El-rufai: Put aside divisive language, attitudes, Kaigama tells politicians

The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, has urged political leaders to put aside divisive language and attitudes and work for unity among Nigerians.

He stated this on Sunday while addressing the congregation on the solemnity of Corpus Christi at St. Augustine Parish, Sun City, Abuja.

Recently, a video went viral on social media featuring former Kaduna state governor Nasir El-Rufai speaking in Hausa a few days before his handing over. In the video, among other things, El-Rufai stated that most Christians in Kaduna did not vote for his party (the All Progressives Congress), and that was why he excluded them from occupying the Deputy Governor’s office.

He (El-rufai) said that the APC can win elections without Christians, and for the same reason, he deliberately excluded them from all the top cadres of the governance of the state, including the governor, deputy governor, secretary to the state government, chief of staff to the governor, and commissioner of finance, among others.

The ex-governor also kept referring to Christians as ‘them’ and Muslims as ‘us’ to emphasize that Christians do not belong, yet he contradicted himself by saying that his government is fair to all.

However, in a veiled reference to El-Rufai’s remarks, Archbishop Kaigama warned against uncontrolled, venomous utterances.

According to him, such comments would generate unnecessary tension among Nigerians who want to live peacefully together while pursuing their legitimate concerns.

Kaigama stated, “If some Nigerians speak with reckless abandon and arrogant insensitivity, claiming they are better than other Nigerians and are determined to keep those they call ‘outsiders’ and ‘inferiors’ under domination, we can never grow as a nation to maturity and progress and measure up to other developed nations.”

He recalled his concerns during a meeting with then-presidential candidate Ahmed Bola Tinubu and a group of Catholic Bishops in Abuja before the elections.

”Our memo to him (Tinubu) was very clear about many hurting issues,” he said.

Now as President, Kaigama urged Tinubu to find a way to promote better religious harmony by being fair and just to all religious groups and their adherents.

The Archbishop also shared an inspiring quote he saw during a Ramadan fast-breaking event with the UFUK Dialogue Foundation, an Islamic Turkish Foundation: ‘Reserve in your heart a seat for everyone.’

He encouraged leaders of all faiths to embrace equity, brotherliness, and hospitality, creating a space for everyone in their hearts.

The Catholic cleric emphasized the importance of sacrificing selfish ambitions for the common good and living under one canopy of love.