Bishop Ajang calls on Nigerians to harness religion for development

Most Rev. David Ajang, the Catholic Bishop of Lafia Diocese, has urged Nigerians to see religion as a vital platform for driving socioeconomic development, rather than merely a channel for divine communication.

Bishop Ajang made the call on Thursday while leading hundreds of Catholic faithful on a pilgrimage to Alogani Hill in Nassarawa-Eggon Local Government Area (LGA) of Nasarawa State. The pilgrimage was part of activities marking the Silver Jubilee of the Catholic Diocese of Lafia.

The cleric noted that adherents of all religions should shift their perspective from seeing religion as a matter of private piety to using it as a tool for public impact. According to Ajang, religion already possesses the trust, networks, and reach necessary for development. He, therefore, called on followers of every faith to channel these assets into improving their lives across all sectors of the economy and ensuring peaceful coexistence.

Speaking on the essence of the pilgrimage, Bishop Ajang explained that Alogani Hill holds historic significance for the Diocese. He said church records show that Irish missionaries erected a Catholic church on the hill in 1938 to propagate the gospel and introduce Western education. He noted that nearly nine decades later, the missionaries' footprints remain visible despite the area being largely deserted.

The bishop added that the church on Alogani Hill was instrumental to the spread of Catholicism in the northern zone of the state. He further noted that the area was later linked to the Jos and Makurdi Dioceses, which eventually gave birth to the Lafia Diocese in 2001. He emphasized that the Catholic Church has designated the place as the Diocesan Pilgrimage Centre, where members from across the state and beyond can learn about the history of the church.

During the pilgrimage, which lasted more than five hours, the bishop presided over spiritual exercises including the Stations of the Cross, Confession, and Holy Mass for penance and spiritual reawakening. He also prayed for the early missionaries who sacrificed comfort for evangelism, moved from the hills to the valleys, and built schools, clinics, and communities to improve people's lives.

Some pilgrims who spoke with newsmen said the exercise deepened their faith and appreciation for the missionaries' legacy. The General Manager of Nasarawa Broadcasting Service, Mrs. Patricia Akawu, and the Diocesan Laity Council Chairman, Godwin Francis, commended the early missionaries for establishing the Alogani Church. They noted that the church not only spread the gospel but also laid the foundation for Western education in the area.

They urged Catholics and Nigerians at large to sustain the legacies of service, education, and community development bequeathed by the missionaries. (NAN)