AFRICA/NIGERIA - The Catholic Bishops and the Islamic Forum of Nigeria contrary to the Samoa Agreement: “A threat to the sovereignty and values of Nigeria”

Abuja (Agenzia Fides) - "A threat to the sovereignty and values of Nigeria". This is how the Bishops of Nigeria defined the Samoa Agreement, agreed on 15 November 2023, in Apia (Samoa Islands) by the European Union and its 27 member states with the 79 belonging to the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS). The new agreement, which will serve as the general legal framework for their relations over the next twenty years, replaces the previous ones (Lomé agreement of 1975 and Cotonou agreement of 2000).
On June 28, the Nigerian ambassador in Brussels signed the agreement on behalf of his government. In a 25-point statement, published on 10 July at the end of their Assembly, the Nigerian Bishops, defining themselves as "watchmen and guides, deeply committed to the sound moral, religious, and cultural growth of our dear country", call on the government "to propose an amendment of the Agreement or withdraw from it".
This is because according to the declaration, signed by Msgr. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, Archbishop of Owerri, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, and by Msgr. Donatus A. Ogun, Bishop of Uromi, Secretary of the CBCN, "the Agreement looks innocuous and attractive on the surface, but underneath it is carefully blended with post-modern secularistic ideologies that significantly undermine the moral, cultural, and religious beliefs of Nigerian citizens."
"We are concerned that our civil authorities may not be fully aware of the implications of the nuanced language in the document, which threatens our national sovereignty and values," the Bishops continue.
"The Samoa Agreement has 61 references to gender equality, gender perspectives and gender mainstreaming", explain the Bishops. "The most outstanding is Article 2.5: The parties shall systematically promote a gender perspective and ensure that gender equality is mainstreamed across all policies." According to the CBCN "The term gender is no longer an innocent term. There are over 110 genders that would claim a stake in the term gender equality."
For this reason the Bishops call on "the Government to propose an insertion of a substantive article in the general Agreement and the African Regional Protocol that 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." Otherwise, the Bishops conclude: "Nigeria should withdraw from the Samoa agreement if the EU rejects the proposed Amendment. A precedent has already been set by South Africa, which withdrew from the Cotonou Agreement in 2023." The Islamic Forum of Nigeria at the end of its meeting called on "the federal government to withdraw from the Samoa Agreement without further delay. The meeting advises the Federal and state governments to consult with the people on any important treaty that is related to their social, educational and religious life before signing the agreement. Parents and teachers should strictly observe moral upbringing of their children and be vigilant especially on what they watch on social media." (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 12/7/2024)

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