COVID-19: “Time for world unity” – Nigerian Priest
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Jos, Nigeria: The novel coronavirus disease may have caused untold hardship for many nations of the world.
However, more than ever before, the disease, Most Rev. Matthew Man-oso Ndagoso, the Catholic Archbishop of Kaduna, Nigeria says has exposed the “interdependence” amongst global economies.
The COVID-19 pandemic, Rev. Ndagoso, said, on Tuesday in Jos, Central Nigeria’s Plateau State capital, “has brought home the reality of our world being a global village.”
“It has shown us in no uncertain terms how interconnected and dependent we are upon each other and the fact that no country is an island.”
This, Rev. Matthew, in a Homily at the Installation of Most. Rev. Matthew Ishaya Audu as the 3rd Metropolitan Archbishop Of Jos, said, underscores the need to work “harder” for the strengthening of the “universal bond of brother/sisterhood” in fighting the disease.
“Faced with this pandemic that has no known cure not to talk of vaccine, humanity must work in concert in order to be a step ahead of this invisible enemy.
“We believe it is by working together as a global village that we will be able to defeat this dreaded enemy.
“This is time to stick together; time to help each other; time to be our brothers/sisters keepers,” he said.
The coronavirus disease has killed over 40,000 people so far with another close to 900,000 people infected worldwide.
To slow and control its spread, nations including Nigeria have restricted public gatherings to 50 with sitting interval of 2meters.
This forced the Catholic Archdiocese of Jos to opt for live streaming and broadcast of the installation of the Archbishop, with only 50 people at the live ceremony.
A more “elaborate and festive celebration” will however take place when the pandemic subsides, confirmed the immediate past Archbishop of Jos, Ignatius Kaigama.
Kaigama who became Archbishop of Jos in 2000 was redeployed to Abuja in November 2019.
His priesthood in Jos, the cleric said was well supported by both the high and low.
In his valedictory remarks at the installation of Archbishop Matthew Ishaya, Bishop Kaigama said, “I must stress that you the wonderful people of Jos Archdiocese have been a solid pillar of support and encouragement to me.”
He asked that same support be given his successor for the progress of the Church.
