Nigerians Hoping for “a compassionate new president” to End Religious Intolerance: Bishop

The Nigerian Catholic Bishop told ACN that with prayers and especially through the intervention of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the West African nation would emerge victorious.

“We know that God is strong and as long as we continue to turn to Mary, victory will surely be won because we are a victorious people, we are a hallelujah people, we are a resurrection people,” he said.

Bishop Doeme who has been at the helm of Maiduguri Diocese since his Episcopal Ordination in August 2009 confessed that what Nigeria experienced at the height of Boko Haram attacks is no match to the current insecurity that has spread across the entire country. 

Bishop Oliver Doeme celebrating Holy Mass at the chapel of ACN International headquarters in Germany. Credit: ACN

The Catholic Diocese of Maiduguri was at the centre of the worst of the terrorism inflicted by Boko Haram. But according to Bishop Doeme, the Nigerian Diocese can now be considered peaceful in comparison to the other parts of the country.

He said that things are much better in Maiduguri at the moment, attributing the religious tolerance to divine intervention, including a vision he told ACN he had in 2014 where Jesus handed him a sword, which turned into a rosary, encouraging his already deep Marian devotion.

The 61-year-old Bishop had narrated that in the vision, Jesus told him, “The war was won on bended knee.”

According to the July 29 CAN report, there have been hardly any attacks by Boko Haram since 2020, and that thousands of terrorists have already surrendered and given up their weapons.

In the Diocese of Maiduguri specifically, only three of the 25 Parishes that had been shut down owing to insurgency remain closed and most of the displaced people have returned to their respective homes.

Credit: ACN

Bishop Doeme told ACN that with the situation almost back to normal at home, it is the rest of the country that now worries him.

“To a large extent we can say that the north-eastern part of the country is more peaceful than other parts, because Nigeria is now in crisis, and we are experiencing a lot of evil forces in our country. You have the Fulani herdsmen attacking Christian communities; you have the bandits attacking communities and taking people away,” the Bishop said.

He added, “The church is not spared. In different parts of the north, priests have been killed. So, the crisis may be subsiding in the northeast, but not in other parts of the north and even in the south.”

The Bishop told the Pontifical charity foundation that as life in Maiduguri returns to normal, the Diocese is tending to the trauma and wounds the terrorists inflicted upon the population. He said that education is the main weapon in this new fight.

“This (education) is a priority for our Diocese, especially for the refugees who have returned,” he said, and explained, “We have taken it upon ourselves to make sure the children get an education, from primary school even, if possible, to university. This is key to defeating Boko Haram. When people have training to secure their livelihood, then they don’t go and kill people.”

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His Episcopal See, he said, is also concerned about the wellbeing of Priests who have undergone traumatic experiences, and is providing psychosocial support to them. 

“One of the programs we have begun is trauma counseling for the Priests. Our Priests were invited to this trauma counseling and they returned very joyful and very thankful. Our female Religion also went and returned strengthened,” he said.

Credit: ACN

Bishop Doeme further said that one of the most important areas in which his Diocese has invested, is in promoting forgiveness, especially now that many Boko Haram members are being reintegrated into society.

“On 13 May, the feast of Our Lady of Fatima, we reconsecrated our Diocese to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. People feel spiritually uplifted, and encouraged, and it makes them ready to forgive, because that is a very important component of our care for people,” the Local Ordinary of Maiduguri Diocese told ACN. 

He added, “People carry grudges against Boko Haram members who killed their loved ones, but they now have the ability to forgive. They see Jesus hanging on the cross, having forgiven his executioners, and they, too, gain the courage to forgive.”