NIGERIAN OBLATES: Seeking for Peace over Land Conflict

 By Fr. Ali Nnaemeka Cornelius OMI

  

Nigerian Oblate Fr Ali Nnaemeka Cornelius, OMI writes about how Oblates and local parishes are responding to the ongoing conflict between Fulani herdsmen and the Tiv Farmers over use of grazing land reserve. Fr. Cornelius is currently doing parish ministry in the Nigeria.

Re-divergence in Mission is something that cannot be avoided, especially when human life and dignity is threatened. In the words, of Saint Eugene De Mazenod: “ The sight of these evils has so touched the hearts of certain priests, zealous for the glory of God, men with an ardent love for the Church, that they are willing to give their lives, if need be, for the salvation of souls” – OMI Preface (1825 Manuscript). Surely, passion and zeal for souls always pushes men and women of good will to be the voice of the affected.

The conflict between Fulani herdsmen and the Tiv Farmers over use of grazing land reserve is a major concern for local community in Benue state. The Tiv people depend on agriculture, while Fulani are active herdsmen. Unfortunately the tension over land between Fulani herdsmen and Tiv farmers has resulted in conflict that has led to loss of lives, families internally displaced and properties destroyed. 

This is the story of the Nigerian people but it is affecting us as well, especially the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and their collaborators ministering in Nigeria.  Fr Ali Nnaemeka Cornelius, OMI, as missionary has this to say:

Our very first contact with the refugees Nigerian Oblate mission has always had contact with the poor in multiple faces, but the recent challenges raised by the recent ethnic clashes in Nigeria have brought us into contact with yet another group of poor people. This recent development made us make a little shift from our regular activities that consisted in helping our parishioners have a decent life, access to clean water and qualitative education. For this, we have in the very recent months, had to face few new challenges. This situation, this deplorable situation appeals to us to do in our power by word and example, to rekindle the flame of faith and hope that seem to be dying in the heats of our brothers and sisters.

The above-mentioned problem first occurred in Benue State where we opened a new Oblate mission late last year. It was due to a clash between some Fulani headsmen and Tiv farmers. Even though these two groups have lived well together for a long period of time, they have developed a new hostile relationship that left many Tiv farmers homeless.

The problem is over planting and grazing lands. The people ran away from their villages due to the violence. On arriving at the city of Makurdi, they were stranded and having nowhere to go, had to take refuge in schools and other public buildings. 

Those who took refuge in our territory, Northern Bank, Makurdi, were almost abandoned to themselves. And with the aid of our parishioners from Oblate parish, we had to provide the few basic necessities we could afford. We built the only comfort house that the thousands of them could use. We provided in our own little way to their feeding and other medical needs. And some of our parishioners opted to take care of the educational needs.

Our other contact with these victims of ethnic clashes was in Jos. The Oblate parish in Jos is made up of different ethnic groups. These people who though with some history of conflicting cohabitation have in the recent decades had a healthy relationship till some few months when for a dispute on land ownership, two ethnic groups – The Bace known as the Rukubas fought their neighbor the Miangos. This conflict displaced thousands of our parishioners. Many lost their property, their houses and their relatives. In this very conflict, we were the major actors, knowing that both groups were our parishioners. We also provided them with food material, beddings and some basic necessities according to our own capacity as a growing mission.

This is our recent challenge in a country where conflict seems to be arising every now and then and in every here and there. Encouraged by the support of our brother Oblates and men and women of goodwill, ‘We will labour and spare no effort with all the resources at our command to covert these affected people to see the dignity of human life and share land as their common good. This is our Mission. This is our Oblate calling.’

Fr. Ali Nnaemeka Cornelius OMI – Nigeria

Contributing Editor- SCH. Michael Tembo OMI.

Oblates… The Moon that Shines in the Darkest Moments

By Tembo Michael OMI

Tembo Michael OMI is doing a summer internship at the Oblates JPIC office in Washington DC. He reflects about the global issue of Immigration and how Missionary Oblates are responding.

The struggles and challenges of migrants is a global issue. Each country is responding in its own way. Other countries are adopting policies that are friendly to migrants. Other nations are passing laws which are anti-migrant. However, one fact remains today that more people are on the move from their countries of origin to other nations. People are moving for varies reasons including to escape war, violence especially religious conflicts, to reunite with families and for economic reasons.  If this is reality, how are we called to respond as Missionary Oblates?

Certainly our voice cannot be silence on issues affecting our fellow human beings especially immigrant families.  We are called upon to pledge ourselves to work with everyone. Can we be the voice of the weak on issues affecting them? How do we as Oblates respond to laws or policies, which negatively impact migrants in our midst?  Looking at the current situation with the eyes of our Founder St. Eugene De Mazenod, immigrants and refugees are the vulnerable and poor.

Today we are faced with some many issues that affect many poor people yet we focus on one thing and neglect the other. This month, most people are focusing on who is going to win the world cup and yet many people in many parts of the world are suffering.

Can we be the voice of the weak on issues affecting our beloved brothers and sisters? Yes! We have to be the voice and their voice. This is so because “The joys and hopes and the sorrows and anxieties of the people today, especially of those who are poor and afflicted [immigrants], are also the joys and hopes, sorrows and anxieties of the disciples of Christ, and there is nothing truly human which does not also affect them” (Gaudiam et Spes, no. 1).

As Oblates, I believe that the above mentioned caption is central to our mission, that is, being with the people who are on the margins. Can we as Oblate also affirm this stance? Yes. Like Bishop Evans C. Chinyemba OMI, Bishop of Mongu diocese in Zambia affirmed: 

I pledge myself to preserve unity in the Church [and the world]. [Our] role is to animate and shepherd…. Our voice on the issues [affecting our people] will never be silenced. The Church’s voice will always be sound and clear when it comes to issues of Justice, Peace, reconciliation, morality, development, economics, education, health, and other issue… When we come face to face with [laws and policies that restore the dignity of our fellow human beings,] we shall not hesitate to tell [others]. … We can no longer live together separately (Ordination Speech, May 28^th 2011).

Having been home and foreign missions, I have come to realise that human beings by our very nature will always want to seek ways that will promote our wellbeing. Again, human beings will always categories each other and set rules and laws on who should be part of their inner cycle. We also have a natural tendency of pointing out ailments of others and hide their own. But nepotism is the ailment present in all of us. We either side with the haves and have nots. But we have to live in tension.   

When I was growing up, the laws of the society protected us. As a consequence, I believe immigration laws and policies are meant to do the same. But the opposite is true, these laws, in most cases do favor the haves and disregard the have nots. 

The immigration laws and policies insofar as they are meant to protect and preserve our being, the opposite is true. These laws and policies have a ‘nepotistic’ mark, that is, the mark of promoting the deemed useful and negating others. This is true in many places I have been too. Those who are weak in society are negated and if taken into consideration, it is because they have been deemed useful as means to an end.

In many places I lived in, Oblates have a deliberate attitude, that while aware of this global pandemic, that is, nepotism, they do ministry with those favored and less useful; those who make policies and those who are affected by the policies. They work with those who make policies that affect those who are deemed useful or less useful. This is in line with the OMI charism, the minister and those ministered to are both changed by the experience of the other. I can further ascertain that the Oblates have taken a deliberate move to be the moon that shines in the darkest moments in the lives of those affected rather than be the sun that wants to be the sunshine in the life of those already in light.

I believe the immigration laws and policies should promote the wellbeing of human beings and creation. We need to be in incarnational and multiplex relationships with passion. Passion exists when there is relationship centered on the common good. This is what we call justice for all. Sadly, many people are in simplex relationship rather than incarnational and multiplex relationships. Incarnation and multiplex relationship exist in many levels and is a relation of mutual intentionality, that is to preserve the common good of all, the rich and poor alike.

Missionary Oblates Urge Financial Banks to Restore Public Trust

Originally published on omiusajpic.org

Recently, Oblate JPIC Director Fr. Seamus Finn OMI represented the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and other members of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) at the Annual General Meeting of JP Morgan Chase Bank in Tampa.

Fr. Finn noted that “too many people are still living with the consequences of that crisis and theTRUST and confidence of the public has neither been repaired or restored. We believe the report that we have requested and our company has agreed to complete over the coming months can, when its recommendations are implemented, make a contribution to the restoration of the trust that is necessary for the reliable, safe, effective and ethical functioning of the financial system.”

Read the entire piece at www.omiusajpic.org