The Catholic Bishop of Lafia Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. David Ajang, has urged Nigerians to look beyond the spiritual aspects of faith and embrace religion as a powerful tool for socio-economic transformation.
Speaking recently during a pilgrimage at the historic Alogani Hill in Nasarawa Eggon, Bishop Ajang stated that religion should be more than just “a channel for divine communication.”
He explained that the Irish missionaries arrival in 1938 was defined not only by the gospel but by the introduction of Western education and community development.
According to the Bishop, the pilgrimage served as key event in the Silver Jubilee (25th Anniversary) celebration of the Catholic Diocese of Lafia.
Bishop Ajang recounted how Irish priests braved the rugged terrain in 1938 to build a church on the hill.
Nearly nine decades later, those foundations remain the bedrock of Catholicism in Northern Nasarawa, eventually leading to the formation of the Lafia Diocese from the older Jos and Makurdi Dioceses.
The five-hour journey through the hills and valleys involved hundreds of pilgrims, including notable figures such as ; Former gubernatorial candidate, Dr. David Ombugadu, General Manager of Nasarawa Broadcasting Service (NBS), Patricia Akawu and Diocesan Laity Council Chairman,
Godwin Francis, among others.
The pilgrims participated in the Stations of the Cross, Confession and Holy Mass, using the time to also reflect on the sacrifices made by the early missionaries.
The participants eulogiaed the Irish priests for sacrificing personal comfort to plant the seeds of education and faith, urging modern Catholics to sustain the legacy by contributing to the nation’s progress today.
The Voice reports that, with the hill officially designated as the Diocesan Pilgrimage Centre, the church aims to preserve the site as a symbol of both spiritual penance and historical appreciation for the role of the church in state-building.
