Catholic bishops under the auspices of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), have demanded that schools that have been closed by certain state governments because of the ongoing Ramadan fast be reopened.
State-owned schools in the states of Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, and Bauchi were closed for the month of Ramadan.
A statement from the inaugural plenary meeting of CBCN 2025, signed by its president, Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru, on Friday, March 14, 2025, called on the governments of the impacted states to revoke the order given our society’s multireligious makeup and children’s right to an education.
Iwejuru stated, “Given the children’s right to an education and the multireligious nature of our society, those governments that ordered the closure of all schools in some parts of the country withdraw such an order.
“Among other things, we as the Church advocate for integral education, health care, and agriculture for the development of individuals and the nation, and we need the enabling environment to play these roles.”
He urged political, religious, and traditional leaders to instill optimism and progress in the populace by encouraging a sense of national unity.
Iwejuru counselled Nigerians to constantly insist on doing the right thing and seeing it through to completion rather than being intimidated into silence and powerlessness.
Iwejuru pointed out that the nation continues to face significant obstacles, including severe socioeconomic circumstances, nationwide insecurity, and an increase in youth unemployment and restlessness.
Credit: Catholic News Agency
“The price of food and other necessities is substantial. There are still many cases of kidnapping and the senseless murder of innocent individuals. “We encourage everyone to consistently seek actions that promote national integration and unity,” he stated.
Iwejuru noted that Nigeria has just begun to see some encouraging developments, such as the revival of the petroleum sector and the rebuilding of some deteriorated highways as well as the building of new ones all over the country.
“The proposal for a new tax regime, the implementation of the student loan program, the lower debt service-to-revenue ratio, and the new minimum wage.”
In addition to applauding the encouraging efforts made by governments at all levels to support agriculture, he also acknowledged the efforts of certain security personnel, who frequently risk their lives to combat criminal activity and put a stop to its barbarism.
To rebuild confidence in the electoral system, Iwejuru underlined the necessity of fortifying the electoral laws and guaranteeing the honest performance of their responsibilities by state representatives, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security forces, and the judiciary.
