THE EVOLVING ROLE OF THE AFRICAN CATHOLIC AS ELDER IN THE TASK OF MEDIATION AND RECONCILIATION IN NIGERIA

Abstract

In African sociological and cosmological set up, the beauty of life in every community is the formation of the elder council. These are dignify persons, set aside by the quality of moral life and the capacity to promote peace in community. By the use of analytical method, this essay examines the role and the existence of an elder in each African family to be a basic necessity for effective leadership and to promote community cohesion. We argue that Elders are held in high esteem, because they possess moral rectitude, do have courage and integrity to mediate in conflictual situation to ensue the process of reconciliation. This essay examines the role-play of the ordained African Catholic Priest in Nigeria, who plays the roles as mediator, reconciler and confessor. This is due to the fact that, by priestly ordination, he is set-aside as a reputable elder in human society. Elders in African world-view, are respected, revered and dignified as agents and ambassadors of peace. They engage in this enterprise by natural process of selection and election based on the clan system of representation which they might have acquired by long experience in ‘town-hall’ and community square conversations and gatherings. The ordained Catholic Priest enjoys the double role, due to his cultural and sacramental training, he is privilege to exercise these roles of mediating and reconciling feuds and conflicts in his pastoral space of priestly ministry in Nigeria