From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
It was a day of tears and heavy hearts as over 700 priests and other Catholic faithful and non-faithful alike witnessed the burial of Reverend Father Vitus Borogo on Thursday, June 30.
Reverend Father Borogo was killed by terrorists on June 25, while working on a prison farm in Kujama area of Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Those on the farm with him were abducted by the terrorists, and are yet to be released at the time of filing this report.
Until his death, Fr Borogo, aged 50, was the chaplain of the Catholic Community of the Kaduna Polytechnic, and the chairman of the Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests Association (NCDPA), Kaduna Chapter.
While his remains were being lifted from Our Lady of Apostles Parish Church, Kaduna where a funeral Mass was held before his interment, some sympathisers had fainted.
The Chief mourner, Catholic Archbishop of Kaduna, Most Rev Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso lamented that less than one year, he had buried three of his priests who were killed in cold blood by terrorists.
Bishop Ndagoso noted that killings in the country in recent times was worst than what was witnessed during the Nigerian civil war, adding that Nigerians are prisoners in their own country because of persistent attacks and killings in the country.
Apparently saddened over the death of Rev. Father Borogo, the Cathedral Administrator of St.Joseph Catholic Cathedral, Kaduna, Revd. Fr. Isaac Patrick Musa in a statement shortly after the burial of the slain priest, said that if the Kaduna State government could not protect lives, it should provide land to bury the priests because the burial ground was filled up, as priests had died in crisis and banditry in the state.
“The attack on priests is the best target to hit the common man and woman in Kaduna State. The killing of priests in Kaduna State is an attack on the government of the poor and rural dwellers. The attack on priest is an attack on the last hope of civil servants sacked by the government. If the priests march out in protest, these people will come out in solidarity, if the priests carry arms these people will carry arms, if the priests declare war these people will be ready to die fighting on the street.
“The priest is not trained for any of the above mentioned. We passed through a formation that respects the dignity of human life irrespective of class destination and religion. We are trained to be law abiding citizens and to preach same to everyone. We are the light of the societies we serve.
Kaduna State government should protect our lives to keep serving the people in the state. But if she cannot, at least provide land to bury our priests. Our burial ground is filled, our priests have died in crisis and banditry in the state and without you providing protections to our people, we will not stop working amongst them.
“As bandits are killing and kidnapping your citizen, they will continue to kidnap and kill us too. Just provide space to bury us. We are not safe and we are not afraid to die in the cause of discharging our pastoral duties. We are not going to stop being with the poor. The violent bandits seem to be your agents,”Father Musa said.
Rev. Musa further stated: “Our experiences as priests, in Kaduna State, have been that of total memory black out, confusion, desperation, helplessness and indecisiveness on what to do or say as bandits and terrorists continue to attack, kidnap and kill us unabated. Our diplomacy and maximum respect to the constituted authority of the state is equal to none.
“The ecclesiastical authority led by the Archbishop, Most Revd. Dr. Matthew Man Oso Ndangoso, has been highly considerate and understanding with the efforts of the state government in combating insecurity in the state. The presbyterate and her members have suffered the most from the evil activities of the bandits and terrorists.
“The ecclesiastical authority has continually maintained a serene posture and kept preaching hope and courage before her members. His Grace has never failed to appreciate the courage, passion, zeal, sacrifices and leadership role of his priests. This has been the source of our strength and consolation.
“It is not an easy task for him at these perilous times. However, he has been so firm and strong to resist the temptation of preaching hatred and inciting violence in the state. I am very sure, he has been battling with the temptation to lead a protest march against insecurity in the state, of which he is mostly affected more than any other prominent personality in the state.
“He has array of reasons to protest and he will be massively supported by the people; but he has decided not. May the Holy Spirit continue to guide you in your duties and daily decisions.
It takes not less than nine years to train a Roman Catholic priest. The training in the Catholic seminary runs into millions of naira. The seminary training has high sense of moral discipline and intensive academic works for the holistic formation of a candidate for the Roman Catholic priesthood.
“This formation is so effective, so much that people who have passed through the seminary, but could not make it, find it very difficult to completely get integrated back into the normal society. The higher ideals learned during seminary formation cannot be found in our secular institutions in this country that has collapsed.
“Why do bandits and terrorists choose to attack priests? Why do they target priests? Briefly, bandits and terrorists have an agenda; to instil fear, conquer territories and extort money forcefully from their victims. In doing this, they are also conscious of the law catching up with them anytime and they know that the consequences can be disastrous on them. And so, they will prefer softer targets, such as; lonely roads, forest, dispersed settlements, rural areas and places with weak security outfit to carry out their crimes.
“No matter how big, learned, famous or graded a priest is, can be posted anywhere his bishop wants him to work. The priest accepts such responsibility in total obedience. Because, all priests took the vow of obedience to their bishop and his successor. Many priests, from my experiences as one, in the Archdiocese of Kaduna, prefer to work more in the rural areas than in the cities, if not for this insecurity. It is highly satisfying as a priest to work among the poor and the weak ones in the society. “Your effort and impact in their lives are much appreciated compared to those in the cities. Again, most of these rural areas have been neglected by the government and the representatives of these people to the government. The priest very often appears to be the last hope of the common man and woman in such areas.
“The priests in these communities are highly valued and respected more than the Senators, House of Representatives members, House of Assembly members, chairmen of local governments and councillors. They are more effective in leading the community and providing relieve and strength more than their representatives in government.
“The priest does not only preach Christ in the community, but also brings development to the community. Most of the social amenities in the rural communities were instigated and facilitated by some priests through the representatives of the people in government. Priests have been the light and the brains behind the many demands of the people from their elected government.
“Many communities have been seen crying and storming the Archbishop’s office with their sons and daughters to plead for him to allow their priest to remain in their parish for a longer period. Some have even protested transfers of their priests because they see that as blinking the little hope they have.
“We have never had of such when a chairman or any prominent politician vacates office. Except the death of late Mr Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, the former governor of Kaduna State. Most of our politicians are only known or seen on pages of newspapers or posters by the people they govern or represent. I am 10 years a priest, and I have never known or seen a serving politician who is a senator or house of representatives member. Maybe, because they mean less to me or they have never been of interest to me. If at my level as a priest, I do not have this privilege easily, what about the rural dwellers, the poor masses and the weak in the communities?
“The places most of our priests in Kaduna work are among the commoners, who are abandoned by their government. Some of these places, if not the mission structures, there are no traces of government presence at all. Priests after being trained with church offertory, tithes and harvests monies are sent to these rural places not to take care of the Catholic members only, but to serve the communities and leave with them.
“Most priests leave sacrificial lives. Places that doctors, layers, nurses, engineers, teachers and politicians, who never received his kind of rigorous and verse training cannot leave, a Roman Catholic priest will stay, survive and make meaningful impact, and drive home development. Most of the local government, state and federal roads are missionary roads to link up communities. Most capital cities were mission centres. And that still continues till date.”
Bishop Ndagoso further expressed sadness over killings of priests in his Archdiocese, saying, “I feel devastated, it is so painful that within one year I have buried three priests who died in the hands of these bandits, the most painful one was the late Fr. Aketeh whose burial took place last three weeks without his corpse.
“Over my 60 years of age, we have not seen it this bad as it is now, even during the civil war it was not bad as it is now. Something is wrong with leadership of this country, we live in confusion in this country.
“We no longer have tears in our eyes because the source of our tears have dried up because of constant crying. We have also lost our voices because when you talk nobody listens, you cry nobody hears your cry, but we will not lose hope, one day God will wipe our tears.”
The mourning Bishop advised that government should recruit young people who are willing to safeguard the country, adding that there are so many millions of young men who are willing to defend their land.
This was even as over 700 priests of the Kaduna Archdiocese led a peaceful protest after the funeral mass of the slain priest with some of them carrying placards with inscriptions like; ‘we are priests and not terrorists’, ‘government should secure Nigerians’, ‘anyone who kills lost his/her right to life’, ‘justice must be served’ , ‘do we still have a government’ and many others.