Northern Christian group backs Catholic bishops, rebukes Bwala

The Northern Christian Association has backed the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria over their recent meeting with President Bola Tinubu, accusing the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Daniel Bwala, of attempting to sow discord within the Christian community.

The association said the Catholic bishops spoke not only on issues affecting the Catholic Church but also on matters concerning Christians and Nigerians generally, insisting that their intervention was in the national interest.

The NCA’s position follows a controversy sparked by comments attributed to Bwala after the Catholic bishops met with Tinubu and raised concerns over the country’s socio-economic and security challenges.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Chairman of the Northern Christian Association, Rev. Joseph Hayab, warned against what he described as divisive politics, saying the association would resist any attempt to pit one Christian denomination against another.

He stressed that the NCA comprises members from virtually all Christian denominations in Northern Nigeria, including the Catholic Church, Baptist, ECWA, Methodist, Anglican and Pentecostal churches.

“We should tell Bwala to know that Catholics are Christians and Nigerians.

“Our members are Catholics, Baptists, ECWA, Methodists, Anglicans, Pentecostals and people of all denominations. We refuse to be divided by Bwala’s politics of division,” Hayab said.

The cleric said the Catholic bishops and Cardinal John Onaiyekan deserved respect, noting that they met Tinubu to discuss issues affecting humanity, Christians and all Nigerians, not matters exclusive to the Catholic Church.

“Our Cardinal is our respected leader, and the bishops that visited the President went to speak to him about humanity, Christians and all of us, not only Catholics,” he said.

Hayab described it as “shameful and a disservice” to the President for his spokesperson to disrespect the Cardinal, maintaining that the bishops merely offered sincere counsel aimed at helping the administration address the nation’s challenges.

“It is therefore shameful and a disservice to Tinubu for his spokesperson to disrespect our Cardinal.

“An honest counsel has been given to Mr President for his own good and for a better Nigeria,” he added.

The NCA chairman also faulted what he described as the growing tendency of some government officials to dismiss legitimate concerns raised by religious leaders and other stakeholders.

According to him, appointees who resort to propaganda instead of confronting the realities facing Nigerians were doing the country more harm than good.

“Any voice of greed, propaganda or disconnect with the citizens by any government appointee like Bwala should be seen as those destroying the country for their selfish interest, not minding the larger population,” Hayab said.

He warned that unless Nigeria’s mounting challenges were urgently addressed, the consequences would affect all citizens, regardless of political affiliation.

“Sadly for people like Bwala, if things do not improve, we shall all suffer together and live to see our country not growing as it should be,” he said.

Reaffirming the association’s confidence in the Catholic bishops, Hayab described them as patriotic leaders committed to the country’s progress.

“The NCA knows that our Catholic bishops mean well and love the President and the country more than those insulting their honest counsel,” he said.

He urged political office holders to engage constructively with the concerns raised by religious leaders rather than making comments capable of deepening divisions among Nigerians.

The PUNCH reports that the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, during its meeting with President Tinubu, urged the Federal Government to take more decisive steps to tackle insecurity, economic hardship and other challenges confronting the country.

The remarks generated public debate, with Bwala’s reaction attracting criticism from some Christian groups, including the Northern Christian Association. (Punch)