Nigeria - A Vision of Hope
My dear friends,
On behalf of myself, the clergy and the laity of the Diocese
of Sokoto, I bring you hearty greetings. I want to thank you most sincerely for
your solidarity with us in the very trying environment where we are bearing witness
to Christ.
The Diocese of Sokoto is made up of four states (Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and
Zamfara) with a total population of over twenty million. Out of this, the
Catholic population is just slightly over 400,000.
However, despite our seeming numerical disadvantage, we still wield some
reasonable amount of power and influence in the areas where we operate. We do
this through the traditional Catholic Church’s vision of a world based on our
common humanity across religion and ethnicity. Thus, human development, solidarity,
and the pursuit of the common good of all remain at the heart of our message
and influence.
The whole world stood with us after the kidnapping of the Chibok school girls
in 1994. Since then, there has been a lot of anxiety over the safety of
children.The problem of the Girl Child is a serious issue here in northern
Nigeria due to the issues of such negative cultural practices within Islam as
early child marriages. The majority of these children really and truly don’t
want to be married, they want an education.
There are many girls being held in forced marriages. They do not have a voice.
This is the far greater battle for us to fight!
This kidnapping is but a glimpse into the unacceptable and vulnerable
conditions of young girls, predominantly in northern Nigeria. We are faced with
a world that has lost its soul. But amidst the desperation and degradation,
there is still a lot of hope for the world and education plays a key role.
A basic education is vital in the life of young girls. It empowers them, helps them to understand and demand their rights, improves social standing and helps them to find jobs. The younger a girl
is when she starts school, the greater the chances of her not becoming a
child bride. It has been shown that a girl who completes 10 years of schooling is six times less likely to be forced into marriage before the age of 18.
My dream for Nigeria is a state-of-the-art school with modern facilities for learning,
boarding for boys and girls and sports facilities, which will inspire
confidence in both parents and the children. When parents see that the
management of these schools is in the hands of the clergy and religious, they
will feel encouraged especially given that the average parent appreciates the value
of Catholic education.
Our vision is to have a school where the children of the rich and the poor, children
from different social and economic background and faiths can interact. We
believe that this is the best strategy for raising the next generation on a
diet of sound education, good moral values of tolerance and accommodation, while
also managing diversity. In this way, we are raising a generation that will be
free from the values of terrorism, of extremism, and where they can idealize
and dream of a new society.
These are practical steps that are the antidote against extremism. And it is
only the Catholic Church that has a wonderful track record of having created
spaces of interaction through the educational system.
Our celebration of life, our vitality, our capacity and ability to endure
suffering from slavery right through genocide to where we are today is the
demonstration as Christians that the Cross of Christ is a source of our
redemption. I think all that Africa can and must bring to the world with a
great deal of urgency is that beyond the Cross of Christ, beyond the suffering
and pain, there is hope.
Thank you for sharing this hope with us. With my gratitude and prayers for all
you are doing to help, I am
Bishop Matthew Kukah
Diocese of Sokoto, Nigeria
Please help our Christian brothers and sisters in Nigeria today with your prayers and a donation if you are able. Thank you. 
