Rev. Fr. Michael Banjo, The Secretary-General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria and Chaplain of St Gabriel Catholic Chaplaincy, Durumi, Abuja, has urged Nigerians to rise above ethnic sentiments in the 2027 general elections and judge those seeking public office by their character, integrity, competence and record of service. Fr Banjo made the clarion call on Sunday during the celebration of Holy Mass, one of the activities marking the Chaplaincy’s patronal feast of St Gabriel the Archangel, with the celebrations culminating on 29 September, the liturgical feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.
Drawing a connection between the celebration and Nigeria’s national life, Fr. Banjo said the different cultures represented at the Mass should demonstrate that diversity need not become division. “Today we wear different cultural attires and speak different languages, but we gather around one altar and receive the same Eucharist,” he said, admonishing that, there should be no ethnic cliques, favouritism towards “our own people”, or attitudes that make one ethnic group feel superior to another. He extended the same message to the wider Nigerian society, recalling the words of the National Anthem: “Though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand.” According to him, Nigerians betray that brotherhood when tribe is placed above competence, people are favoured simply because they are “our own”, or wrongdoing is defended because the offender belongs to one’s ethnic group. “Our many tribes and tongues should add colour to the Nigerian family, not become walls that divide us,” he said.
Fr Banjo then linked the responsibility of Christians towards Nigeria to the Gospel parable of Matthew 21:28-32, in which a father sends his two sons to work in his vineyard. He explained that God’s vineyard extends beyond the walls of the Church to the society in which Christians live and which they are called to help transform. “One way we can do this is through the responsible use of our vote,” he said. Turning specifically to the 2027 general elections, the CSN Scribe urged voters to look beyond ethnic identity and examine those seeking public office on the basis of their character, integrity, competence and record of service. “Before you vote, ask: What has this person done? Can this person be trusted with public resources? Does this person understand what ordinary Nigerians are going through? Does this person have credible ideas for reducing hardship and improving people’s lives?” He then discouraged allowing ethnic loyalty to determine electoral choices: “Do not allow tribe to answer these questions for you. Hunger does not know your tribe. Unemployment does not know your language. Insecurity does not ask where you come from.” Fr Banjo said Nigerians should therefore look beyond ethnic sentiments and consider those who can work for the good of all Nigerians.
He presented responsible citizenship as part of the Christian response to God’s call, noting that just as the sons in the Gospel were sent into the vineyard, Christians are sent into society not merely to observe its problems but to contribute to its transformation. For Fr Banjo, therefore, the Christian’s “yes” to God must extend beyond worship to responsible participation in society, including the choices citizens make at the ballot box. “This is one of the ways we can express our ‘yes’ to God,” he said.
