…Hold rally against abortion, terrorism, others
By Ishola Balogun
THE Knights of St. Mulumba, Lagos Metropolitan Council, has said that its members are not cultists, adding that its objectives were to counter the harm done by many secret societies to the church and to arrest the influx of the Christian enlightened members in those harmful secret groups.
The Knights at a Pro-life rally held in Lagos also advanced the issue of abortion, kidnapping, terrorism in the country to a spiritual level with a mass calling on God to intervene and cleansed the society.
The Pro-life rally was held from Regina Mundi Catholic Church, Olosha, Mushin, down to Ojuelegba terminating at Lawanson with members storming the streets in their hundreds, distributing leaflets, shouting “Abortion is Murder´´.
The Grand Knight, William Adebisi, said the event was meant to create awareness against the unwholesome practice of abortion, uphold the sanctity of human life from the womb, as well as halt the increasing incidences of capital punishment, contraception, same sex marriages, homosexuality, kidnapping, child abuse and terrorism and extra judicial killings in the society.
Adebisi, addressing journalists at the Lawanson branch of the church said: “as Catholics, it is our collective responsibility and moral duty to stamp out these ills from our society, since the unborn baby has right to life, just like every human being. We are not cultists, our objective is to counteract the harm done by many secret societies to the church and to arrest the influx of the Christian enlightened members into those harmful secret groups.”
He stated that 1.25 million abortions are carried out in Nigeria and 56 million worldwide every year, adding that those who practice abortion and those who want legal backing for the unwholesome practice are beneficiaries of campaign against abortion.
He urged the government to enforce laws against abortion in the nation and put in place a policy framework to actualize the objective of a saner society.
In the same vein, the Coordinator of Family and Human Life Unit, Archdiocese of Lagos, Mrs Bridget Itsueli said “the preservation of life even in the womb is the beginning of morality since it provides the love that allows the gift of the womb to grow in the likeness of God, the giver of life.’
“Human life is sacred because from the beginning it involves the creative action of God and remains forever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end.
She added that the church will continue to put in place facilities that provide social, spiritual and material support, counseling to young and not so young women who are in dilemma over their pregnancies.
She said the birth of every new life gives joy because life is God’s unique gift to every human being, to the family and to the community.
“The sexual act is used indiscriminately outside marriage and even within marriage. Many husbands and wives show little discernment and discipline. Young people carelessly and ignorantly believe that the sexual act is a pastime to be engaged at will,” she said.
The Order of the Knights of St. Mulumba (KSM) was established in Nigeria on June 14, 1953 by Late Reverend Father Abraham Anselm Isidahome Ojefua; a Priest and Monk from Illah Monastery in present day Delta state and modelled after the Sacred Order of Catholic Knighthood in Uganda. It has a current membership of over 20,000 males and females.