As Nigeria prepares to welcome a new Apostolic Nuncio, the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, explores the gifts and challenges facing the Church in Africa’s most populous nation.
By Sr. Katleho Khang, SNJM & Devin Watkins
Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty as the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria on July 16, though he has yet to take up his new role.
To mark the occasion, Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, of the Archdiocese of Owerri and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, spoke to Vatican News about the challenges facing the Church in Nigeria, while expressing his hopes for positive change.
Archbishop Ugorji said that “Archbishop Crotty’s leadership will strengthen the bonds of unity and communion between the Holy See and the Church in Nigeria.”
Archbishop Crotty will hold the portfolio of the Holy See’s diplomatic liaison to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as well as Permanent Observer of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
“Since Archbishop Crotty is Irish,” said Archbishop Ugorji, “his presence in Nigeria as Apostolic Nuncio will serve as a reminder of the Irish missionaries who evangelised different parts of our country, and how they were warmly welcomed as Bishops, Priests, Consecrated Men and Women, and lay missionaries.”
Since September 2023, Nigeria has been without a Nuncio, following Archbishop Antonio Guido Filipazzi’s reassignment as the Nuncio to Poland.
Archbishop Ugorji expressed the Nigerian Bishops’ support for the new Nuncio’s mission.
Pastoral and leadership challenges
The Nigerian Archbishop took the opportunity to highlight the political and socio-economic problems that pose enormous challenges to the pastoral life of the Church in Nigeria and its leadership.
“Nigeria is presently faced with a myriad of challenges, ranging from poor governance, insecurity, corruption, harsh effects of climate change, ethnic-religious tensions, a declining economy, high level youth unemployment, spiraling inflation, and a food shortage, resulting in widespread hunger, among others,” he said.
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria
Desire to embrace cultural diversity of Nigeria
At the same time, Archbishop Ugorji underlined Nigeria’s cultural diversity, calling it a blessing from God.
“Although exercising ministry in a culturally diverse context may at times pose challenges, however, the cultural diversity of Nigeria is more of an enrichment and blessing,” he said. “It manifests the immensity of God the Creator, in whose infinite image and likeness the diverse people of our country are created.”
He said the Church’s pastoral programmes seek to ensure that the faith is transmitted and received in its purity and integrity, encouraging Catholics to become agents of transformation in the wider society by changing their own lives to conform with the values of the Gospel.
A shared responsibility for the greater mission
“Nigeria is one of the fastest-growing Churches in the Catholic world,” said Archbishop Ugorji. “Our dioceses and religious congregations are richly blessed in vocations, and we have fully active parishes.”
Archbishop Ugorji concluded the interview by expressing his desire for continued growth for the Church in the country.
“It is my prayer and hope,” he said, “that the Church in Nigeria continues to grow qualitatively and quantitatively and become an effective leaven for the transformation of the Nigerian society in the spirit of Christ.”
