Pope Francis gives Bishop Kukah new appointment

Pope Francis has appointed the Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Rev Matthew Kukah, into the Pontifical Council for human rights, justice and development.

This was confirmed in a statement signed by The Director, Social Communications of Sokoto Diocese, Fr. Chris Omotosho, on Tuesday.

Omotosho described Kukah’s appointment as a positive development, stating that it would bring about a lot of developments and goodwill to the people of God, especially to the Nigerian Catholics.

“By this appointment, Bishop Kukah will join other members of the dicastery (Council) drawn from different regions of the world to advise and promote the holy Father’s concerns on issues of justice and peace, human rights, torture, human trafficking, care of creation and other issues related to the promotion of human dignity and development,” the statement read in part.

It added that the appointment which is renewable is for an initial five-year period.

The Council is expected to be formally inaugurated on a later date.

The appointment was signed on behalf of the Pope by His Eminence, Peter Cardinal Turkson, the Prefect of the Council.

“This appointment adds to Bishop Kukah’s string of national and international engagements within the universal Church.

He was first appointed a Consultor and later a member of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue, Vatican City and served under three Popes.

He is currently, Chairman, Dialogue Committees of both the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa (RECOWA) and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN)”.

The statement also said that Bishop Kukah was a member of the official delegation of the Holy See that met with the Emir of Qatar when that country opened diplomatic relations with the Holy See in 2002.

“In 2016, he was nominated by the Vatican to represent Africa on the Advisory Board of the Vienna based, King Abdulazeez International Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue (KAIICID).
KAIICID is the fruit of the collaboration between the governments of Saudi Arabia, Austria and the Holy See for the promotion of worldwide Dialogue between world religions.

Please Read: Kukah Didn’t Insult Islam’ – Soyinka Replies Muslim Group

Kukah has been in the news recently, following his Christmas Day message.

He accused the Nigerian leader of nepotism and that he had reduced others in public life to second class status.

Individuals, Northern, Islamic bodies including Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), among others, have since attacked Kukah.

The Muslum Solidarity Forum told the Bishop to leave Sokoto, a warning the presidency condemned in an apparent move to douse tension.