By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
The Nigerian outspoken Catholic cleric, social critic and justice and peace crusader, His Lordship, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto Catholic diocese, has been appointed as a member of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Human Integral Development at the Vatican City in Rome.
Bishop Kukah’s appointment was made by the Catholic Pontiff, His Holiness Pope Francis.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Director, Social Communications, Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Rev. Fr. Christopher Omotosho, the Diocese disclosed that the appointment was contained in a letter to Bishop Kukah dated December 11, 2020, and signed by the Prefect of the Dicastery, His Eminence, Peter Cardinal Turkson.
“By this appointment, Bishop Kukah will join other members of the Dicastery 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 appointment, which is renewable is for an initial period of five years. The Council will be formally inaugurated on a later date,” the statement reads.
It stated that the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development was created on January 1, 2017, when four Dicasteries, namely, the Pontifical Councils for Justice and Peace, Cor Unum, Pastoral Care of Immigrants and Itinerant People and Health Care of Workers, were all merged by the Holy Father.
“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 further added 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. Bishop Kukah comes to the Dicastery on the Promotion of Integral Development with a lot of experience in the areas of human rights, justice and reconciliation”.