Providing space to bury us all – The Sun Nigeria

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Of Noé Ebije, Kaduna

This was a day of tears and heavy hearts as more than 700 priests and other faithful and non-faithful Catholics attended the funeral of Reverend Father Vitus Borogo on Thursday, June 30.

Reverend Father Borogo was killed by terrorists on June 25, while working at a prison farm in Kujama area, Chikun Local Government Area, Kaduna State. Those who were at the farm with him were abducted by the terrorists and had not yet been released at the time of this report.

Until his death, Fr Borogo, 50, was the Catholic Community Chaplain at Kaduna Polytechnic and the President of the Nigerian Association of Catholic Diocesan Priests (NCDPA), Kaduna Chapter.

As his remains were removed from the parish church of Our Lady of the Apostles, Kaduna, where a funeral mass had been held before his burial, some well-wishers fainted.

The main mourner, the Catholic Archbishop of Kaduna, Msgr. Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, lamented that in less than a year he buried three of his priests who were killed in cold blood by terrorists.

Bishop Ndagoso noted that the killings in the country in recent times were worse than those seen during the Nigerian Civil War, adding that Nigerians are prisoners in their own country due to the persistent attacks and killings in the country.

Apparently saddened by the death of Reverend Father Borogo, Cathedral Administrator of St. Joseph’s Catholic Cathedral, Kaduna, Reverend. Prof. Isaac Patrick Musa in a statement soon after the slain priest was buried said if the Kaduna State Government could not protect lives then it should provide land to bury the priests as the cemetery was filled, for the priests had died in crisis and banditry in the state.

“The attack on priests is the best target to hit the ordinary man and woman in Kaduna state. The killing of priests in Kaduna state is an attack on the government of the poor and rural people. he attack on the priest is an attack on the last hope of the public servants fired by the government. If the priests demonstrate, these people will come out in solidarity, if the priests bear arms, these people will bear arms, if the priests declare war, these people will be ready to die fighting in the streets.

“The priest is not trained in any of the elements mentioned above. We have undergone training that respects the dignity of human life regardless of class destination and religion. We are trained to be law-abiding citizens and to preach the same to everyone. We are the light of the societies we serve.

The Kaduna State Government should protect our lives to continue serving the people of the state. But if she can’t, at least provide ground to bury our priests. Our cemetery is filled, our priests died in the crisis and banditry in the state and without you providing protections to our people, we will not stop working among them.

“As bandits kill and kidnap your citizen, they will continue to kidnap and kill us as well. Just make space to bury us. We are not safe and we are not afraid to die for the cause of carrying out our pastoral duties. We are not going to stop being with the poor. The violent bandits seem to be your agents,” Fr. Musa said.

Reverend Musa further said, “Our experiences as priests, in Kaduna State, have been one of total blackout of memory, confusion, despair, helplessness and helplessness. indecision about what to do or say as bandits and terrorists continue to attack, kidnap and kill us relentlessly Our diplomacy and maximum respect for the constituted authority of the state are equal to anyone.

“The ecclesiastical authority headed by the archbishop, Mgr. Dr. Matthew Man Oso Ndangoso has been very considerate and understanding towards the efforts of the state government in addressing insecurity in the state. The presbyterium and its members have suffered the most from the evil activities of bandits and terrorists.

“The ecclesiastical authority has continuously maintained a serene posture and continued to preach hope and courage to its members. His Grace has never failed to appreciate the courage, passion, zeal, sacrifices and leadership role of his priests. This has been the source of our strength and consolation.

“It is not an easy task for him in these perilous times. However, he has been so firm and strong in resisting the temptation to preach hatred and incite violence in the state. I am very sure that he fought the temptation to lead a protest march against insecurity in the state, which he is most affected by more than any other prominent figure in the state.

“He has a range of reasons to protest and he will be overwhelmingly supported by the people; but he decided not to. May the Holy Spirit continue to guide you in your daily duties and decisions.

It takes no less than nine years to form a Roman Catholic priest. Training at the Catholic seminary is worth millions of naira. Seminary training has a high sense of moral discipline and intensive academic work for the holistic formation of a candidate for the Roman Catholic priesthood.

“This training is so effective that people who have gone through the seminary but have not been able to do so find it very difficult to reintegrate completely into normal society. The higher ideals learned in seminary training are not found in our secular institutions in this fallen country.

“Why do bandits and terrorists choose to attack priests? Why are they targeting priests? In short, bandits and terrorists have an agenda; to instill fear, conquer territories and forcefully extort money from their victims. In doing so, they are also aware that the law is catching up with them at all times and they know that the consequences can be disastrous for them. And so, they will prefer softer targets, such as; isolated roads, forests, scattered settlements, rural areas and unsafe places to commit their crimes.

“No matter the size, scholarship, celebrity or rank of a priest, he can be posted wherever his bishop wants him to work. The priest accepts this responsibility in complete obedience. For, all priests have made a vow of obedience to their bishop and his successor Many priests, from my experiences as such, in the Archdiocese of Kaduna, prefer to work more in rural areas than in cities, if not for this insecurity It is very satisfying as a priest to work among the poor and weak in society. “Your efforts and impact in their lives are highly appreciated compared to those in the cities. Again, most of these rural areas have been neglected by the government and the representatives of these people in government. The priest very often appears as the last hope of the ordinary man and woman in these regions.

“Priests in these communities are more valued and respected than senators, members of the House of Representatives, members of the House of Assembly, presidents of local governments and councillors. They are more effective at leading the community and providing relief and strength than their representatives in government.

“The priest not only preaches Christ in the community, but also brings development to the community. Most of the social amenities in the rural communities were initiated and facilitated by certain priests through the people’s representatives in government. Priests have been the light and the brains behind the many demands of the people to their elected government.

“Many communities were seen crying and storming the Archbishop’s office with their sons and daughters begging him to allow their priest to stay longer in their parish. Some have even protested against the transfers of their priests because they see it as a nod to the little hope they have.

“We have never had such situations when a president or a prominent politician leaves office. Except for the passing of the late Mr. Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, the former Governor of Kaduna State. Most of our politicians are only known or seen on newspaper pages or posters by the people they govern or represent. I have been a priest for 10 years and I have never known or seen a practicing politician who is a senator or a member of the house of representatives. Maybe because they mean less to me or they never interested me. If at my level as a priest, I do not easily have this privilege, what about the rural people, the poor masses and the weak in the communities?

“The places where most of our priests work in Kaduna are among the commoners, who are abandoned by their government. Some of these places, other than the mission structures, there is no trace of government presence. The priests after being trained with the offertory of the church, the tithes and the money from the harvests are sent to these rural places not to take care of the Catholic members only, but to serve the communities and go with them.

“Most priests leave sacrificial lives. From places that doctors, diapers, nurses, engineers, teachers, and politicians, who have never had his kind of rigorous, verse-like training cannot leave, a Roman Catholic priest will stay, survive, and make an impact. significant, and will stimulate the development of the house. Most local, state, and federal government roads are mission roads to connect communities. Most capitals were mission centers. And it still continues to this day.

Bishop Ndagoso further expressed his sadness over the murders of priests in his Archdiocese, saying, “I feel devastated, it is so painful that in one year I have buried three priests who died at the hands of these bandits, the most painful was the late Father Aketeh whose burial has taken place for the past three weeks without his corpse.

“In my 60s we haven’t seen it as bad as it is now, even in the civil war it wasn’t so bad as it is now. Something is wrong with it. leadership of this country, we live in confusion in this country.

“We no longer have tears in our eyes because the source of our tears has dried up due to the constant crying. We have also lost our voices because when you speak, no one listens to you, you cry, no one hears your cry, but we will not lose hope, one day God will wipe away our tears.

The grieving Bishop advised the government to recruit young people who are ready to protect the country, adding that there are so many millions of young men who are ready to defend their land.

It was even as more than 700 priests from the Archdiocese of Kaduna led a peaceful protest after the funeral mass of the slain priest, some of them carrying placards with inscriptions like; ‘we are priests not terrorists’, ‘government should protect Nigerians’, ‘whoever kills has lost their right to life’, ‘justice must be served’, ‘do we still have a government’ and many more ‘others.

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