The Catholic Church has called on Nigerians to combat hunger and foster societal transformation by embracing the ‘Okpaleke Model’, which promotes self-reliance, community engagement, and equitable resource use.

The church disclosed this in Abuja on Wednesday at its annual general meeting organised by the Department of Church and Society, Catholic Secretariat of Nigerian (CSN).

CSN’s secretary-general, Zachariah Samjumi, urged Nigerians to plant their own food for traditional celebrations and share their harvests with others.

Mr Samjumi said practical steps were crucial for addressing hunger and social challenges. He said that practical actions like community farming initiatives to address hunger and poverty would go a long way toward addressing the issue of hunger.

“Advocacy is good, but it must be matched with action. Ask yourself, ‘What am I doing?’ Even in small spaces, plant vegetables or corn and share the harvest. This is how we can build a better Nigeria.

“If there is hunger, it is because we are keeping more than we need. Let us plant, share, and rebuild Nigeria together,” Mr Samjumi said.

Mr Samjumi said that the persistence of hunger reflected a violation of the universal destination of goods, which asserts that resources were meant to benefit all. He further said that Catholic social teaching in Nigeria is important because it focuses on human dignity, the common good, subsidiarity, and solidarity.

Mr Samjumi urged participants to actively contribute to societal transformation by applying CST principles in their communities. 

He also urged Catholics to leverage their influence, resources, and over 40 million members, 6,000 priests, and 87 bishops to drive socio-economic and political reform.

“Our faith must extend beyond church walls. We must evangelise parliaments, political parties, and leaders to align policies with the common good,” Mr Samjumi said.

He, however, challenged Catholics to take bold steps in reshaping society.

(NAN)