Nigeria, the most populous country in the African continent with a population of 160 million now, has 240 ethnic groups. Outside of Nigeria most people know three main tribes, the Hausa in the north who are mostly Moslems, the Igbo [pronounce Ibo], largely Catholic in the east and the Hausa, mixture of Christians and Animists, in the west. Thanks to the British colonial rule that gave the country one language, English which is now widely spoken by almost every Nigerian. Despite being rich in natural resources, especially oil the ordinary Nigerian still suffers from acute poverty. Electrical power is so unreliable that in some parts of the country three full days can pass without it. In the town of Onitsha which is the capital of Anambra State, people are so used to generator power that sometimes they forget there is electrical power. At Abuja International Airport in a span of two hours of my check in, I experienced power interruptions at least three times.
Nigerians love life. The average fertility rate now at 3.5 in urban centers and 4.2 in the rural areas is one of the best in the world. There is a booming population in Nigeria. Schools and colleges are full of children. And due to high competition of education achievements, parents send their children to school while still very young, sometimes a one year old child is enrolled to a kindergarten school. Vocations to holy orders of priesthood and religious life are very high. The Madonna Renewal Center where I was staying is under the management of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Sisters order which, according to one of the sisters has more than 800 nuns. At the Pope John Paul II Major Seminary, Okpun, Awka I had an audience with 250 seminarians during my talk on January 26, 2012. The Catholic Church runs a number of schools and colleges which are always full beyond capacity. Sunday and weekly mass attendance is always overcrowded.
That is why Western elites who consider population growth as a threat to their imperialist motives are so “furious” that they have heavily funded depopulation activities in this country through contraceptive, sterilization and abortion programs. By the way, Nigeria is among the 13 countries targeted by NSSM 200 for population reduction. The Memorandum expressed the gravest fears that the “political consequences of current population factors in LDCs [less developed countries] might create political or even national security problems for the U.S” (page 10 introduction). Nigerians today are suffering terribly following lifting of oil subsidies in January this year. “Life is difficult, the prices of everything has gone up” bitterly complained Sister Caroline who is in charge of catering at Madonna Renewal Center. Surprisingly, though, although the HIV infection rate is not to be underestimated, and although there are no condom billboards on roadways, the government and her western allies promote condom use. A taxi driver who drove me to the airport remarking on this situation said, “There is conflict between the government which promotes condom use and Christians who oppose condom use”.
On my arrival At Asaba airport, my host Charles Nagbor, HLI Nigeria Director, gave me the program which included talks to schools, colleges, different groups of people at the grassroots level and a pilgrimage to the Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity, Onitsha. My first engagement was at St. Edmund’s Secondary School where I addressed students totaling 850. Rev. Fr. Mathias Okoro, Director of the School and Sr. Uju Okafor gave Charles and I, an appropriate warmly welcome. After our talks and after responding to their questions, Charles called those who wanted to join the pro-life movement to step forward. Many of them marched forward that it was literally impossible to write all their names. We left the matter with the school administration. But I can emphatically report that a new pro-life group was formed with membership of about 243 and was placed under the care of Fr. Mathias, who is himself a very strong pro-life member since the time he was a seminarian. He belonged to the “Seminarians for Life” group at the seminary.
My second assignment was a talk to Pope John Paul II Major Seminary where a huge group of 250 seminarians was eagerly waiting to meet us. After a one hour drive we were welcomed by the Rector and the Seminarians Pro-Life Leaders. The conference hall was full and all dressed in seminarians’ costume, it was a marvelous encounter. The program began with the breaking of the cola nut which was officiated by Charles and he said the rite did not understand any other language except Igbo. I presented a general talk on the challenges facing the African continent today and our hopes. In their questions, seminarians raised issues of homosexuality, same sex unions, the principle of the double effect and the issue of discordant couples. At the end of my talk, I was blessed to be awarded a precious gift with the words “LIFE IS SACRED”.
Addressing nurses at Waterside School of Nursing was my third engagement. A total of 72 nurses and their instructors attended. The objective of my presentation was to inculcate into the students a mentality of the culture of life. Then, the crying moment came, when they watched the abortion video “Slaughter of the Innocents” and “The Hard Truth” and in the end a ‘metanoia’ took place – all of them said “never again will abortion be accepted”. To some this was a moment of grief. The impact was great. Charles gave each one a copy of the DVD so they can continue to educate others the evils of abortion.
We drove off to Oko to talk to Nigerian Federation of Catholic Students [NFCS] Federal Polytechnic where 735 students were waiting to listen to the message of the Gospel of Life. Sr. Providentia Marinze, who holds a doctorate in Psychology and Clinical Coordinator for Heerey Center for Human Development and I were the key speakers. Sr. Providentia talked about the psychological impact of abortion and possibility of healing post abortion syndrome. I talked on the need to build the culture of life and how to engage in pro-life activism. A hail of questions followed after the presentations which were answered to their satisfaction.
My last engagement was with different groups of people at parish level. At one parish I was blessed to talk to about 73 young people who form the pro-life group at the parish. The interaction was good; I asked them questions which were directed to testing their understanding of the pro-life philosophy. Finally on the last day of my stay Charles Nnagbor drove me to pay pilgrimage to the Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity where we also attended the evening mass.
Staying one week in Nigeria for an effective pro-life program passed like wind. The reception I was accorded was beyond comprehension. But above all it was amazing to see how organized pro-life groups were, especially among the seminarians and the parish people. I was perplexed to see their enthusiasm and devotion they have for the pro-life cause. At the Basilica, a young pro-life priest, now Secretary to the Archbishop related how he enjoys conveying the pro-life message to different groups of people. During holy mass celebrations he never fails to exhort attendees on the need to preserve the sacredness of life. Previously a staunch member in the Seminarians’ for Life Group, he now boasts of making a huge impact in the pro-life movement in Nigeria. In fact he is a close collaborator of Charles Nnagbor.
Looking behind as I took my return plane at Asaba airport to Abuja International Airport, I knew I was leaving behind Nigerians who love life and cherish the birth of a new child into the family; who uphold motherhood and fatherhood and who fiercely fight against all the odds of devoid western culture – a culture that hails the culture of death and its related facets of abortion, contraception, euthanasia, gay unions and a host other devilish manifestations. I knew also I was leaving behind a pro-life movement solidly built around strong pro-life clergy and an energetic and dynamic leader, Mr. Charles Nnagbor, the HLI country Director. I knew I was leaving behind a strong pro-life legacy in the major seminaries, where seminarians, while training for the holy order of priesthood, are deeply involved in the pro-life activism and ready to pass it on to following generations. I missed only one thing, to see a national pro-life movement that covers the whole of Nigeria. That is the task, as HLI Regional Coordinator, I am going to assist Charles until the pangs of the culture of death are completely erased. But I know I need the graces of God to undertake this voluminous task.
Emil Hagamu
HLI Regional Coordinator for Anglophone Africa
January 31, 2012