To Have And To Hold The Earth: When Faith Rises To Defend Creation

By Our Reporters—

The hall of Our Lady of Perpetual Help on Musa Yar’Adua Street was unusually still on Friday morning, the kind of quiet that settles when people sense they are about to be confronted, not with comfort, but with truth. Sober was the atmosphere on Victoria Island, Lagos, as religious leaders, environmental advocates, and concerned citizens took their seats. They had gathered not just to listen, but to reflect, repent, and rethink their relationship with the earth.

This was the 24th edition of the Chief S.L. Edu Memorial Lecture, the flagship annual lecture of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), held on January 30, 2026. The theme, “To Have and To Hold: Faith and Care of the Environment,” carried the weight of a vow, one that humanity, many feared, had long broken.

As the guest speaker, Most Rev. Dr. Matthew Hassan Kukah, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, took the podium, his presence was calm but commanding. He did not speak as a distant cleric, but as a moral witness to a wounded world. With measured clarity, he drew a line between belief and responsibility, insisting that faith must go beyond sermons and rituals to inspire concrete action for environmental protection.

“Faith,” Bishop Kukah noted, “cannot remain neutral while creation groans.” His words echoed through the hall, drawing nods from clerics and conservationists alike. He challenged religious leaders to abandon passive concern and become active custodians of the environment, reminding the audience that the ecological crisis is also a spiritual one.

The lecture unfolded like a story of rivers polluted, forests stripped bare, and communities left vulnerable. Bishop Kukah shared anecdotes that humanized the crisis: farmers watching once-fertile land turn to dust, children growing up without clean water, and congregations praying for miracles while ignoring the damage at their doorsteps. These were not distant tragedies; they were Nigerian realities.

At the heart of the discussion was a powerful call to conscience. One speaker captured the moment succinctly: “We need to fully adopt the concept of ecological spirituality.” The phrase lingered in the air, reframing environmental care as an act of worship rather than an obligation. Ecological spirituality, the speakers emphasised, recognizes the earth as sacred—something to be protected, not exploited.

Throughout the lecture, descriptive language painted the environment not as an abstract concept, but as a living companion to human existence. The earth was described as “a trust handed down through generations,” a gift that demands reverence. The audience was reminded that every act of neglect is a betrayal of that trust, and every act of care, a renewal of faith.

Emotion ran quietly but deeply through the room. For many attendees, the lecture was less about policy and more about personal reckoning. A clergy member in attendance later reflected that the message felt like “a confession we all needed to make—about how we have treated God’s creation.”

Mr Anthony Oligbo, a lecturer of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism who was in attendance at the event, explains that the theme was chosen to highlight how various religions share a collective responsibility to protect the earth as a divine creation. Beyond the theological discussion, he highlights the participation of journalism students who attended the event to gain practical professional experience.

These students were tasked with creating written features and documentaries, allowing them to practice networking and media production in a real-world setting. Ultimately, he underscores the importance of collaborative efforts between different faiths and educational institutions to address ecological concerns.

As the event drew to a close, the atmosphere shifted from contemplation to resolution. The Chief S.L. Edu Memorial Lecture did not offer easy answers, but it issued a clear challenge: faith communities must move from spectators to stewards. The earth, the speakers insisted, cannot wait for another generation to act.

In that hall in Victoria Island, the message was unmistakable. To have and to hold the earth is not a poetic phrase—it is a sacred duty. And as Bishop Kukah’s words faded into thoughtful silence, one truth remained: caring for the environment is no longer optional. It is an expression of faith, lived out in action.