The secretary-general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Father Michael Banjo. / Credit: Ijebu-Ode Catholic Diocese

ACI Africa, Dec 23, 2025 / 11:37 am (CNA).

The secretary-general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has urged Nigerians to safeguard their future by making informed choices especially during elections and amid the country’s security crisis.

In his message for Christmas delivered during the festival of Lessons and Carols at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Father Michael Banjo highlighted vices such as dishonesty, corruption, and exploitation as major obstacles to peace, warning of the dangers of ungodliness.

“If we want peace in Nigeria, we must stop trading our future for crumbs and begin to give glory to God by voting for leaders of integrity, compassion, and proven character, leaders who fear God and truly serve the common good,” Banjo said during the Dec. 14 event.

He added: “When leaders govern without fear of God, conscience gives way to selfishness, injustice grows unchecked, and violence finds room to thrive.”

Banjo said peace is impossible where power is exercised without accountability, wealth is pursued without conscience, and authority is claimed without service. He faulted Nigerians who compromise their civic duty for short-term gain.

“There can be no peace when we sell our votes for a bag of rice or a few naira, or choose leaders based on tribe, religion, or region rather than character, competence, and commitment to the common good,” he said.

“When elections are traded for personal benefit, conscience is sacrificed for convenience, and truth is exchanged for loyalty to narrow interests, we deny God the glory he deserves,” he added. “Where God is not honored in our civic responsibility, peace cannot endure.”

Banjo attributed the ongoing security challenges in Africa’s most populous nation to widespread ungodliness, noting that many Nigerians have sidelined the glory of God in their actions and prioritized vices that threaten the country’s future.

“For too long, persistent killings, abductions, and targeted violence affecting many communities, particularly Christian communities, have been met with silence, denial, or half-measures,” he said.

Reflecting on the U.S. intervention to the security challenge in the country, Banjo said it is unfortunate that Nigeria had to wait for external voices before treating the problem of insecurity with the seriousness it deserves.

“Protecting life is not a favor prompted by foreign pressure; it is the primary duty of the government,” he said. “Every Nigerian life matters regardless of whether he or she is a Christian or Muslim.” 

Banjo warned that true peace cannot exist when personal gain comes at the expense of honesty and integrity. He warned that engaging in fraudulent or exploitative practices may bring temporary benefits, but they fail to glorify God and cannot provide lasting peace.

“There can be no peace within us when money is made through fraud, corruption, or exploitation,” Banjo said.

“If you sell tomatoes in the market and hide rotten ones under fresh ones, or tamper with fuel meters so customers pay for more than they receive, you may gain temporarily, but you do not honor God,” he explained. “And what does not give glory to God cannot give peace.”

He also highlighted the importance of forgiveness and respect in families, noting that peace disappears where resentment, violence, or disrespect prevail.

“There can be no peace in our homes when couples and family members refuse to forgive. When past wrongs are constantly recalled, or when a husband is violent or a wife openly disrespects her husband, love is destroyed, trust is broken, and the home becomes a place of fear,” he explained.

In a situation where forgiveness, love, and mutual respect prevail, the priest said, God is honored and peace is enshrined.

The secretary-general of the Catholic bishops in Nigeria emphasized that a nation that honors God by protecting every human life is a nation where peace can take root.

“It is precisely in the face of the painful realities confronting our nation that the message of Christmas must be clearly heard,” he said. “The mystery of the Incarnation assures us that we are not alone. God is Emmanuel. He is truly with us.”

He added: “It is no coincidence that we chose to celebrate our Christmas carols on this Third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, when the Church calls us to rejoice even in the midst of hardship. To rejoice is to refuse despair.”

“It is to carry hope within us and to become a sign of hope for others. We rejoice when we choose gratitude over bitterness, when families still pray together despite empty pockets, when we share the little we have with those who do not have, and when we remain warm and compassionate to one another,” he said.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.