From matrimony to ecology: Bishop Kukah urges Nigerians to embrace covenantal care for planet earth

When the words “to have and to hold” are spoken during a wedding ceremony, they are far more than romantic gestures. They are a covenant, a pledge of love, fidelity, restraint, and care. They signify an agreement not to exhaust, dominate, or abandon, but to nurture, protect, and sustain. In his 24th Chief S.L. Edu Memorial Lecture delivered at NWL on January 30, 2026, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto reframed this age-old matrimonial promise as a lens through which humanity should view its relationship with the Earth.

“To frame our relationship with the Earth in these terms is both profoundly theological and urgently political,” Kukah said. Humanity’s dominion over the planet, he argued, is not a license for exploitation, but a call to responsible stewardship rooted in moral and spiritual accountability.

According to Genesis, God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them rule over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the cattle, and over all the earth…” (Gen. 1:26–28). Kukah emphasized that this command to “subdue” and “rule” is not an invitation to conquest but a call to nurture creation so that it fulfills its divine purpose. In Genesis 2:15, God placed man in the Garden of Eden “to till it and keep it”—a dual obligation to use wisely and preserve faithfully.

Stewardship, Not Domination

Bishop Kukah warned that the contemporary human relationship with the Earth resembles exploitation rather than stewardship. “The earth, like a spouse, was not given to us to plunder,” he said. Stewardship demands service, sacrifice, and care, not sovereignty or dominance. Yet, today, exploitation masquerades as development. Forests fall faster than they regenerate, rivers are poisoned in the pursuit of profit, and open-pit mines leave landscapes scarred for generations.

In Laudato Si’ (2015), Pope Francis lamented: “We have come to see ourselves as her lords and masters, entitled to plunder her at will.” Kukah echoed this sentiment, noting that the violence in human hearts manifests in soil, water, air, and the broader ecosystem. As Romans 8:22 reminds us, all of creation groans under human mismanagement.

The African Context

In Africa, the exploitation of the environment is often normalized. Kukah highlighted how animals are treated primarily as commodities, with little regard for ecological balance. Domestic animals fend for themselves and are often only cared for when needed for consumption. Waste management remains poor, and land degradation continues unchecked.

“Consumerism has deepened what Pope Francis calls the ‘throwaway culture,’” Kukah explained, “reducing both people and nature to disposable commodities.” In his lecture, he traced this pattern from colonial times, noting how extraction for profit—whether through slavery, resource plunder, or industrial-scale mining—has left lasting scars on African landscapes.

Capitalism and Environmental Exploitation

Bishop Kukah stressed the historical dimension of environmental exploitation, linking it to capitalism and colonialism. From the Royal Adventurers in 1662 to the Scramble for Africa, resource extraction was institutionalized without moral restraint. Today, the consequences persist: distant markets profit while local communities bear the brunt of pollution, destroyed livelihoods, and social breakdown.

Environmental degradation, Kukah argued, is more than ecological—it is moral. Mining without restoration, extraction without consent, and profit without justice erode legitimacy and fuel conflict. He cited Nigeria’s Niger Delta, where decades of oil extraction have devastated ecosystems and communities, creating poverty and discontent. When funds intended for ecological protection are diverted or assessments treated as formalities, the state forfeits its moral authority.

Religion and Moral Clarity

Religious leaders, according to Kukah, cannot be mere spectators in environmental crises. Faith offers moral clarity. It calls for restraint in consumption, equitable distribution of resources, and accountability in governance. “To have and to hold,” he stressed, “means resisting the temptation to consume today what belongs to tomorrow.” Creation, he reminded his audience, is patient—but not infinite.

Towards an Integral Ecology

Bishop Kukah urged the adoption of an integral ecology—a worldview recognizing that human, economic, cultural, and ecological systems are interdependent. Environmental harm disproportionately affects the poor, making ecological responsibility a matter of justice. As 1 Corinthians 12:26 teaches, “When one part of the body suffers, the whole body suffers.”

He outlined urgent environmental challenges in Nigeria, including desertification in the Sahel, deforestation in the Middle Belt, coastal erosion in the Niger Delta, and nationwide biodiversity loss. Environmental protection, he insisted, should not merely satisfy international treaties but reflect genuine moral stewardship.

Responding to the Cry of the Poor

Kukah observed that environmental injustice and poverty are closely intertwined in Nigeria. He described the country as “an ocean of poverty amidst islands of unearned wealth.” Structural justice, land security, and livelihood restoration are essential to addressing both ecological and social inequities.

The Church, he argued, must move beyond exhortation. Partnerships with civil society, judiciary institutions, and the media are crucial to advocacy and policy influence. Sustainable development, he explained, is impossible without prioritizing both environmental integrity and human dignity.

Adoption of Sustainable Lifestyles

Sufficiency and sobriety must replace excess, Kukah emphasized. Unsustainable patterns—fuelwood-driven deforestation, inefficient energy use, waste mismanagement, and unregulated urban expansion—reflect human disregard for ecological limits. Consumer excess, he noted, starkly contrasts with widespread poverty and undermines collective well-being.

Rethinking Land Policy

The Bishop called for a critical review of Nigeria’s Land Use Act of 1976, which centralized land in the hands of governors. While intended to streamline land administration, the law has often marginalized smallholders, encouraged elite capture, reduced long-term stewardship, and generated community conflicts. For Kukah, land should serve the common good rather than patronage networks.

Ecological Spirituality

Drawing on African cultural traditions, Kukah highlighted the spiritual dimension of environmental stewardship. Many communities recognize the sacredness of land, expressed in rituals and harvest festivals that celebrate creation’s gifts. These cultural practices, he argued, can foster ecological responsibility. Environmental education, he concluded, must start at home and within communities to instill care from an early age.

Principles of the Common Good

Catholic Social Teaching, Kukah noted, emphasizes human dignity, social justice, and moral limits on capitalism. From Rerum Novarum (1891) to Populorum Progressio (1967), the Church has consistently condemned exploitation and profit without justice. Workers, he reminded, are not instruments of gain but bearers of dignity.

The Catechism further asserts that “the goods of creation are destined for the whole human race.” While private property is legitimate, it carries a social mortgage, reminding owners that stewardship carries responsibility to others.

War, Greed, and Justice

Kukah warned that resource competition can fuel conflict. Wars often arise from greed and lust, as James 4:1 observes. Effective resource governance, rooted in justice and accountability, can prevent conflicts before they escalate. Protecting the environment, therefore, is not only an ecological imperative but also a peacebuilding strategy.

Returning to the Four Cardinal Virtues

Bishop Kukah concluded by linking environmental responsibility to classical moral virtues:

Prudence: moderation and wise judgment

Justice: giving each their due

Fortitude: courage in adversity

Temperance: self-control over excess

These virtues, he argued, anchor our relationship with creation, providing a moral compass for responsible action.

“To have and to hold” is a call to covenantal stewardship of creation. Bishop Kukah reminded his audience that the Earth is not mute; it responds to human abuse. Moral clarity, spiritual responsibility, and practical action must guide humanity if ecological destruction is to be halted.

He concluded with the timeless words of Max Ehrmann’s Desiderata:

“Go placidly amid the noise and the haste… Speak your truth quietly and clearly… With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.”

In this reflection, Kukah linked theology, morality, culture, and ecology, offering a framework for ethical environmental stewardship rooted in faith and justice. For him, the promise “to have and to hold” is not merely about human relationships—it is a covenant with creation itself.

Please note:

Written by Dayo Emmanuel as adapted from the presentation of Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah at the 24th Chief S. L. Edu Memorial Lecture.

The original material was published by:
Nigerian Conservation Foundation,
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Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria.
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