An open letter to Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah

Dear Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, Bishop of the Sokoto Catholic Diocese 

I suppose it is alright to wish you compliments of the season. Although I should think by now the bulk of festivities of the yuletide are over. Nonetheless, since there are remnants of the items and activities earmarked specifically for the season still to be completed we can carry on in the spirit.  

I do not suppose you know me in person. But I can claim with conviction of knowing you in person, in your close association with persons intimately close to me and in your write ups. And from those sources I can without fear of contradiction construct a fairly accurate profile of your person and your likely views on politics, the economy and social issues. 

I have been following your write ups since the days of the now defunct New Nigerian where you used to write a column on Sundays pertaining to issues on developments in the Christian world. It was I believe a column meant for sermonising on Christian injunctions and values. But occasionally you could not resist injecting comments on political and social happenings, which attracted readers beyond the Christian faith. And invariably your following and popularity grew such that people who favoured your cutting-edge analysis on socio-political issues, which was delivered like a Marxian in contrast to the conservative tone of presentations by fellow clerics from the institution you belong to, began to refer to you behind your back rather affectionately as that ‘’Marxist in a cassock’’. You were thus marked out as an example of a ‘’Liberation theologist’’, a term, which describes radical priests within the largely conservative Catholic Church and system. 

Further information about you came from the likes of my late friend and classmate Tajudeen Abdulraheem, Yakubu Aliyu and Shehu Othman all of whom you related with very closely at the University of Oxford in England where I was also living and working at the Nigeria High Commission. Yet again, I have met you a few times at the Yar’Adua Centre, NAF Events Centre and NUC Auditorium and even discussed with you on the side lines of conferences that took place at those venues.  

I can say that you have without doubt established yourself as one of Nigeria’s most notable influencers and agenda setters with your views and interventions often compelling and decisive. You are currently Secretary of the National Peace Committee, a non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting peaceful conduct of elections in Nigeria and have participated and served in several government and non-governmental initiatives on conflict resolution, human rights and development. 

While Bishop Kukah is noted for being outspoken on issues of national import, sometimes he is, however, inexplicably silent or selective and even biased in his comments on such issues.  

One such issue that Bishop Kukah has been inexplicably silent on has to do with the recent ruling on December 18 2023 by the Vatican that Catholic priests should consider blessing same-sex couples when they come up for such.  According to the document, ‘’Ultimately, a blessing offers people a means to increase their trust in God… The request for a blessing, thus expresses and nurtures openness to God in a thousand concrete circumstances of life, which is no small thing in the world in which we live’’.  

Although the Vatican clarified that such ‘’blessings’’ should not be done as part of the normal Catholic Church’s liturgical practices, many see the declaration, however, as opening the window no matter how small for the Church to eventually formalise the blessing of same-sex marriages in the same way as normal marriages. 

Now, Bishop Kukah you will agree with me that although this fundamental development is taking place within the Catholic Church, from the heightened interest it has generated, it is not only Christians of the Catholic denomination nor those of other denominations that are interested but even Muslims like me as well as practitioners of traditional religions. The questions that have readily come to mind is that will the Catholic Church follow the line that the Anglican and other denominations by formalising the recognition and blessing of marriages by same-sex couples in the Church? With regard to this, my own question to you Bishop Kukah is that should a same-sex couple in your Sokoto Diocese come for ‘’blessing’’ as defined by the Vatican will you do the honours’’?  

Bishop Kukah, I will have you know that Nigerians of all walks of life who rely on outspoken personalities like you to defend our social and political space are not comfortable with your silence on this very issue, which forms one of the fundamental moral and psychological issues for us Africans regardless of faith and circumstance. Many people are befuddled that Bishop Kukah who spoke so forcefully, inspiringly and admirably against the recent massacres that took place in Plateau has been strangely quiet on this same-sex issue. Are you hot under your collar or is there a bee in your cassock that has rendered you speechless over this raging matter? 

Whatever it is that is preventing you from reaching out with your views on this matter cannot be helpful to the cause of morality and faith, which intellectual priest like you have been promoting over the years and for which we place expectations on your leadership to drive. Please do the needful, do not keep us waiting interminably 

While waiting in earnest for your response to the issues I have raised in this letter, please remain assured of my highest esteem and regards. 

Yours in humanity, 

Iliyasu Gadu