“God does not need shedding of blood,” Catholic Archbishop Decries Religious Violence in Nigeria

“When you know true peace derived from true religious practice, you can never erect artificial boundaries of hatred,” he said during the event where he administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to 188 candidates.

In his homily, Archbishop Kaigama called upon all Nigerian leaders to emulate Emperor Constantine, who used religion to spread peace. 

“How I wish our leaders can take a cue from this and ensure that the freedom of religion we profess will not only be a thing of the books, merely written in the constitution, but to take practical steps to enforce it, instead of keeping quiet and watching some fundamentalist groups of people systematically and intentionally and violently try to subjugate or eliminate others, all in the name of God,” he said.

He condemned religious fanaticism that contradicts the nature of faith, describing it as “an admission by that person that God is so weak that he cannot protect Himself and needs human beings to fight and even kill to protect Him.”

“God is happy only when one’s lifestyle attracts another person to repentance and conversion, not when you coerce or manipulate or financially induce anyone to follow your religion,” Archbishop Kaigama emphasized. 

For him, “We should expend our energy not fighting for God, or fighting for territorial expansion of religious influence, but to concentrate on the fight against economic, political, ethnic malaise, immoral activities, and selfish interests; and leave God to do what he can do better than us.”

He expressed disappointment over what he described as the complacency and fear of many Nigerian leaders in confronting the country’s main challenges, such as greed, corruption, and religious-based violence.

“Nigerian leaders have been too complacent, insensitive, and perhaps too afraid to call a spade a spade, which explains the lingering evil of bloodshed and violation of rights. We need leaders who confront, tackle, and challenge evil and injustice, no matter whose ox is gored,” he said.

The Nigerian Catholic Church leader urged public officials to act with courage and integrity, without fear of losing political support, saying, “There should be no fear of political consequences when the right thing is done or said by leaders.

“Do the right thing, not afraid that if you do, you might lose the votes of certain people or groups. It is doing right that can bring you more votes - not the loud silence, insensitivity, or the strategic political manipulation - by protecting the sanctity of human life, promoting justice, and resisting every form of exploitation,” he said. 

Archbishop Kaigama invited Nigerians to examine their own lives in light of the Gospel, cautioning against hypocrisy.

“You cannot be a Christian in the Church and an exploiter or a greedy person outside the confines of the Church. Your actions must be consistent with the gospel of Christ, for to be a Christian is to be Christ-like,” the 67-year-old Catholic Archbishop said.

He continued, “When we leave the place of worship, we become different people, agents of corruption, immorality, greed, and violence. Destroying human lives without any form of conscience. In the past few years, thousands of innocent Nigerians have been killed and some displaced from their homeland by terrorists without much help coming to them from the civil authorities,” he added.

The Local Ordinary of Abuja Archdiocese since November 2019 called for renewal by identifying and naming those who practice and fund evil deeds in the West African country to curb the ongoing religious violence and other forms of violence in Nigeria.

“Such a measure will cripple the nefarious activities of the criminals when they are starved of funds and patronage,” he said.

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Archbishop Kaigama urged Nigerians to let their faith be a source of transformation, not just for themselves but for the entire society. He reminded them that true worship must go beyond the church walls to touch lives with justice, compassion, and love.

“We build very big churches, and towering mosques, yet many hearts remain empty of God’s Spirit,” he said, noting that some individuals “treat the places of worship as a mere conventional social institution rather than the dwelling place of the Divine.”

Archbishop Kaigama underscored the importance of going to church, saying, “One of the primary reasons we come to church is so that God's Word may be explained, listened to, and understood by us; it is a force that creates justice and love.”

Meanwhile, St. Dominic’s  Kwali FCT Parish marked the feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran  by celebrating their own parish church.

Archbishop Kaigama expressed gratitude to the people of God in Nigeria for their efforts in building the church, despite the high rate of poverty in the country.

He also encouraged them to not only build the church with faith and sacrifice but to also build up the living Church by their unity, prayer, charity, and witness in society. “Let your church community be a place where true worship exists; where love is shared and true faith lived out.”

“We should see in each other the image of a benevolent God, not a God who commands to kill, recklessly squander the human and natural resources, while many are starving in the midst of plenty, all because of unrestrained corruption, injustice, ethnic division, and moral decay,” he said.

Archbishop Kaigama who started his Episcopal Ministry in April 1995 as Bishop of Nigeria’s Catholic Diocese of Jalingo called for renewed commitment to peace, unity, and holiness among Nigerians, urging them to let their faith transform their lives and society.

“Let our religions lead us to a growth in holiness. Growth in number must be matched by growth in holiness, whereby we convert our hearts, our homes, and our nation into a living temple of peace and justice,” he said.

Archbishop Kaigama added, “May today’s celebration mark a new beginning for St. Dominic’s Parish. May your lives and your community radiate the beauty of God’s presence.”

“Let your parish be like a river flowing outward to bring life and hope to Kwali, to your schools, workplaces, and families. Through the intercession of St. Dominic, may your parish continue to shine as a beacon of truth, charity, and unity,” he implored.