The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has enjoined the Federal Government to revisit the Samoa Agreement with a ‘No Obligation’ clause that will specify that nothing in the agreement indicates the country’s commitment to sexual orientation and other items that are contrary to African values, especially as regards life, family and culture. The prelates proposed the amendment to the Samoa Agreement in a statement issued recently and jointly signed by Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, Archbishop of Owerri and President, CBCN, and Most Rev. Donatus Ogun, Bishop of Uromi and Secretary, CBCN, being that Nigeria has already signed the document.
Entitled, “Threats to the sovereignty and values of Nigeria in the Samoa Agreement”, the CBCN asserted that if Nigeria takes the lead in calling for amendments to the Samoa Agreement and its protocols, other states in the African Caribbean and Pacific regions may more likely follow suit. The statement read in parts, “Given that Nigeria has signed the Samoa Document, we call on the government to propose an insertion of a substantive article in the general Agreement and the African Regional Protocol thus: “Nothing in this binding Agreement can be interpreted to include any obligations regarding sexual orientation, gender identity, comprehensive sexuality education, abortion, contraception, legalisation of prostitution, same-sex marriage, or sexual “rights” for children.”
According to CBCN, “If accepted, this Amendment will go a long way towards preventing Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) from becoming international through an economic partnership agreement.” The Catholic Bishops advised Nigeria to withdraw from the Samoa agreement if the EU rejects the proposed Amendment, citing an instance where South Africa pulled out from the Cotonou Agreement in 2023. The federal government’s decision to sign a $150 billion Samoa Deal has generated outrage across the country over claims of LGBTQ, an initialism that stands for “lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender”.
According to reports, the agreement allegedly includes clauses that require underdeveloped and developing nations to support LGBTQ rights as a condition for receiving financial and other forms of support from advanced countries. Reacting to the development, the Catholic Bishops described the agreement as an “innocuous” contract “carefully blended with post-modern secularistic ideologies that significantly undermine the moral, cultural, and religious beliefs of Nigerian citizens”. They wrote, “We are concerned that our civil authorities may not be fully aware of the implications of the nuanced language in the document, which threaten our national sovereignty and values. “
We, the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria, as watchmen and guides, deeply committed to the sound moral, religious, and cultural growth of our dear country, hereby clearly highlight what the Samoa Document portends for the future of Nigeria and Nigerians and call on our government to, as a matter of urgency, propose an amendment of the Agreement or withdraw from it.” According to the high-ranking prelates, the federal government’s signing of the agreement has made Nigeria relinquish its position as a persistent objector to the impugned language during negotiations in several international fora.
The statement further read in parts, “Most of Africa has always counted on the leadership of Nigeria to contest anti-life, anti-family, anti-culture and anti-African values at the United Nations. “The Samoa Agreement essentially gives international law status to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, Comprehensive Sexuality Education, and Abortion through its prolific reference to Gender approaches and the phrase “Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.” The Bishops expressed concern at the utilisation of language in the agreement as they highlighted the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights citing Article 29.5 while also recalling the incident of the adoption the European Parliament’s Matic Report in 2021. “Under Article 29.5 of SRHR, Nigeria shall support universal access to sexual and reproductive health commodities and health care services, including family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes.”
“Universal access means access by all, including children. This has been the consistent aim of value-free sex education in schools. Comprehensive sexuality education has been about increasing demand for SRHR commodities among children and youth. “The European Parliament, by adopting the Matic Report in 2021, defined what it means by Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. This term includes, among others, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, Abortion and Sexualizing Comprehensive Sexuality Education, which people of goodwill have strongly contested in Nigeria.” The statement cited other instances, “The Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action is also a negotiated document limiting abortion on demand, and the Holy See and Nigeria participated in it.
In its statement reservation, the Holy See noted the disproportionate reference to sexual and reproductive health when talking about services to the girl-child. It warned that this reference would be interpreted to include, abortion and homosexuality. Again, as is always the case, the outcomes of the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action reviews are not negotiated instruments, and have diluted the hitherto set consensus. “The UNESCO International Technical Guidance on sexuality education in Nigeria has disconcerting language and objectives. These include, but are not limited to: • The Learning Objectives for Level I (ages 5-8) include, statements like “Girls and boys have private body parts that can feel pleasurable when touched by oneself.” (p. 43); “Touching and rubbing one’s genitals is called masturbation.” (p. 48); “Masturbation is not harmful but should be done in private.” (p. 48). • The Learning Objectives for Level II (ages 9-12) “Both men and women can give and receive sexual pleasure.”
(p. 43); “Definition and function of orgasm.” (p. 49); “Legal abortion performed under sterile conditions by medically trained personnel is safe.” (p. 51). • The Learning Objectives for Level III (ages 12-15) “Respect for the different sexual orientations and gender identity.” (p. 48); “Both men and women can give and receive sexual pleasure with a partner of the same or opposite sex.” (p. 50); “Access to safe abortion and post-abortion care.” (p. 52). The prelates noted that by committing to fully and effectively implementing the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, their review outcomes and the UNESCO International technical guidance on sexuality education, Nigeria is committing to the totality of the impugned provisions adverse to life, family, religious freedom, cultural values and sovereignty. CBCN posited that the signing of the Agreement by Nigeria constitutes a threat to the sovereignty of Nigeria and Africa.
On the federal government’s part, Sen. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, explained that Nigeria signed the Samoa Agreement with the European Union (EU) to boost food security, and inclusive economic development, among other vital areas. He stated this at a press briefing recently in the nation’s capital, Abuja, clarifying once again that none of the articles of the agreement between Nigeria and the EU showed that the former has recognised Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) rights. According to CBCN, the economic partnership agreement between the EU and African, Caribean and Pacific (ACP) countries covers six main areas, including democracy and human rights, sustainable economic growth, climate change, human social development, peace and security, migration and mobility.
As stated by the Catholic Bishops, the Samoa Agreement is the third edition of the Lomé Convention of 1975. The first edition was originally a trade and aid agreement between the European Economic Community (EEC) as it was then (former colonial masters) and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states (former colonies). Its second edition was called the Cotonou Agreement. It was a Treaty signed by the European Union (EU) and the ACP states in 2000. The Samoa Agreement replaced the Cotonou Agreement and was signed off by 44 ACP states out of 79 member countries on 15 November, 2023 in Apia, Samoa. Nigeria did not sign it due to concerns with the language relating to sovereignty and African values. It is, however, the case that on June 28, 2024, just days away from the Nigeria – EU business summit held in Abuja on July 2, 2024, Nigeria signed it.
…Welcomes new Apostolic Nuncio for Nigeria
The Catholic Church of Nigeria has welcomed its new Apostolic Nuncio, His Excellency, Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty. Most Rev. Lucius Ugorgi, President, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) in a statement made available to The Catholic Herald newspaper, by Very Rev. Fr. Michael Umoh, National Director of Communications, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, welcomed Archbishop Crotty as he lauded Irish missionaries for their exceptional role in the spread of the gospel in Nigeria over several decades.
He wrote, “With joy and gratitude to God, I extend a hearty welcome to Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty on behalf of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), clergy, religious, and lay faithful in Nigeria. “We are thankful to His Holiness, Pope Francis, for appointing Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty as the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria to build on the good works of his predecessor, Archbishop Antonio Filipazzi.” Noting that the Irish missionaries have a long enduring history with Nigeria, the CBCN’s president expressed gratitude to Archbishop Crotty for accepting the appointment. The statement read in parts, “His appointment is a testament to the strong spiritual bond between our countries, recalling that many Irish missionaries played a significant role in spreading the faith in Nigeria. “We also celebrate the historic connection between our nations, as Archbishop Crotty becomes our first
Apostolic Nuncio from Ireland, just as Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo, who served as the first Apostolic Nuncio from Nigeria in Ireland. “We appreciate Archbishop Crotty’s acceptance of serving in Nigeria and assure him of our full support and cooperation. “We pray for a fruitful mission and a blessed tenure for Your Excellency.” Archbishop Crotty, Titular of Lindisfarne, was Apostolic Nuncio in Burkina Faso and Niger prior to this new appointment as Apostolic Nuncio in Nigeria.
