce good citizens who can build a just society,” he said.

The Local Ordinary of Umuahia Diocese since his installation in February 2023 following his appointment in November 2022 called upon both the government and families to support Catholic education.

Education without morality risks destroying society, he observed, and explained, “We see young people who are intelligent but use their intelligence for fraud, crime, and violence. That is not true education. True education produces men and women who use their talents to serve humanity.”

According to Bishop Ukpong, “The Catholic Church will continue to invest in education because it is one of the most effective ways of evangelization.”

“Through education, we prepare future leaders who will transform Nigeria with integrity and compassion,” the Catholic Church leader, who started his Episcopal Ministry in July 2020 as Auxiliary Bishop of Umuahia Diocese told ACI Africa on September 20.