It may not be the most obvious subject for a homily. But in Kaduna state in northwestern Nigeria, traffic police are hoping to enlist the clergy in a campaign against dangerous driving.
In a meeting at St Paul’s Catholic Church, Karji, the Zonal Corps Commander, Ayobami Omiyale, spoke at a meeting of the priests of Kaduna archdiocese on how to prevent “insanity” on the roads.
Ayobami told PM News Nigeria that the traffic police were “leveraging the influence of the Catholic priests as leaders of thousands of people, and once the priest has spoken, the people take the messages to heart.”
He observed that when “it is a priest, a spiritual father who is talking to his people”, that may have more impact than a talk from a police officer or a rebuke from a traffic patrol.
“It is our belief that they will listen and obey, and in the long run, sanity will return to our roads,” Ayobami said.
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Catholic fans of graphic novels should look out for The Mission of Joan of Arc, which will be published in July.
The author, Philip Kosloski, told Aleteia: “I chose her story because of its universal appeal and its ability to speak to people in every generation.”
