By: Joy Odor/Kaduna
The Archbishop of Kaduna Archdiocese, His Grace, Most Reverend Mathew Man-Oso Ndagoso has said that the problem of local churches and Nigeria is not resources but the inability to use the God given human and material resources properly.
He stated this at the pre-press conference of the commissioning of Archdiocese John McCarthy Catholic Secretariat worth over two hundred and eighty-six million, nine hundred thousand naira by the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, Archbishop Antonio Guido Filipazzi in Kaduna State, North-West, Nigeria on Thursday.
According to His Grace, in terms of human and material resources, Nigerian is blessed, “adding that there are many developing nations that do not have the kind of resources Nigeria has and yet they are in the first run which enables them to provide basic necessity for their people”.
“The level of poverty and suffering that Nigerians are going through is pathetic, I am 31 years in Priesthood and l have not witness this kind of suffering.
“It only confirmed my believed that our problem is not lack of resources but political will”.
Archbishop Ndagoso affirmed that this is happening in Nigeria because some people were given appointment, not because they are qualified but because of who they know, which the level of performance in the civil services are very dismissal.
His Grace continue to explain that this is due to the right people are not in the right place and because of that Nigeria is having different crises in every nook and crannies of the country.
He was of the opinion that if Nigeria will use the resources properly, honestly, transparently and having the common good of anyone within the institution of the country at heart, Nigeria will do much more, even the local church will do better.
“The lesson of erecting the secretariat have taught me that if Nigeria will use the resources properly, honestly, transparently and having the common good of anyone within the institution of our country at heart, l think our country will do much more even the local church will do better.
“We need a secretaries were we will be able to co-ordinate our pastoral and spiritual activities and all the office matters will be under one roof to enable us monitor progress and known where we need to make adjustment.
“Having work together as an Archdiocese, tirelessly, and making sacrifices to give this deifies for the upcoming commissioning, we have invited the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, Archbishop, Antonio Guido Filipazzi to commission and named the Secretariat ‘John McCarthy’ Catholic Secretariat, Kaduna”.
“The structure is a home grown project, what l mean is, we have not asked for assistance from any foreign funding agencies for support.
“The building of the secretariat is done through local and direct labour and that 99% of the resources used in constructing the structure were sources within Nigeria and of the 99%, over 80% were raised locally within the Archdiocese of Kaduna.
“As a local church, l believed if we are able to use resources properly, we cannot only be self-supportive but also help the weaker churches around the State even neighboring countries.
“My prayer is that for the purpose which the secretariat was build would be achieved and further bound us together as Archdiocese and enable us to implement the vision which we have step and plans put in place on paper to make out dream reality” he said.
On the killings in Adawama State, the Archbishop Ndagoso canvassed that the conflicts between the Fulani herdsman and the famers in all the States in Nigeria will be resolved through ranching.
He attributed the incident to bad governance and leadership, saying, it is the duty of the government to do what is necessary to avoid conflict.
According to him, as long as the Fulani’s move around with their cattle’s and endangering the farmer’s crop which the farmers work very hard for and seeing it just go to blazers, it will not go well with both.
“Because of the conflict, Nigeria is losing billions of naira on security, economic activities are grounded, people lives are lost and properties destroyed.
“As Nigerians, we must start to hold our leaders accountable which is lacking” he lamented.
