By Sam Eyoboka
THERE are some grumblings within the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, the administrative headquarters of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, where certain individuals are surreptitiously attempting to play God and undermine the authority of the elected the leadership of the Secretariat.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, is described as the organ of unity, communion and solidarity for the millions of Catholics spread across the 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory. It is the forum wherein the collegiality of the Nigeria Catholic bishops, as successors of the Apostles in union with the Pope, is expressed and where the idea of the Church as family is signified.

*Kaigama

Through the CBCN which was incorporated in March 15, 1958, the archbishops and bishops of the 52 ecclesiastical jurisdictions, as shepherds of souls in their archdioceses and dioceses, are able to pray together, study together, and work together; and with one voice, are able to speak and spearhead the teaching, prophetic and pastoral ministry of the Catholic Church in Nigeria.

It is the organ of unity, communion and solidarity for the millions of Catholics spread across the 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory. It is the forum wherein the collegiality of the Nigerian Catholic bishops, as successors of the Apostles in union with the Pope, is expressed and where the idea of the Church as family is signified.

Through the Conference, the archbishops and bishops of the 52 ecclesiastical jurisdictions, as shepherds of souls in their archdioceses and dioceses, are able to pray together, study together, and work together; and with one voice, are able to speak and spearhead the teaching, prophetic and pastoral ministry of the Catholic Church in Nigeria.

The Bishops’ Conference is headed by an executive body made up of the president, the vice president, the secretary, and the assistant secretary. The plenary session of the Conference is held twice a year, for prayer, study and deliberations on important issues concerning the evangelizing mission of the Church in Nigeria, the pastoral care of the faithful, and the promotion of human dignity, human rights, truth, justice, reconciliation, peace and wholesome development in the wider society.

On March 3, 2012 the CBCN concluded its plenary meeting with the election of officers to pilot the affars of the CSN. Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Jos emerged as the new president of the Conference. Other officers elected included Archbishop Augustine Akubueze vice president, Most Rev. Adewale Martins (secretary); Most Rev. Williams Avenya (assistant secretary) in addition to five Episcopal chairmen of departments and 15 Episcopal chairmen of committees.

Feelers reaching our newsroom, however, indicate that certain powerful forces within  Secretariat have effectively denied the new executive access to the paraphernelia of office to perform their duties  as leaders of the CBCN.

Sources close to the Lagos office of the CSN expressed disgust during the week at the desperate moves by certain influential individuals to hijack the Secretariat and deny the new executive the opportunity to perform their statutory functions to the Church.

Worried that such unholy interference could cause disaffection among Catholic priests and portray the church in bad light among the Catholics in the country, the angry priests pointed accusing fingers at the former CBCN president and Archbishop of Abuja, Most Rev. John Onaiyekan and the new Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah as those struggling to deny Archbishop Kaigama the opportunity to do his duties as CBCN president.

“These two fellows are doing everything to sideline the CBCN president. Can you imagine that they drew up a list of 10 officers to represent the Catholic Church at the NEC meeting of CAN and the president’s name was not included?” the impecable source told our reporter, adding that some people are already contemplating writing a petition to the relevant authorities because these subtuerenian moves are capable of dragging the cherished reputation of the Catholic Church to the mud.

The source, who for obvious reasons would not want his name in print, opined that these two characters may be up to something, “if not why is Archbishop Onaiyekan desperate to act for the CBCN president when the latter is alive and well? I recall that he was, most of the time, standing in for Archbishop Alaba Job apparently because of that one’s age.”

National Executive Council meeting of CAN is made up of 10 members each from the five federating units of the Christian Council of Nigeria, CCN, the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, CSN, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria/Christian Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, CPFN/PFN, the Organisation of African Instituted Churches, OAIC, and the TEKAN/Evangelical Church of West Africa, TEKAN/ECWA.

From the foregoing the CSN will be represented by an unofficial ‘surrogate’ president even while the sunstantial president is well and alive.