By Samson Adeyanju 

The Catholic faithful have been urged to move beyond merely defending the Church to actively winning and retaining souls, as many members continue to drift to other denominations due to social and economic pressures.

Chief Sir Obiora Okonkwo made this observation while representing the Chairman of the flag-off ceremony of the 2026 Laity Week celebrations organised by the Catholic Laity Council of Nigeria.

Speaking at the event, Okonkwo said while groups such as the Knights of St. John International have long been known as “soldiers of Christ” defending the Church, the present challenge requires a shift in focus toward evangelisation and retaining members.

He lamented that despite the efforts of the Knights and other lay organisations, many Catholics are leaving the Church for Pentecostal congregations where they believe their material and social needs are better addressed.

According to him, “Being soldiers of Christ today should not just be about defending the Church. It should also be about bringing people into the Church and keeping them there. Unfortunately, many who were once converted into the Catholic faith are now leaving.”

Okonkwo linked the trend to the harsh economic realities facing many Nigerians, noting that clergy increasingly encounter people seeking financial assistance rather than spiritual guidance.

He recalled that in earlier times, parishioners visiting priests often brought gifts such as eggs, plantain and other farm produce, but today many arrive seeking help.

“In many parishes today, when people line up for the priest’s office hour, they come not with gifts but with requests for assistance. This reflects the economic situation in the country and makes pastoral work more difficult for the clergy,” he said.

…Urges support for farmers through subsidies

By Ade Iyamoye 

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria has faulted the Federal Government’s resort to food importation as a strategy to curb rising food prices, insisting that the policy undermines local farmers and weakens national food security.

In a communiqué issued at the end of its First Plenary Meeting held at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Durumi, Abuja, from February 19 to 26, 2026, the bishops said rather than import food, government should prioritise protecting and empowering Nigerian farmers to produce enough for the nation.

The communiqué, signed by the CBCN President, Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, and Secretary, Donatus Ogun, stressed that Nigeria is richly blessed with abundant natural and mineral resources, which, with good leadership, could significantly drive economic growth and development.

The bishops observed that many farmers across the country are unable to access their farmlands due to persistent insecurity, including banditry, kidnapping and insurgent attacks. They warned that importing food to reduce prices, while local farmers remain vulnerable and unsupported, could further discourage domestic agricultural production.

“Rather than importation of food as is currently being done by the government to lower the prices of food, which invariably has negatively affected the local farmers, we demand that the government provide adequate security and grant sufficient subsidy to the farmers to enable them to produce enough food for the nation,” the communiqué stated.

The bishops also linked economic hardship to broader issues of insecurity and illegal exploitation of mineral resources, noting that proceeds from illegal mining and other organised crimes are often used to fund criminal activities.

They called on government at all levels to adopt more aggressive and technology driven measures to tackle illegal mining and other forms of economic sabotage, including the deployment of modern surveillance tools to monitor remote and high risk areas.

Reaffirming their commitment to the common good, the bishops urged leaders to place the welfare of citizens above sectional and selfish interests, stressing that sustainable food security can only be achieved through strategic investment in local agriculture and meaningful support for farmers.

By Ade Iyamoye 

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has elected new principal officers to steer the affairs of the Conference.

The information was released by the National Directorate of Social Communications, CSN, Abuja.

The elections were conducted on Monday, February 24, 2026, during the First Plenary of the bishops held at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Abuja.

Emerging as President of the Conference is the Archbishop of Kaduna, Matthew Man’oso Ndagoso. He will be assisted by the Archbishop of Lagos, Alfred Adewale Martins, who was elected Vice President.

Also elected is the Bishop of Abeokuta, Peter Odetoyinbo, as Secretary of the Conference, while the Bishop of Abakaliki, Peter Chukwu, emerged as Assistant Secretary.

In addition to the principal officers, other bishops were elected to oversee various directorates, departments and units of the Secretariat and CBCN agencies.

According to a statement signed by the Secretary General of the Secretariat, Very Rev. Fr. Michael Ayanleke Banjo, the newly elected officers will be officially presented at the closing ceremony of the plenary scheduled for Wednesday, February 25, 2026.

The CBCN is the highest decision-making body of the Catholic Church in Nigeria, bringing together bishops across the country to deliberate on matters affecting the Church and the nation.