FIRST LETTER TO OUR IGBO REV. FATHERS.
By Oguwuike Kelechi Chukwuezi
Fada Oluoma
Fada Angelo Chidi Unegbu
Fr. Gabriel
Fr Kelvin Ugwu
Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria – AMEN (Rev. Father Mbaka)
Fr. Ebube mounso
Etc
Dear Rev. Padres’,
TITLE: DEMAND FOR RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE
Sequel to the ongoing religious discussions on social media, initiated by Fada Oluoma’s letter to Mathias Ezeaku, and following the subsequent replies, responses it has generated so far from notable Igbo sons and daughters, clergies and the lay faithful across various borders, I write with great anticipation seeking for clarifications, and to find holistic solutions to the social phenomenon I coined “religious intolerance/diatribes growing in our land”.
First and foremost, may I express my profound respect to my learned brothers in the Church, who have been instrumental to the spiritual life and well-being of our people, Ndị Igbo. I express my gratitude to these men of letters as their impacts through education and otherwise in our land can not be underestimated, my respect Padres’.
However, straight to the aim for writing this epistle, Padres’, it is a conspicuous fact that the only and common denominator that binds us together as one blood and people is our Cultural identity. Except our culture, we all will become faceless, loose our identity as well as go into extinction. Therefore, in seeking religious tolerance and inclusion, our culture comprising our history, spirituality/religion, system of government, language, arts and literature, social organizations, economic system must be brought in the fore before any other objective in this contemporary Igboland. This is because, as I said earlier, if we loose our cultural identity, automatically we have lost our entire identity and our land will be no more.
Also, having being acquainted with Church history, our collective colonial history, I assume my learned brother priests are aware of the impacts brought by the missionaries in our land, and the continuous aftermath following their actions, policies, mission and what have they on this our dear culture and on our people. I also hope that as learned individuals representing the Church of Rome in Igboland, you are aware of the advantages and disadvantages the cause of bringing the gospel of Christ to our forbears left on our mentality.
Therefore, my dear brothers, I seek answers to these following questions as my own holistic approach towards finding a lasting solution to the social phenomenon; religious intolerance/ diatribes and to arrive at a balance where peace, harmony, tolerance and inclusion will be obtainable in our land.
QUESTIONS:
1: Does the Church observe the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights to Worship, Expression and Association in this 21st century?
2: If She does, why is the Church still encouraging Community Evangelism into various remote villages and communities in Africa where indigenous traditional values and Spiritualities exist?
3: The Church, as a product of Western civilization which advocate various peoples’ rights and freedoms, such as the popular freedom of worship and so if we should allow others to make their choices to believe what they want to believe in this 21st century, why is the Church encouraging infant baptism when they know that these children( infants) do not have a chance (reached the age and maturity) to make their own decisions and choices?
4: Since everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and there’s freedom of worship everywhere now, why then does the Church continue to enforce infant baptism, giving baptismal names, confirmation and holy Communion, when it’s obvious to same Church that these children are not yet old enough to express, protect or even make and stand on their personal decisions; wether to agree to Catholic doctrines or not, why ask their parents to bring them at that infant stage to church for baptism, baptismal initiation into Roman indoctrination called Catholic Church?
5: Why must one to be a member of this Roman Church have to take a Roman, English or French name during these baptismal initiations, Confirmation initiations, or is the Church directly telling our people that we’re still slaves owned by Rome, England, and France in this 21st century?
6: What is the relevance of these foreign European baptismal names in the life of African lay faithfuls and their respective lands?
7: Why is the Church encouraging neocolonialism through cultural invasion and emasculation found in her practices, liturgies and what have you which uphold white supremacist tendencies in Africa?
8: Talking about Freedom of Worship, does the Church respect, uphold and maintain this right and also extend it to infants, children and adult unbelievers as well?
9: If they do, why make it compulsory for Catholic parents to baptize their kids at infancy, give them a new European Saint’s name as baptismal names and not their native names?
10: Why is the Church encouraging, promoting child baptism yet practice adult baptism, what is the motive behind such double standard?
11: Is the Church aware of the Black Awakening Consciousness pervasive in Africa, Igboland in particular, if they’re, what efforts are the Church puting towards decolonizing herself, her teeming lay faithful from the claws of Mental Servitude, Religious Imperialism, Political Subjugation and Gross Underdevelopment plaguing Africa, especially Igbo land orchestrated by the manipulative West?
12: Also, is the Church aware that the above movement for a decolonized African Mind(s) cuts across religion, politics, economics, education, science and technology, arts, cultural emancipation, etc?
13: If they do, what reparations, reconciliatory, rehabilitation policies, reforms, laws have the Church enacted, implemented to decolonize herself and her lay faithful from the damages incurred during colonialism, till date?
14: As the Church is demanding tolerance from emerging traditional believers across Africa, especially in Igboland, what is the Church doing about the various destructions, abuses, demonization, disdains, vilifications, vituperation done to traditional institutions, pantheons and on their respective adherents from colonial/missionary days till date towards ensuring aggrieved traditional groups spreading across various communities in Igboland are doused, reparations made and tolerance which the Church seek, achieved.
15: While demanding religious tolerance from non Christians in Igbo land, is the Church aware of the existing structural indicators prevalent in most Christian Bibles, songs, literature and practices that encourage religious intolerance and portray the Church as an oppressive intolerant institution in the society, on this regard what is the Church doing to end these discriminations exhibited by Christians, Catholics in particular towards others?
Conclusively, it is important to note that this letter is aimed at bringing the now trending diatribes between Christians and traditionalists, irreligious and Free thinkers alike to a reasonable extent where intellectual discussions would prevail. Engaging critical thinking, analysis and research can only be feasible when discussants employ the principles of intellectualism while discussing any social phenomenon in a given society.
Note that addressing the expected clarifications and providing answers to these questions would serve as an insight and eye opener to millions of our people, especially the youths, who are cut in the Crux of the ongoing religious discussions. An avenue to further project the Church in good light as an evolving institution and not a rigid, oppressive and unprogressive body.
Please, do well to answer these questions as they would go a long way to find a lasting solution to the growing social phenomenon in our land. Acknowledging the receipt of this post would signal your honest commitments to achieving a viable, tolerant and inclusive society, in Igboland and Africa at large.
I await your respective responses to these questions.
Thanks for your considerations.
Your’s brotherly,
Oguwuike Kelechi Chukwuezi
Historian and Social Analyst
9/04/2024
