The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has voiced grave concerns over the increasing disunity threatening Nigeria’s cohesion, attributing the crisis to weak leadership, ethnic tensions, and religious discord. Speaking at the 2025 Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria Communications Week in Abuja, Most Rev. David Ajang, Bishop of Lafia Diocese and Episcopal Chairman of Social Communications, highlighted the alarming polarization across ethnic and religious lines that now define the nation’s public discourse.
Bishop Ajang emphasized that Nigerians can often identify a speaker’s regional or religious background merely from their viewpoints, underscoring how deeply divided the country has become. He pointed out that even within major religions like Christianity and Islam, internal divisions exacerbate the challenge of national unity.
The Bishop identified poor leadership as the root cause of these fractures, explaining that when power is concentrated in one region, others feel marginalized, fueling political agitations and competition. He noted a current political coalition in the North seeking to wrest power from the government, driven by perceptions of exclusion and threats to regional interests. According to Ajang, political patronage motivates many to support leaders from their own regions, hoping for benefits to trickle down.
“If we fix the leadership problem, these agitations will fade. It shouldn’t matter who occupies the seat; as long as everyone feels a sense of belonging, things will improve,” Ajang asserted.
He also addressed the media’s role, urging journalists to balance truth-telling with the responsibility to promote national stability and unity. “The good of humanity must underpin every news item,” he said, calling for responsible reporting that fosters cohesion.
On the issue of Nigeria’s rich linguistic diversity, with over 500 languages, Ajang lamented the decline of many indigenous languages among younger generations. However, he stressed that the core issue is not language but identity politics, where people prioritize having “their own” in power regardless of tangible benefits.
Despite the challenges, Bishop Ajang remains hopeful, urging Nigerians to overcome divisions through improved leadership and unity. “Being together, all of us, is better than being divided. Even if we get divided, it does not solve the problem at all,” he concluded.
The CBCN’s warning underscores the urgent need for inclusive governance and national dialogue to heal Nigeria’s fractures and secure its future as a united nation.
