CATHOLIC Knights of the Order of St. Mulumba yesterday took to the streets of Enugu to protest what they described as the increasingly permissive attitude of Nigerian government and citizens towards abortion and related vices.
The Knights, who carried placards and banners denouncing abortion, said they were also agitated by growing subterranean moves by some influential Nigerians and non-government organizations to get the National Assembly to legalize abortion, stressing that it was indicative of a serious lack of concern for human life in the society.
Some of their placards read: “Say No to Abortion; Abortion is a sin against God and crime against humanity; The unborn has right to live; Fathers, mothers say no to abortion; Abortion is a silent killer of future leaders; Life starts at conception not at birth; and Abortion is murder.”
Spokesman for the Enugu Zone of the order, Dr Festus Inabulele, told reporters after the demonstration which was wrapped up with a rally at the Holy Ghost Cathedral Enugu, that similar protests had been launched by members of the order in Calabar, Benin, Ibadan and Abeokuta, adding that it would be taken to every part of the country.
He said the event was intended to remind the people of the social and spiritual dangers posed by abortion which he said had continued to increase at an alarming rate due to the inability of the authorities and leaders to take the decisive measures required to bring the practice under control.
The Catholic Church, Inabulele further said, had already taken the positive step of opening up centres for women with unwanted pregnancy where they can go and bear the children under good care and away from the condemnation of the society instead of “slaughtering” them.
Such mothers, according to him are normally given the choice of taking their babies home after delivery or allow them to be adopted by childless couples under the supervision of the church. He said the incidence of abortion will be drastically reduced if both government and other religious or social organizations were to take similar measures.
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