The Catholic Archbishop of the See of Abuja, Most Rev. Dr. Ignatius A. Kaigama, has urged Nigerians to “Resist the allurement of worldly pleasures,” while urging the Church in Africa to celebrate God’s faithfulness.
Delivering his homily at the opening Mass of the First Plenary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), which held at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, St. Gabriel’s Chaplaincy, on 22 February 2026, Archbishop Kaigama disclosed that “The Church in Nigeria stands not on political favour or social or public approval, but on the superabundance of God’s grace.”
Left to Right, Bishop Felix Ajakaye of Ekiti Diocese, Archbishop Ignatius A. Kaigama of Abuja Archdiocese and Bishop Gerald Musa of Katsina Diocese
God above power, money, public opinion
He charged all to use the period of Lent to reflect on who they are worshipping, urging all to adore the Lord, rather than power, money or public opinion.
The Prelate, who disclosed that providentially this year Lent coincided with the Muslim’s Fast of Ramadan, stated that “This convergence is a reminder of our shared origin and destiny, and hence, the need for greater unity and understanding between Christians and Muslims who are called to self-discipline, prayer, and concern for the poor.”
He stressed that “It invites us to greater mutual respect and commitment to the common good, rather than the violence, arguments, struggle for numerical advantage, and the holier-than-thou attitude we seem to exhibit.”
The 67-year-old religious leader cited “Reserve a place in your heart for everyone,” associated with the UFUK Dialogue Foundation, to stress that “We should avoid unhealthy rivalry that only leads us to despair, pessimism, and antagonism.”
Lent-Ramadan opportunities for holiness, renewal
According to him, “In its message for the month of Ramadan, the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue also highlights this year’s overlap with Lent, expressing hope that the two holy periods might ‘become a catalyst for a renewed world, where the weapons of war give way to the courage of peace.’”
He charged all to ask for divine “discernment to recognize and cooperate with leaders, both civil and religious, who genuinely seek the common good and are ready to help us travel our desert of insecurity, economic hardship, corruption, and uncertainty.
“While we all pray fervently, we must also act responsibly; defend the dignity of the poor, advocate for the millions of unemployed youths, support the displaced, and use our votes wisely. We must substitute self-interest with God’s values and put the interest of the common good first.”
Cross-section of priests during the Mass
Reminding all of the need for prayer, he said, “Let us continue to pray the ‘Prayer for Nigeria in Distress’ composed by the Catholic Bishops, trusting that God will walk with us through this economic, social, and political desert” while urging everyone to “choose service over power, integrity over wealth, transparency and accountability over corruption, and Christ over all.”
Beyond fasting from food and almsgiving, the cleric encouraged Christians to eschew “corruption, lies, greed, bitterness,” while stressing “the Lenten Season [is] a sacred period of 40 days of prayer, introspection, repentance, reconciliation, and renewal.”
The Archbishop urged all to harken to the Lenten message of Pope Leo XIV, who reminded Christians to begin this season “by disarming our language, avoiding harsh words and rash judgment, refraining from slander and speaking ill of those who are not present and cannot defend themselves.”
“Grace for wealth”: Many Christians believe that Jesus came to make them rich
Reflecting on the readings, he cited the temptation of Jesus by the devil to “Turn these stones into bread (Mt 4:3)” to underscore the point that “The evil one tempts us to reduce our mission to mere material progress and comfort.”
The Prelate reasoned that “It is very easy for us today to fall for this. There is so much hunger caused by rising food prices, even though the prices of foodstuffs have significantly decreased, but the prices of fuel, fertilizer, farm implements transportation, etc. have not, and our farmers who invested so much in their farm work have become victims of the drastic drop in food prices, and are unable to recover the capital they invested.
“Physical hunger is accompanied by insecurity and corruption. In such climate, one may hear the voices of friends, neighbours, associates, and families saying: ‘Secure yourself first. Compromise a little. Everyone does it.’ But Jesus refused to turn stones into bread. He refused to reduce His mission to satisfying immediate material needs. Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from God (cf. Mt 4:4).”
He warned of the dangers of prosperity gospel, lamenting that, “Some so-called powerful men of God preach a distorted message that God will make people rich, and people flock to their churches to receive ‘grace for wealth.’”
Detailing the consequences of such transactional forms of religion, the Archbishop stated that, “As a result of such preaching, many Christians believe that Jesus came to make them rich, and the only reason they follow Christ is to become rich.
“They serve faithfully in church, believing that their faithfulness will be rewarded with financial breakthroughs and riches. Some Pastors take great material advantage of these gullible, ignorant, and superstitious persons in the name of Christ.”
“Temptation is visible when people act recklessly.”
Regarding Jesus’ temptation to throw himself down (Cf. Mt 4:6), the religious leader
clarified that “the devil tempts Jesus to force a miracle” as we “We see similar temptations today in staged miracles, exaggerated testimonies, and a romanticized faith that avoids responsibility and hard work. ‘God will do it’ becomes an excuse for laziness or injustice.
“This temptation is visible when people act recklessly, e.g., driving under the influence of alcohol, or making irresponsible decisions and then blaming God for the consequences. True faith does not test God. True faith trusts and obeys Him.”
He used the occasion to enjoin the faithful to emulate Jesus by resisting the desires for vain power and glory.
Bishop of Ekwulobia Diocese, His Eminence Peter Cardinal Okpaleke
Using the scripture “I will give you all this power” (Mt 4:9), the former Archbishop of the See of Jos emphasised that “It is the temptation of power without service, authority without accountability; to subjugate others to oneself, or to impose oneself in politics at all costs, even if it means ‘selling one’s soul to the devil.’
“The devil showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and offered Him power and glory. In our country, we have seen leaders who desire power but not responsibility, power but not transparency and accountability, titles and positions but not service.”
He further lamented that “Over the years, many have always complained that elections have been manipulated, justice hijacked, and truth buried. We fervently hope that the 2027 elections will be different and every single vote, using the modern electronic system, will count, and the genuine will of the people, respected.”
Conclusion
The onetime President of the CBCN declared that “the temptation to misuse authority is not limited to politicians alone,” stressing that “It affects parents who abuse authority at home; employers who exploit workers; church leaders who seek honour more than service, and elders who silence truth.”
President of CBCN, His Excellency, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji and the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, His Excellency, Archbishop Michael Crotty, in a wee chat before the Opening Mass
The Mass had the President of CBCN, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, Archbishop Michael Crotty, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Peter Cardinal Okpaleke, Archbishops and Bishops, Priests and religious, representatives of the laity, and Nigeria’s President, as well as some national legislators, ambassadors, and ministers.
As is the custom, after prayerful reflection, at the end of the weeklong conference, the Bishops would release a communique that would further address areas of concern in the nation’s polity while suggesting concrete steps forward for a united, peaceful, and prosperous nation.
Editor’s Note: All photos are courtesy of Archbishop Ignatius A. Kaigama.
