Catholic Knights wade into rift between Bishop Godfrey Onah and Muslim clerics

Members of The Order of Knights of St. Mulumba, St. Peter’s Sub-Council, Nsukka, Nigeria, have risen is defence of Rev. Dr. Godfrey Onah, Catholic Bishop of Nsukka, Diocese, following what they described as the “unfair victimization” of the cleric by some Muslim community leaders over a sermon he preached on October 18, 2020.

In a statement issued Friday, the Order observed with dismay that the Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) had deliberately misrepresented the said sermon as the root cause of a clash between members of the local Hausa Community and youths of Nsukka on the 31st of October, 2020, at which two mosques were burnt.

The statement, signed by Professor Linus Ani, Grand Knight of St. Peter’s Sub-Council, said it was disingenuous to link the Bishop’s homily calling for justice and equity in Nigeria, with a spontaneous conflict between two groups of youths which occurred two weeks later.

“In their one-sided intervention and baseless twist of the Bishop’s sermon, they are not seeking to advance inter-religious and communal peace,” the statement said.

“The root of the violence and rioting of Nsukka youths was a purely commercial dispute between a young Hausa Muslim lady, named Aisha, and a Keke driver of Nsukka origin. Specifically, it was a dispute over the right fare to be paid the driver for his services,” the statement clarified.

Quoting eye witness accounts, the statement claimed that, “The driver had charged the sum of N750 for transporting Aisha and her wares, but the lady offered to pay N500 instead. At this point, Aisha’s father, popularly known as Baba, who had a butcher’s stall nearby, intervened by offering the keke driver the shortfall of his daughter’s fare.”

“But the money was quickly snatched away from him by his daughter, thus aborting that attempt at mediation. Aisha, the story goes, chose rather to invite her brothers by phone to the scene. Upon arrival, they proceeded to assault and batter the Keke driver, including stabbing him in the chest with a knife, leading to his being presumed to be dead.”

It was in a spontaneous reaction to this bloody scene that some youths in the area intervened in the dispute, beat up the attackers of the tricycle driver, and in the ensuing conflict, two mosques were burnt, the statement continued.

The knights strongly condemned all acts of violence and jungle justice leading to a breakdown of law and order. They called on law enforcement authorities to ensure that those involved on all sides of the clash were made to face the wrath of the law.

They commended the Governor of Enugu State, Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for taking over the rebuilding of the mosques and the compensation of victims, saying that his was an act of magnanimity in search of peace.

They however cautioned that in the search for peace, justice must first be done by arresting and prosecuting all those involved in the violent incident to serve as deterrent.

“To do otherwise will be aiding and abetting inequality, injustice and insecurity in Nigeria,” the statement said.

“It is precisely against inequality, injustice and insecurity in Nigeria that Bishop Onah spoke in his homily. He surely was not inciting anyone to violence, but rather condemning the sources of injustice and bad governance, namely partiality in its various guises. His sermon was thus within the scope of his office and responsibility as priest and pastor of his people. Speaking truth to power and calling for justice without fear or favor are a part of the prophetic role of Catholic priests,” the statement added.

It therefore called on all religious and community leaders throughout the country to always refrain from taking sides in conflicts involving their followers, but rather strive to be fair, dispassionate and balanced in the interest of lasting peace and harmony.