ADVOCACY FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE AND COMMON GOOD DEEPENING DEMOCRATIC CULTURE IN NIGERIA

ADVOCACY FOR GOOD
GOVERNANCE AND
COMMON GOOD
DEEPENING DEMOCRATIC CULTURE IN
NIGERIA
(Text of a talk presented to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of
Nigeria during its First Plenary Assembly in 2019 at the
Catholic Resource Centre, Durumi – Abuja on March 12, 2019)
REVD DR RAYMOND OLUSESAN AINA, MSP
The National Missionary Seminary of St Paul,
Gwagwalada – ABUJA

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Advocacy for Good Governance and Common Good in Nigeria
Fr Raymond ’Sesan Aina, MSP |NAMISEM, Gwagwlada Abuja |12.03.2019
If indeed ‘the just ordering of society and of the state is a central responsibility of
politics’, the Church ‘cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for
justice’ (Evangelium Gaudium, no. 183).
* * *
My understanding of the theme of your plenary meeting this week, “Governance in
Nigeria and the Common Good,” is that you, our patriarchs and shepherds, wish to set an
agenda for the Church you are leading and for the country beyond the momentous 2018-
2019 period. However, given the reality of our political homelessness, how can the
Catholic Church in Nigeria create a homely space for itself? The United States Conference
of Catholic Bishops speaks of ‘political homelessness’ to describe the sense that “no
political party and too few candidates share a consistent concern for human life and
dignity,” a fundamental principle of Catholic Social Teaching. It becomes problematic
therefore for Catholics regarding which political parties they ought to affiliate with
considering that none of the parties and candidates is consistently upholding the
seamless garment of Catholic Social Teaching.1
I believe your plenary meeting wishes to intensify the message that beyond political self-
exile and a sense of political ‘homelessness’, Catholics must embrace the civic demands
imposed on them by their Catholic faith. Going forward, to 2023 and beyond, what are
concrete actionable goals that the Church in Nigeria can pursue? As we strive to answer
this question, we want to bear in mind the principles that inspire political actors in public
life, especially Christians, to good governance. These include: pursuit of common good,
reign of justice (which contains preferential option for the poor, giving special attention
to poverty and suffering), and respect for autonomy. Others are principles of subsidiarity,
and solidarity that promotes dialogue and peace. These, according to the Compendium of
Social Doctrine, form “the criteria that must inspire the Christian laity in their political
activity.”2
1
Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility (A Statement by the Administrative
Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops), (Washington, DC: United States Conference
of Catholic Bishops, Inc., 2003), 3.
2
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, ed. Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church (London;
New York: Burns & Oates, 2004), no. 565.

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Our First Word to You Is…
The year 2018 was truly a momentous and defining one. In May 2018, you, Our
Shepherds, issued a statement, "When will this Barbarism End?" That Statement, to some
of us, de-legitimised and de-marketed the ruling government; it marked the parting of
ways between our Shepherds and the government in power due to the failure of the
administration to secure lives of Nigerians, and uphold the sanctity and demands of
justice. Your moral outrage inspired us to be morally outraged also and pursue, at your
lead, a spiritual warfare with our National Day of Prayer in May 2018.
As the General Elections drew closer, you, individually and collectively, drummed it into
us that contrary to pretensions in some quarters, the fundamentals of "When will this
Barbarism End?" had not changed. You took a big risk. We believe you knew that if the
government that your May 2018 Statement de-legitimised returned to power, it would
seem that the moral outrage and spiritual warfare of our National Day of Prayer came to
nothing. You staked your credibility for us; you stood in the breach for us against the
barbarism we suffered so gravely. You did not mind if you would become a laughing
stock behind the curtains. You did not mind if you will be treated with scorn after the
elections. You knew you would be caught in a catch22: obliged to still work with an
administration your Statement de-legitimised. Or choose to remain on political exile,
watching and working from the sidelines.
Yet, you all remained unflinching in your prophetic stance at a time when “‘the barbarian
is at the gates of the city’.”3
So, our first word to you this morning is THANK YOU! Thank
you for your moral and spiritual leadership at a very trying moment. THANK YOU!
for being the wind beneath our wings during this season of anomie. THANK YOU!
Of course, I was not invited here to proclaim a litany of ‘Thank You’. My task,
according to the letter of invitation from the Secretary General of the Catholic
Secretariat is to offer some reflections and recommendations around ‘good
governance’, ‘common good’ and the roles of key stakeholders on these in Nigeria.
3
Matt Malone, "To save public debate, we must rescue academic philosophy from its self-induced
irrelevance," America Magazine, https://www.americamagazine.org/politicssociety/2018/02/08/save-public-
debate-we-must-rescue-academic-philosophy-its-self-induced (accessed 09.02. 2018).

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I shall attend to these in three key movements: first, a discussion on fundamental
principles of Catholic Social Teaching as they inform what we know and teach
about the Social Doctrine of the Church; second, a summary of the Church’s
teaching on good governance, common good and preferential option for the poor,
and the specific CST principles driving them; and finally, a presentation of Agenda
2023, which builds on past CBCN’s interventions on good governance and common
good.
I. Fundamental Principles of Catholic Social Teaching
In considering today the rationale for ecclesial action in socio-political life in Nigeria, we
are reminded of the words of Pope St John Paul II in his Centesimus Annus (1991)4
that the
Gospel has a social dimension. The Gospel is not a dead letter. This Gospel is a
foundation, inspiration and driver for ecclesial action (no. 57)5
. The universal
significance of Christ’s Pascal mystery becomes the theological warrant for
Catholic Social Teaching6
. It equally informs the Church’s understanding of ‘human
society’, which is the domain of Christ’s universal salvation. Hence, human society is
seen as a network of social relations founded on justice and love for the protection and
promotion of the human person (balancing individual liberty and multi-dimensional,
multi-level responsibility). This society must be permeated and enriched by the Gospel7
;
including politics, labour, economy, law, culture.8
This society must be renewed, in
solidarity, respect and affection for the human family, engaging in dialogue and mutual
respect in tackling many problems challenging human society9
, to make it more human.10
4
Ioannes Paulus II, "Centesimus Annus: On the Hundredth Anniversary of Rerum Novarum,"
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_01051991_centesimus-
annus_en.html (accessed 05.01. 2010).
5
“As far as the Church is concerned, the social message of the Gospel must not be considered a
theory, but above all else a basis and a motivation for action…. Today more than ever, the Church is aware
that her social message will gain credibility more immediately from the witness of actions than as a result of
its internal logic and consistency. This awareness is also a source of her preferential option for the poor,
which is never exclusive or discriminatory towards other groups” (CA no. 57).
6
This refers to the Church’s doctrinal corpus drawing “from Sacred Scripture, Tradition and natural
law, adapting them to the social problems of our times.” It is oriented towards action. Though doctrinal in
nature, it offers contingent judgments based on “changing circumstances of history.” Efeturi Ojakaminor,
Catholic Social Doctrine (Nairobi: Paulines Publications Africa, 1994), 17-18.
7
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, ed. Compendium of Social Doctrine, no. 62.
8
Ibid.
9
Ibid., no. 18.
10
Ibid., no. 51.

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According to the Compendium of Social Doctrine, the seven key principles of Catholic
Social Teaching are: Dignity of the Human Person (nos 108-159). This principle is
foundational. This is followed by Common Good (nos 164-170); Subsidiarity (nos 185-188);
Solidarity, which is both a social principle and a moral virtue (nos 192-196); Universal
Destination of Goods (nos nos. 171-180); Preferential Option for the Poor (nos 182-184);
and Participation (nos 189-191). These principles are undergirded by four fundamental
values: Truth: (no. 198); Freedom: (nos 199-200); Justice: (nos 201-203); and Love: (nos
204-208). These values, which are social in character and essence, direct the seven
principles towards achieving moral goods for the sake of “the proper structuring and
ordered life in society.”11
II. Good Governance
The term ‘good governance’ presupposes an intrinsic connection between governance
and morality.12
‘Good governance’ rejects the amoral theory in politics, which argues that
the public sphere is neither moral nor immoral. The amoral space of the civic public
implies moral neutrality. Hence, the civic public (e.g. Civil service; Police; Army; State
Parastatals) is merely instrumentalised. The civic public is only valued economically,
whereby actors in the civic public are constantly looking for ways to gain maximally,
without corresponding ethical responsibility to give back to the civic public as one does
to the primordial public (e.g. Family, Clan, Tribe).13
The amorality of the civic public,
according to Peter Ekeh, in a now famous article, written in 1975, has been the bane of
post-colonial African states. Amorality of the civic public rejects the necessity and
reasonability of virtue, which the Compendium says underscores political power as
service.14
Within the context of our discussion on ‘good governance’, Compendium of
Social Doctrine of the Church holds that virtue, especially specific virtues of “patience,
modesty, moderation, charity, (sic) efforts to share,”15
is imperative for good
governance. Without these specific virtues, political actors lack the capacity to “accept
11
Ibid., no. 197.
12
Ibid., nos 410-412.
13
Peter Ekeh, "Colonialism and the Two Publics in Africa: A Theoretical Statement," Comparative
Studies in Society and History 17, no. 1 (January 1975): 106-107.
14
15
Ibid.

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the common good.”16
Hence, the triumph of amorality in the civic public promotes crass
relativism of “anything goes’, or “the end justifies the means” or “might is right”. Where
this relativistic ethic predominates, good governance remains elusive, because political
corruption, which gravely deforms democratic system, reigns.17
So, political corruption
becomes “an obstacle to bringing about the common good of all citizens.”18
From the foregoing, therefore, and taking our cue again from the Compendium of the
Social Doctrine of the Church, good governance is the exercise of political authority at the
service of the people, who are the bearers of sovereignty, particularly in a democratic
society, like Nigeria.19
There is an intricate connection between good governance and
democracy. Within a peacebuilding framework, a key component of
political/constitutional long-term measure for sustainable peace is the establishment of
tradition of good governance. This tradition consists of “respect for democracy, human
rights, rule of law, (sic) development of civil society within genuine political
community.”20
The Compendium affirms this connection between democracy and good
governance when it states that good governance is best guaranteed in an authentic
democracy, characterised by accountability, rule of law, respect for the human person as
Imago Dei, and the right to peacefully replace bearers of people’s sovereignty when
appropriate.21
Governance, therefore, is good as long as representatives of people’s
sovereignty are faithful to the fundamental telos of political authority, viz. “ordered and
upright community life”22
that does not usurp free exercise of individual citizens and
groups oriented towards “attainment of the common good.”23
When governance fails to
fulfil the key function of political authority, those governing lose their right to govern,
and the people have the right to replace them.24
16
Ibid.
17
Ibid., no. 411.
18
Ibid.
19
Ibid., no. 395.
20
Hugh Miall, Oliver Ramsbotham and Tom Woodhouse, Contemporary Conflict Resolution: The
Prevention, Management and Transformation of Deadly Conflicts (Oxford; Cambridge; Malden: Polity, 1999),
203 [Table 7.3].
21
22
Ibid., no. 394 [italics original].
23
Ibid.
24
Ibid., no. 395.

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Consequently, good ‘governors’ of people’s sovereignty must make concerted efforts in
specific areas of political life to identify and attain those actions and choices that will
promote civil friendship, civil life, and common good. Public administration and public
goods must be at the service of all citizens. This is characterised by inclusiveness, based
on sound ethical principles of justice (as fairness, equity) anchored on the principle of
derivation or principle of need.25
It means such ‘governors’ have “the obligation to answer to those governed.”26
Civility,
civil friendship, pursuit of common good, accountability, i.e. transparency and
traceability, to use the expression of Cardinal Reinhard Marx, in his paper at the recent
International Conference of Presidents of Bishops’ Conference at the Vatican27
- when
these are lacking in any given human society, good governance is lacking. Hence, there is
the moral responsibility to bring it back on track. How? This is the million naira question
facing us particularly in Nigeria today.
A. ‘Good Governance’ and ‘Common Good’ anchored on Four Key
Principles
The Church’s interventions on debates driving public policies, especially regarding ‘Good
Governance’ and ‘Common Good’ are anchored on four key CST principles. These must
be stated time and again for the sake of those who simply dismiss the Church’s
interventions as outside her core competence. The first set of these key principles are
‘Solidarity’ and ‘Subsidiarity’; and their derived principle i.e. ‘Participation’. The second
set comprises of ‘Common Good’, and its derived principles i.e. ‘Universal Destination of
Goods’ and ‘Preferential Option for the Poor’.
Solidarity
This is the principle of interdependence; underscoring our fundamental and intrinsic
nature as social beings, “the equality of all in dignity and rights and the common path of
individuals and peoples towards an ever more committed unity.”28
It is normative; it is
25
Ibid., no. 412.
26
Ibid., no. 409.
27
Cardinal Reinhard Marx, "Transparency as a Community of Believers," in Incontro La Protezione dei
Minori nella Chiesa (Vatican City: Holy See Press Office, February 23, 2019), 1-10, at 1-2.
28
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, ed. Compendium of Social Doctrine, no. 192 [italics original].

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equally a social virtue.29
Solidarity is not just personal; it is social, structural, institutional;
and holistic. It has an eye on the common development of human kind [populorum
progressio].30
This principle rejects fragmentation of human beings and peoples in the
pursuit of the common good.31
Solidarity has a distinct Christian inspiration – the life and
teachings of Christ, which thus connection solidarity and charity.32
Subsidiarity
This is among the most constant and consistent directives of CST, right from Rerum
Novarum.33
Subsidiarity “‘a most important principle of social philosophy’”34
means that
“‘a community of a higher order should not interfere in the internal life of a community
of a lower order, depriving the latter of its functions, but rather should support it in case
of need and help to co-ordinate its activity with the activities of the rest of society,
always with a view to the common good’”.35
The principle implies a positive and a
negative understanding. Positively, it means economic, institutional, or juridical help
(‘subsidium’) are offered lower social entities and groups. Negatively, subsidiarity is a
moral obligation to refrain from any action or policy that will infringe on the initiative,
freedom and responsibility of the lower social entities.36
This principle protects against
collectivism, some “forms of centralisation, bureaucratisation, and welfare assistance.”37
Common Good
The Principle of common good refers to the “‘sum total of social conditions which allow
people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfilment more fully and more
easily.’”38
Common good includes the pursuit of the good of all, underpinned by the
dignity, unity, and equality of all people.39
Consequently, this principle is necessary for
social life.40
It is the responsibility of all to cooperate for achieving common good.41
29
Ibid., no. 193.
30
Ibid., nos 194-195.
31
Ibid., no. 195.
32
Ibid., no. 196.
33
Ibid., no. 185, referring to RN no. 11.
34
Ibid., no. 186.
35
Centissmus Annus, no. 45.
36
37
Ibid., no. 187.
38
Ibid., no. 164, quoting GS 26.
39
Ibid., no. 164.
40
Ibid., no. 165.

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Nevertheless, there is the need for political instrumentality.42
Common good is not an
end in itself; it must always point to and be in sync with transcendental goals.43
This
principle is gives rise to another one, which helps us to understand the importance of
common good approach to social ordering and political life.
Universal Destination of Goods
Based on Gen. 1.28-29, this principle captures the original desire of the Creator of the
earth – that all goods of the earth is for all; and must be shared fairly among all
inhabitants of the earth.44
Hence, there is universal right to use the goods of the earth.45
This principle is connected to principle of preferential option for the poor.46
In making
use of earth’s goods, the poor and marginalised must always be the focal point of
concern.47
This principle demonstrates our fundamental moral disposition as human
beings – the disposition of primatial charity, as expression of imitatio Christi. The principle
of preferential option for the directly responds to the challenge of social sin (abuse and
imbalance that directly assaults one’s neighbour).48
Considering that certain sins are
structural,49
the principle of preferential option for the poor seeks to counter or
ameliorate vulnerable neighbours. Hence, in tackling social questions and finding
answers, the starting point must be the most vulnerable (the weakest link) in the society.
III. Agenda 2023 and Beyond: Building on Past CBCN Interventions on
‘Good Governance’ and ‘Common Good’ in Nigeria
During the public presentation of CATHAN’s Vademecum for Electors in Nigeria50
in this
hall on February 1, 2019, Archbishop Matthew Ndagoso informed us that the event was
the beginning of a broader and long-term project beyond the 2019 general elections. It is
the intention of the Church and Society Department of the Catholic Secretariat to be
41
Ibid., nos 166-167.
42
Ibid., nos 168-169.
43
Ibid., no. 170.
44
Ibid., no. 171.
45
Ibid., no. 172.
46
Ibid., nos 182-184.
47
Ibid., no. 182.
48
Ibid., no. 118.
49
Ibid., no. 119.
50
Catholic Theological Association of Nigeria, Vademecum for Electors in Nigeria: Manual for Responsible
Citizenship according to Catholic Social Teaching (Abuja: CATHAN, October 2018).

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more proactive in civic education and political enlightenment. Archbishop Ndagoso
believes that the Church must do better in sustaining democratic culture in Nigeria,
particularly in the areas of education and formation of consciences of the lay faithful;
building up of citizens, especially politicians and policy makers so that they have
informed consciences according to the Catholic Social Teaching. Furthermore, the
Catholic Church, going forward, wishes to be more supportive of Catholics who want to
pursue politics as a vocation, so that they will remain faithful and act according to
informed consciences as formed by Catholic Social Teaching. What follows is simply
building upon these indications from Archbishop Ndagoso.
A. Post-Election Matters Arising: ‘Keeping Them Accountable’ and
‘Remembering the Poor’
1. Moral Authority and Good Governance
Moral authority is crucial for good governance and accountability. Moral authority is
measurable or observable. We discern and discover this from actions of political actors.
To paraphrase Jesus’ saying, “By their fruits we must know and promote them.” This is
why track record is important. Going forward beyond the toxic general elections of 2019,
the Church should keep the custodians of our sovereignty accountable. We must throw
our weight behind only those politicians and public servants who have shown, by their
actions, respect for and have embraced the principles stated earlier that inspire good
governance. Due to the demands of good governance as articulated in Catholic Social
Teaching, we are permitted to promote and mentor only those who have track record of
accountability and pursuit of common good; and are not forgetful of the poor. The
demands of good governance and preferential option for the poor do not permit us to
embrace and promote opportunists who just use faith and religion to clinch political
power.
2. Foundational Formation for Leadership
Commitment to good governance, the embrace of ‘politics as service’, or relentless
pursuit of common good without forgetting the preferential option for the poor do not
just happen overnight because people listened to or read powerful exhortations from

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you, our spiritual and moral leaders.51
No! Such commitment as we are discussing this
morning comes only from impartation of requisite knowledge, the acquisition of
appropriate leadership competence, and the development of the capacity to discern
values that may be at stake when making leadership decisions.52
This I believe has been
what Bishop Matthew Kukah never tires to say; as he told us, members of the Catholic
Theological Association of Nigeria, during our annual conference last year in Lagos:
We need Catholics who are politicians – trained and prepared (Konrad Adenauer, Thomas More,
Julius Nyerere); and not just politicians who happen to be Catholics, whose Catholicism is just
like a mere garment (Robert Mugabe, and other Catholic-educated world’s worst dictators).
However, it is not just Catholic politicians who need to be trained and prepared. The lay faithful
need to be trained and prepared to embrace participatory and engaged citizenship in order to
participate in the social and political life of the nation. The Catholic Church even in Nigeria has
the capacity to teach the nation and the world how to structure….53
According to the official directory of the Catholic Church in Nigeria (current edition54
), we
have sixteen major seminaries and 9 degree-awarding institutions55
(and if one adds the
newest, Dominican University, and the older Dominican Institute, both in Ibadan, then
currently, we have 11 degree-awarding institutions). If future Christians who become
leaders will learn to be “theologians” in the broad sense i.e. “persons who know the
heart of God and are trained - through prayer, study, and careful analysis - to manifest the
divine event of God's saving work in the midst of the many seemingly random events of
their time”56
, then our Catholic tertiary institutions should form them to be so. Apart
from having Catholic Social Teaching as one of their General Studies courses, they should
all have a GST on ‘Politics as a Social Calling,’ which will be part of students’ formation in
public virtues. This proposal concretises in our context the insights of the Special
Assembly of Synod of Bishops on Africa. We read in Pope Benedict XVI’s Africae Munus
that the Catholic University has an important vocation that cannot be sufficiently
51
Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, ed. Compendium of Social Doctrine, no. 567 [italics original].
52
Johan Verstraeten, "Foreword: Professional Ethics and Ethics Education Vision of the Core Materials
Project," in Matter of Breadth: Foundations for Professional Ethics, ed. Guillaume de Stexhe and Johan
Verstraeten (Leuven: Peeters, 2000), vi-xiv, at viii.
53
Matthew Hassan Kukah, “The Responsibilities of Christians to the State in the 1999 Nigerian
Constitution” (Lectured delivered at the 33rd
Annual Conference of the Catholic Theological Association of
Nigeria, held at Domus Fidei Centre, Ikeja, Lagos on April 4, 2018), 1-17, at 9.
54
Catholic Church in Nigeria: Official Directory 2017-2020, (Abuja: Directorate of Social Communications
(CSN), 2017).
55
"Major Seminaries and Catholic Degree-awarding Institutions," in Catholic Church in Nigeria: Official
Directory 2017-2020 (Abuja: Directorate of Social Communications (CSN), 2017), xliii.
56
Henri J.M. Nouwen, In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership (New York, NY:
Crossroad, 1989), 66-67.

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emphasised.57
The vision for a Catholic university echoes a contemporary position that
virtue formation and formation of character really matter in education. Virtue formation
in tertiary institution promotes “freedom, responsibility, skills, knowledge and virtue.” It
equally promotes and strengthens “an ethical culture of integrity.”58
Right from the tertiary institutions, future leaders must be formed.59
Apart from the
formal tertiary institutions, each diocese that has pastoral/catechetical institutes can
introduce a certificate course in Christian leadership. This leadership course, which such
be designed by an interdisciplinary team of experts in Theology, catechesis, politics, and
public service, and approved by the Local Ordinary should be considered mandatory for
various local aspirants to leadership positions. They must possess this certificate or its
equivalent if they want to put themselves forward before the Church for support in their
leadership aspiration.
This proposal is not entirely novel. Some days ago, precisely on the 4th
of March, the Holy
Father met with the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, which had just completed a
weeklong ‘training the trainers’ seminar in Rome. This seminar’s goal is “to train young
leaders in South America to keep the Church in mind while exercising political and social
rights.”60
So the Church in Latin America, to echo again Bishop Kukah, recognises her
capacity to teach the nations around that sub-continent on how to structure their
political and public institutions according to CST, regardless of whichever political party is
in power.
Back home, two months ago, Msgr Hypolite Adigwe, Chairman, Anambra State Catholic
Education Commission, during his lecture at the 2019 Annual St Paul Lecture, organised
57
Benedict XVI, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Africae Munus (Africa's Commitment) on the Church
in Africa in Service to Reconciliation, Justice and Peace (Nairobi: Paulines Publications Africa, 2011), no. 135.
58
Obiora Ike, "Ethics in Higher Education as a Tool for Discovering Our Ultimate Destiny," in Ethics in
Higher Education: Values-driven Leaders for the Future, ed. Divya Singh and Christoph Stückelberger,
Globethics.net Education Ethics (Geneva: Globethics.net, 2017), 17-29, at 21.
59
“A university as centre of excellence should not only focus on high points of culture and science, but
also the depths of suffering into which a society and its citizens can fall. Every society exhibits the face of
its victims, and it is certainly not asking too much of students that they learn as professionals how to
recognize that face.” Verstraeten, "Foreword: Professional Ethics," xi-xii.
60
“Pope to Latin Americans: Politics is a vocation to promote social friendship and common good,”
https://www.romereports.com/en/2019/03/04/pope-to-latin-americans-politics-is-a-vocation-to-promote-
social-friendship-and-common-good/ (accessed 05.03.2019).

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by the Missionary Society of St Paul of Nigeria61
, shared with us an initiative of the
chaplains of the Young Catholic Students (YCS) of Nigeria. When the chaplains
discovered “a serious deficiency in the leadership quality of the YCS officers at all
levels,”62
they responded by providing leadership training sessions for YCSers. They
made it mandatory for all YCSers to attend and produce a certificate of participate for
them to be eligible for any leadership position at any level of YCS.63
This initiative has
borne remarkable fruits. Within a short period of this initiative, a Nigerian YCSer became
the coordinator of Pan-African YCS headquartered in Nairobi. Today, another Nigerian
YCSer who passed through this initiative is the Secretary General of the International
Young Catholic Students, headquartered in Paris.64
My bottom-line: Our public servants and politicians, who have embraced politics as
vocation and Christian calling, will excel as worthy ambassadors of the Church in the civic
public if the Church educates, enables, and forms them according the insights and moral
imaginations of Catholic Social Teaching.
3. Ongoing Formation and Accompaniment of Public Servants and
Professionals
In the context of dominance of the amoral theory in our civic public, it is crucial for our
pastors and theologians to journey with our public servants and professionals, along the
path of discernment, to discover that in spite of their good intentions, their decisions
have contributed to a good number of us living a bit too dangerously. Perhaps this
discernment process will be a moment to see and hear that the governance logic
anchored on amorality is the overriding force of human interventions and actions in
public life. This, unfortunately, is contributing to the grave moral dilemmas in our nation.
The bottom-line is a dialectical relationship between personal discernment of the
stakeholders and communal discernment on what is good and the ‘common good’ which
should be based on an adequate understanding of human aspirations and needs of
61
Hypolite Adigwe, “Youth Formation, Civic Responsibility and Political Leadership: Envisioning a
Better Nigeria” (A paper presented at the Annual St Paul Lecture of the Missionary Society of St Paul of
Nigeria) (Gwagwalada, Abuja: The National Missionary Seminary of St Paul, January 19, 2019), 1-21.
62
Ibid., 17.
63
Ibid.
64
Ibid.

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concrete persons and peoples. Accordingly, without having an eye on other components
and factors that bring satisfaction in public life to all persons involved (and not just the
‘guardians’ of macro-stability), the good(s) achieved or sought after will remain
endangered.
4. Identify and Celebrate Exceptional Leaders and Public Servants
Given that role models of political responsibility and governance are scanty, we need to
celebrate them as part of inspiring a new generation of faithful citizens who have
embraced politics and public service as vocations, and have left behind noteworthy track
records.65
The Church or one of our faith-based organisations in Nigeria can institute
what we may call, for want of better option, ‘Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Award’ for
exemplary leadership in Politics and Public Service. This is meant for political actors who
have displayed faithful witness and admirable social responsibility. The result may not be
magical. The fruit may be slow in coming, like Mo Ibrahim’s or LIBA’s awards. Yet, it
will become a strong platform for public conscientisation, t h u s raising the level
of social awareness on good governance according to the criteria of CST summarised
earlier. If this will be considered, this is another area whereby the CBCN/CSN can partner
for instance with the Kukah Centre, Fr George Ehusani’s Lux Terra Leadership
Foundation, and Prof. Pat Utomi’s Centre for Values in Leadership, in drawing up strict
criteria and modus operandi for this Award of Good Governance.
5. Periodic State of the Nation Statement (Quarterly)
Another way the Church in Nigeria can help build or democratic and politically conscious
culture is through the development of good governance barometer. Through this
barometer or index Nigerians can be informed about how government’s systems and
policies are either fuelling conflicts or are reducing violence and improving quality of life
through equity, welfare and efficiency. This is a practical action that can be inspired from
an initiative by the Church in Zambia. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Jesuit Centre
65
Mo Ibrahim has done this for former African presidents for about 10 years now. It might seem like a
little drop in the corrupt ocean of Africa’s political actors. Yet, Mo Ibrahim’s initiative is catching on. There
is something similar within the Catholic community in India. The Jesuit-owned Loyola Institute of
Business Administration (LIBA), Chennai, has instituted the ‘Mother Teresa Award’ for private limited
companies “with a social conscience”. Louis Xavier, "Pedagogical Models for Training: A Third World
Experience," in The Christian Businessman: Vocation of Being Christian in the Workplace, ed. Bartholomew
Okonkwo-Alagbu (Bandara, Mumbai: St Pauls, 2012), 185-194, at 190.

P a g e | 14
for Theological Reflection (JCTR) was not just a prime resource for the Zambian Catholic
Bishops’ Conference; it published a monthly bulletin on socio-economic issues. The
monthly “Household Cost of Living Index” was published in Zambian national daily. This
index was so repeated nationwide, that other Christian organisations would not speak on
socio-economic issues without first checking the latest figures from JCTR.66
One can see
how a form of ‘Good governance and Democracy advocacy’ referred to above had a
positive impact in a particular context. We can do this also in Nigeria, considering that
the Catholic Church is one institution that is largely untainted by ideological divisions and
compromises in this country. If and when this index is followed up once a while by a
Pastoral Statement on the key indices of the ‘Good Governance barometer’, Nigerians
will be offered opportunities to have robust public discussions on alternative democratic
and socio-economic models that can bring sustainable peace, justice and development to
Nigeria. If this will work in the long term, there is the need for a standing Think-Tank on
Good Governance and Social Responsibility, and Economy. This proposal is another form
of public witnessing of the Church to a culture and reign of just peace in Nigeria.
6. Regular Town Hall Meetings
This is another role the Church can play as ‘Mater et Magistra’. Town hall meetings with
elected representatives at local levels will counter ‘absentee democracy’ that is prevalent
in Nigeria, like many democracies. Absentee democracy describes the situation where
once the electorate give their elected representatives their votes, they no longer monitor
or question how the representatives are representing the people. We let them become
and remain our masters, instead of them serving us. To rectify this situation, the church
can mandate the various diocesan Justice, Development & Peace Commissions (JDPC) to
regularly organise Town Hall Meetings around the states. JDPCs will then be seen in
another prophetic mode and not just visibly seen at moments like elections, disasters,
gross violations of human rights, etc.
66
Jozef Zalot, The Roman Catholic Church and Economic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: Voices Yet
Unheard in a Listening World (Lanham; New York, NY; Oxford: University Press of America, 2002), 55-56.

P a g e | 15
7. Legislative Advocacy
Promoting good governance, commitment to the common good, and holistic human
development as inspired by CST make it crucial for the Church to intensify her prophetic
role. Regarding what good governance, common good and preferential option for the
poor, means for the Church and the world, the in Nigeria has to imitate the Church’s
advocacy implied in the Social Teaching and actions. Promoting good governance and
common good will be effective if the Church, through its social movements and agencies,
take the battle for accountability, equality and liberation from dehumanising poverty to
the epicentres of policy makers. Without active presence at the centres of power, the
Church will keep having its ‘option for the poor’ say, but the corporate world will keep
having its way.
To prevent this further, I now come to a specific proposal for the Church in Nigeria, which
for want of a better expression I call ‘Legislative Advocacy’. I suggest the formation of a
National Assembly Liaison Office (NALO), as a permanent accredited organ to serve as
link between the Church and the National Assembly. Through this proposed office
(NALO), the Church can play a positive role in strengthening democratic culture and
accountability in Nigeria. Among other things, this proposed office can coordinate
lobbying (which is a legitimate exercise, considering the impact of negative lobbying on
laws and structures of governance and economics).
We can borrow a leaf from the Southern Africa Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC)
that has Parliamentary Liaison Office (PLO). This organ offers, on a regular basis,
reflections, materials and interventions during public hearings and debates on national
issues. It also keeps people informed about goings on at the Parliament through periodic
newsletters. Sometimes it uses this medium to sound alarm like the prophetic sentinel
when necessary. Holding public protests and walks are always last resort because of their
nature. Through periodic newsletters, the proposed NALO will help to inform the Church
about what’s going on that we don’t pick up from the mainstream media. This office will
equally serve as a link between CBCN/CSN and Catholic parliamentarians in structured,
formal and on regular basis. We to need follow, mentor and monitor our representatives
long before the debates reach sensational moments.

P a g e | 16
8. Mobilisation and Sensitisation of Catholics as Faithful Citizens
The Compendium affirms that lay faithful that will drive good governance must be
trained and assisted especially in the formation of conscience and power of imagination,
through a discernment method that is inspired by the social analysis of the liberationist
movement or the See-Judge-Act of the YCS.67
Some feedback shared with me by the coordinator of the Catholic Action Nigeria, which
was deep in fray during the just-concluded general elections is very instructive about the
work that still needs to be done. It even held a widely publicized and successful town hall
meeting between Catholic candidates and the leadership of the Catholic lay faithful on
February 8, 2019, here in this hall. Regarding the Town Hall meeting, the Catholic Action
Nigeria coordinator sent me a message that some members of a particular sodality
(whose name I am withholding) thought Catholic Action Nigeria was financially induced
by a vice-presidential candidate to put the town hall meeting together. That was why
members of that sodality kept mute during the town hall meeting.
A Catholic candidate who contested for the House of Representatives in the FCT sent a
message to the coordinator of Catholic Action Nigeria. The gist of the message is that
this candidate got calls from the leadership of two sodalities (names withheld) asking
him if he was
‘not bringing anything, since the other candidates have brought them something and that if I
don’t bring something they cannot talk to their people because if they talk without something
it will look like they collected and have chopped (sic) and are telling stories…. Our people are
very un-Christian.’
This Catholic candidate concluded his message that “The results are there anyway. I think
we can both agree that if our experiment worked in any way we would have gotten a
better result.”
So if within our people there are such insinuations and expectations of ‘vote buying’ or
‘money for endorsement’, we need to look for ways out to change this mentality. This is
how Vademecum for Electors in Nigeria68
, CATHAN’s modest contribution, if mass-
produced, can become a simple but profound resource for this formation and
67
68
Catholic Theological Association of Nigeria, Vademecum for Electors in Nigeria.

P a g e | 17
discernment process of the lay faithful. Once again, we commend the Administrative
Board of the CBCN for authorising the dissemination of the Vademecum for Electors. We
praise also the decision, according to Archbishop Ndagoso, during the public
presentation of this document, to make the Vademecum a sort of ‘political catechism’ as
part of the medium and long term goals for Catholic mobilisation towards enthroning
good governance and the pursuit of common good in Nigeria. One hopes that the Church
and Society Department of the CBCN/CSN will show leadership in this way. The
department can draw up a programme of ‘political catechism’ using CATHAN’s
Vademecum for Electors in Nigeria, at various church levels and Basic Christian
Communities for sustained political sensitisation and mass mobilisation about civic
responsibility and the evil of ‘vote buying’ and ‘money for endorsement’ cultures.
Conclusion
As I come to the end of this reflection, the last thing to say is: Let’s remain hopeful of the
future. This is one role the Church must not fail to play. She has to be a sacrament and
agent of Hope to a people who have lost trust in politicians and public servants. Many are
trying very hard not to lose hope in Nigeria itself. To such people, in conclusion, we shall
keep repeating to them part of the concluding words of CATHAN’s Vademecum of
Electors, “As Christians, we are people of hope. We shall not give in to despair but trust in
Divine Providence to direct all of our affairs,” this time as we move towards 2023 and
beyond.
May God grant success to this exercise of your episcopal ministry in the country in the
coming days. AMEN!
“JESUS, WE TRUST IN YOU!”

ADVOCACY FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE AND COMMON GOOD DEEPENING DEMOCRATIC CULTURE IN NIGERIA

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