Archbishop Martins inaugurates Catholic Action Nigeria

• Calls For Mass Mobilisation Of Electorate

The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev Alfred Adewale Martins, has called on Nigerians to be actively involved in all the political processes that will bring in candidates to occupy public offices at all levels.

He made this call at the inauguration of the new executives of the Lagos Chapter of Catholic Action Nigeria of the Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos.

The cleric urged all Nigerians of voting age, including professionals and artisans, to join political parties of their choices to raise their voices and affect the much-needed positive change in the polity in 2023.

Martins, who was the Chief Celebrant at the Mass, lamented that the political space has over the years, been occupied largely by politicians that have failed to deliver on their campaign promises. Rather, they have succeeded in plunging the nation into recession, insecurity, mass poverty, and growing unemployment.

He charged the executives to dedicate themselves to the task of educating the electorate through mass mobilisation.

In his view, being more political savvy would make the average Nigerian become an active participant on the political scene, by ensuring that the right people are elected into leadership positions in the forthcoming elections at local, state, and federal levels.

The Archbishop noted that while the clergy remains non-partisan, the lay faithful, who make up the bulk of the Church, cannot continue to watch from the sidelines, while a few individuals continue to plunder the nation’s resources.

“Catholic Action is not a political party, neither is it new. It is a lay organisation in the Catholic Church, instituted by Pope Pius XI in 1927 to help spread the Church’s social teachings, and to mobilise the people to be more involved in socio-economic and political matters that affect their lives,” he said.

Godwin Nosa Ehigiator, president of the group, noted that the era of ballot snatching and godfatherism will soon be over and that his group would pursue with vigour the fact that power belongs to the electorate by educating them and ensuring that they all get their voter’s cards and vote when the need arises.