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The statement “affirms the Nigerian churches’ strong commitment to interreligious dialogue and cooperation with the Nigerian Muslim community and institutions” and “welcomes all efforts by the government to address the concerns of Christians and Muslims alike.”
The WCC executive committee addressed Nigeria’s regional context, as many neighbouring or nearby countries are experiencing crises which impact on the region as a whole.
"Displacement and instability in the region is being exacerbated by increasing environmental degradation and desertification due to climate change,” the statement notes. “Here in Nigeria, the WCC executive committee has received painful testimonies from the churches of the insecurity, violence, displacement, and persecution faced by Christians in northern Nigeria as well as in other parts of the country.”
The statement appeals to the Nigerian government and authorities to exert maximum effort to bring security and stability to the affected communities. “The executive committee is also acutely aware of the extreme economic inequality in Nigeria, and of the increasing daily struggle for subsistence faced by many Nigerians, while wealth and privilege accumulate in the hands of elite sectors of society,” the text reads. “Meanwhile, recent reports indicate that a significant proportion of Nigeria’s population is undernourished, representing a major hunger crisis for the nation.”
WCC executive committee statement on Nigeria, in the regional context of Africa
WCC “source of hope in this world,” says WCC moderator (WCC news release, 08 November 2023)
