When Nigeria’s senior national team coach, Éric Chelle, accused DR Congo of practicing “voodoo” during the penalty shootout that ended Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup dream, many dismissed it as another episode of African football drama. But embedded in that accusation is a deeper and more troubling story about the strange, persistent entanglement between fear and ritual manipulation in the beautiful…
Across our continent today, Africa is blessed with countless women whose quiet strength, daily sacrifices, and deep wells of compassion are transforming our families, our communities, and our Church. Yet their influence often remains unrecognized, hidden beneath the ordinary rhythms of life. I believe that the future of Africa depends, in no small measure, on acknowledging this leadership and empowering…
The Catholic Bishops of Nigeria have released a bold and prophetic statement on the state of the nation—one that echoes from the depths of our moral conscience with spiritual authority and pastoral urgency. With clarity and grief, the bishops lament the persistent violence that has “claimed many lives, destroyed homes, and displaced families.” Their sorrow is rooted in the disproportionate…
When Pope Pius XI instituted the Feast of Christ the King in 1925, he did so in a world shaken by turmoil. The first decades of the twentieth century had unleashed unprecedented storms: the First World War had torn nations apart; the Bolshevik Revolution had overturned the old order in Russia; Stalin was consolidating his iron rule; Mussolini was perfecting…
On November 14, 2025, PACTPAN and SECAM hosted a pan-African palaver to present Pope Leo XIV’s Pastoral Exhortation Dilexi Te (I Have Loved You). The event brought together scholars, clergy, activists, lay members of Christ’s faithful, and change agents from across the continent and beyond. Among the most striking voices was Bishop Stephen Dami Mamza of Yola—known for living shoulder-to-shoulder…
La République démocratique du Congo traverse cette semaine une scène presque apocalyptique. Alors que l’on compte encore les morts du 15 novembre 2025, ensevelis dans la mine à ciel ouvert de Kalando, une autre nouvelle est venue frapper la nation : l’avion transportant une délégation du ministère des Mines s’est écrasé. À ce niveau, l’on se demande ce que le…
The recent story of Father John K. Ojuok, a Kenyan priest serving in the Diocese of Ogdensburg in upstate New York, is a small local news item that reveals a much larger crisis. Fr. Ojuok, who had been ministering legally in the United States on an R-1 religious worker visa, travelled home to Kenya in September to visit his mother…
The African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) recently reported that the continent is experiencing its worst cholera outbreak in 25 years, with about 300,000 suspected cases and 7,000 deaths—a more than 30 percent increase compared to the previous year. Much of this surge has been linked to fragile water and sanitation infrastructure, especially in conflict-affected countries such…
In the face of Nigeria’s growing religious and ethnic tensions, Rev. Fr. Lawrence Chukwunweike Emehel has emerged as a key advocate for dialogue, reconciliation, and peacebuilding. A priest of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto and now Director of the Department of Mission and Dialogue at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Fr. Emehel brings years of pastoral experience and academic training…
From October 8th to 12th, 2025, the eternal city, Rome, hosted thousands of consecrated individuals gathered from all parts of the world for the Jubilee of Consecrated Life. This gathering transcended the boundaries of a typical church event, evolving into a global hub of spiritual renewal. The event reinforced a resolute commitment to the consecrated mission as witnesses of hope…