Nigerians have been urged to see religion as a viable platform for driving socio-economic development, rather than merely a channel for divine communication.
The call was made by the Catholic Bishop of Lafia Diocese, Most Rev. David Ajang.
Making the call on Thursday while leading hundreds of Catholic faithful on a pilgrimage to Alogani Hill in Nassarawa-Eggon Local Government Area (LGA) of Nasarawa State, Ajang explained that the pilgrimage was part of activities marking the Silver Jubilee of the Catholic Diocese of Kaduna.
According to him, “Nigerians should see religion as a viable platform for driving socioeconomic development, not merely a channel for divine communication.”
He advised that adherence to all religions should shift from viewing religion as a matter of private piety to using it to make a public impact.
He stated that religion already has the trust, networks and reach needed for development, stressing the need for adherents of every faith to channel these into improving their lives across all sectors of the economy and ensuring peaceful coexistence.
On the essence of the pilgrimage, Ajang said that Alogani Hill holds historic significance for the diocese, noting that church records show that Irish missionaries erected a Catholic church on the hill in 1938 in their bid to propagate the gospel and introduce Western education.
He said, “Nearly nine decades later, their footprints remain visible despite the area being largely deserted.”
He added that the church on Alogani Hill was instrumental in the spread of Catholicism in the northern zone of the state, noting that the area was later linked to the Jos and Makurdi Dioceses, which gave birth to the Lafia Diocese in 2001.
Ajang further explained that the Catholic Church designated the site as the Diocesan Pilgrimage Centre, where members across the state and beyond could learn about the history of the church.
