Provincial Communications Directorate

Preamble

We, the Catholic Bishops of the Lagos Ecclesiastical Province, comprising the Archdiocese of Lagos, and the Dioceses of Ijebu-Ode and Abeokuta, gathered for our first plenary meeting of the year 2025 on Tuesday, January 21, at St. Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland, Lagos. Following fruitful interactions with the leadership of the clergy, religious, and various lay organizations and societies within the province, and after a careful reflection on issues affecting the Church and the nation, we issue this communiqué:

1.Thanksgiving to God: We thank God for the gift of life and the blessings of 2024. While we recognize the challenges that characterized a good part of last year, we urge all Nigerians to leave behind the worries and regrets of the past and to embrace the opportunities and possibilities of the Jubilee Year 2025 with faith, hope, and courage. We pray that God’s wisdom and love will be upon us, our families, and our communities. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

2. The Jubilee of Hope: We are grateful for the opportunities that the Jubilee Year 2025, proclaimed by our Holy Father Pope Francis, offers to all the faithful. It commenced on December 24, 2024, with the opening of the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica and will be concluded on January 6, 2026, the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. The Lagos Province will soon make a provincial program of activities to celebrate the jubilees year.

The Jubilee Year with the theme Pilgrims of Hope, gives us all a chance to embrace the virtue of hope so that our hope in God can be strengthened so that we can become efficient instruments for bringing hope to people in this time of conflicts, hunger and multidimensional poverty all over the world. We encourage the faithful to use the Sacrament of the Reconciliation for restoration and renewal of relationship with God during this year. We also encourage everyone to participate in the activities of the year so as to benefit from the indulgences being offered to us during the year.

3. Formation of Clergy and Religious: We express our gratitude to the priests and religious congregations in our Province for their tireless efforts, working in conjunction with Associations of the lay faithful to advance the course of evangelization by fostering vocations to the priestly and religious life. These efforts have yielded a notable increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life. We encourage individuals and Associations of the lay faithful to persist in their efforts and also to explore new initiatives for primary and secondary evangelization within the Archdiocese and the dioceses of the Lagos Province.

4. Care for IDPs, Migrants, and Refugees: We are deeply concerned over the deplorable conditions and inadequate care afforded to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), migrants, and refugees in Nigeria. The humanitarian crises precipitated by the activities of different terrorist groups, the communal conflicts and natural disasters in the country is alarming. According to the UNHCR, over 2.5 million people have been forced to flee their homes, lost their loved ones, their properties, means of livelihood and lacking the basic necessities of life.

We appreciate the efforts at alleviating the condition of these unfortunate citizens by units of the Church and Society Department of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) such as Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria, the Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) as well as other non-governmental organisations such as the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). We urge governments at all levels to do much better than at present; prioritize the well-being of these vulnerable individuals and provide adequate assistance, ensuring their care, protection, and support.

5. Concern about the rise of neo-paganism: We observe with concern the rise of neo-paganism among some of the young population in our country and the consequent threat to the purity of the Christian faith and the lapse into practices that undermine the Christian faith and values. Many young people are being lured into money-making rituals and internet fraud activities backed up by neo-pagan beliefs that give or offer false promises of wealth and protection. It is imperative that religious leaders and parents take urgent action to address this trend by providing our young people with a sound biblical and moral foundation that is strengthened by appropriate mentorship opportunities in order to equip them to navigate the complexities of our modern world. We must also engage with them in a more intentional way and listen to their concerns, so that we can provide them with relevant and meaningful support.

6. On the State of the Nation: Nigeria is undoubtedly at a critical moment in its journey towards nationhood. So we have the perennial challenges of insecurity, corruption, poverty, violence and activities of violent non-state actors that continue to threaten its stability and progress. The economy struggles with rising inflation, unemployment, and a widening gap between the rich and the poor have among other things led to the tragic loss of life of over 100 people in December last year as they struggled to access palliatives. This tragedy underscores the need to bring about a change from the “palliative mentality” to an “empowerment culture.” This approach will restore citizens’ dignity and pride and help to achieve a genuine reduction of the rate of poverty. Furthermore, government officials, the civil society organization, the organized private sector, and indeed all citizens must collaborate to promote transparency, accountability, and good governance. By working together, we can build a country that is more just, equitable, and prosperous for all.

7. Conclusion

As we journey with optimism in this new year, we must unite to build a better Nigeria; put aside our differences and work together to create a brighter future. We urge those who rule our land and all those in positions of authority to lead with integrity, honesty, and the fear of God, working for justice equality, and prosperity for all. If all these are done, then we can surely build a Nigeria where peace, justice, and prosperity reign. 

Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins     (Archbishop of Lagos and Chairman)                

Most Rev. Francis Obafemi Adesina  (Bishop of Ijebu Ode and Secretary)