Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Badejo, the Catholic Bishop of Oyo Diocese, has appealed to politicians not to use religion to further their political ambition.
Badejo, who spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja, regretted that politicians were promoting religious differences for selfish interest.
The bishop was at the Holy Cross Catholic Church Gwarinpa II Abuja, to solicit support to develop his diocese, promotion of inter- faith programmes, among others.
“What I am afraid of now is the tendency of politicians to begin to stoke the fires of religious differences as a pillar of their agenda.
“Politicians are now saying that this person should not be there because he did this and he did that to Christianity; we do not need that,” he said.
On Eid el-Fitri celebration, he enjoined both Christians and Muslims to desist from making religion look like a problem.
“Religion is a blessing; it is religion that helps us to modify the tendencies and excesses that we have.
“Politicians should mention their agenda, put it to people, sell it to the people and then hope to be elected.
“That is something we should look after in the South West of Nigeria,” he added.
On Boko Haram insurgency, Badejo said that the sect’s onslaught has become ‘incomprehensible,’ stating that politicians should be held responsible for the increasing cases of insurgency in the country.
He added that it was unfortunate that Nigeria nurtured the ground for the `explosion’ of Boko Haram insurgency.
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