Gbenga Sodeinde In Ado Ekiti
The Most Reverend Oluwasun Fagbohun, President of the African Union of Old Catholic Churches and Presiding Bishop of the Old Catholic Apostolic Church in Nigeria, has called on the Most Reverend Matthew Hassan Kukah, Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Sokoto, to once again offer what he calls an “unreserved apology” to Christians, Nigerians and the international community for issues related to terrorism and insecurity in the country. He protested his recent alleged denial of the genocide of Christians in Nigeria.
Bishop Fagbohun made this call in his New Year message, a copy of which was made available today. In his message, he accused Bishop Kukah of maintaining what he called a “troubling silence” despite allegedly being aware of the presence and activities of terrorists, bandits and Boko Haram elements within his jurisdiction.
Bishop Fagbohun said Bishop Kukah had failed in his moral and spiritual responsibilities as a Christian leader by “feigning ignorance” of insurgent activities in parts of Sokoto state and openly claiming that they were being carried out with impunity.
He also criticized Bishop Kukah for previously stating that Christians are not persecuted by criminal organizations and rebel groups, saying that claim is misleading and inconsistent with the reality faced by many Christian communities across Nigeria.
Bishop Fagbohun asserted that some Christian families and communities have suffered displacement, loss of life, destruction of worship centers and psychological trauma as a result of terrorist activities, stressing that denying such experiences undermines the suffering of the victims and weakens the Church’s moral voice.
The president of Africa’s Old Catholic Church reiterated his position in a New Year’s message to Nigerians on January 1, arguing that Bishop Kukah’s comments and perceived inaction had undermined public confidence in Christian leadership, especially at a time when religious leaders are expected to speak truth to power and stand firmly with victims of violence.
Bishop Fagbohun said, “Bishop Kukah betrayed not only the Christian faith but also the trust of the people by pretending not to know that terrorists were operating within his jurisdiction.”
He added that Bishop Kukah, widely respected in Nigeria and abroad as a champion of social justice and national unity, needed to apologize to restore confidence in his public voice and moral authority.
“His words carry global weight, but recent developments make it clear that he is not loyal and truthful. Unless he apologizes, we can no longer trust the words that come out of his mouth. How can he claim ignorance when Boko Haram members are said to be openly residing and operating in his area?”
“He is always posing around his villa taking pictures, winning and dining with our leaders. What does he go there to say? Is he claiming not to know that his jurisdiction is home to the killers of Nigerians? His hypocrisy should stop. He should once again apologize to Nigerians and the whole world.”
“He should stop parading around the villa and the national leadership because he was hiding the truth that could have saved the lives of Nigerians for a long time before the President’s decisive action of allowing the destruction of Nigerians,” he asked. Will his Ph.D. in political science prevent him from exposing the murderers of our people? ”
Bishop Fagbohun also called on Christian leaders across denominational lines to rise above what he called fear, political correctness or compromise and boldly oppose terrorism, regardless of ethnic, regional or religious considerations.
