Religion

Samoa agreement, threat to Nigeria’s sovereignty — Catholic Bishops

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), has expressed concerns over the controversial Samoa Agreement, describing it as a threat to the sovereignty of Nigeria.

This is just as the Bishops advised the Federal Government to either propose an amendment or totally withdraw from the Samoa agreement it recently signed, to protect the nation’s sovereignty.

The Bishops further warned that beyond the attractive economic benefits of the agreement with the EU and African, Caribean, and Pacific (ACP), the agreement had hidden ideologies that posed a threat to the nation’s sovereignty and values.

A statement signed by President of CBCN, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, and the Secretary of CBCN, Bishop Donatus Ogun, advised Nigeria to take a cue from South Africa which withdrew from the Cotonou Agreement in 2023, which they explained was replaced by the Samoa Agreement signed off by 44 ACP states out of 79 member countries on 15 November 2023 in Apia, Samoa.

According to the statement, the Samoa Agreement gives international law status to sexual orientation and gender identity, comprehensive sexuality education, and abortion.

The statement partly reads: “Our attention has been drawn by the press to Nigeria’s signing of the Samoa Agreement on 28 June 2024. This economic partnership agreement between the EU and African, Caribean, and Pacific (ACP) countries covers six main areas, including democracy and human rights, sustainable economic growth, climate change, human social development, peace and security, migration, and mobility.

“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.

“We, the Catholic Bishops of Nigeria, as watchmen and guides (cf Ezekiel 3: 17), deeply committed to the sound moral, religious, and cultural growth of our dear country, hereby clearly highlight what the Samoa Document portends for the future of Nigeria and Nigerians and call on our government to, as a matter of urgency, propose an amendment of the Agreement or withdraw from it.

Furthermore, the Bishops said, “Given that Nigeria has signed the Samoa Document, we call on the government to propose an insertion of a substantive article in the general Agreement and the African Regional Protocol thus:

“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.”

“If Nigeria takes the lead in calling for Amendments to the Samoa Agreement and its protocols, other states in the African Caribbean and Pacific regions may more likely follow suit. If accepted, this Amendment will go a long way in preventing SRHR from becoming international through an economic partnership agreement.

“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.”

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