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TULSA, OK: Nigerian bishop to speak on violence against African Christians during Tulsa visit

TULSA, OK: Nigerian bishop to speak on violence against African Christians during Tulsa visit
His Tulsa visit will focus on Christians in African nations

By TIM STANLEY World Staff Writer
www.tulsaworld.com
August 30, 2014

The Rev. Markus Dogo, an Anglican bishop from Nigeria who has witnessed firsthand the violence and terrorism of Islamic extremist group Boko Haram, will speak on the subject Saturday during a visit to Tulsa.

The talk is set for 6 p.m. at Church of the Holy Spirit Anglican, 12121 E. 41st St. Dogo will also be guest celebrant and preacher at the church's Sunday service. It will begin at 10:30 a.m.

Boko Haram, which drew international attention earlier this year for the kidnapping of more than 300 Nigerian schoolgirls, has a history of sacking villages and mercilessly slaughtering inhabitants.
Thousands of northern Nigeria residents have also been displaced by the group's activities.

Ethnic-religious conflict is not new to the region, said Dogo, a native of Nigeria, adding that it has been plagued by it for decades.

But since 2009 and the rise of Boko Haram, he said, the nature of the conflict has changed.
Now, Dogo said, it seems to be primarily motivated by religion, with Christians -- regardless of denomination -- being targeted specifically.

"Now we are seeing attacks without any provocation -- gunmen arriving at a village, sometimes in the middle of the night, and killing everyone," Dogo said in a phone interview with the Tulsa World from Houston.

One horrifying example occurred in March and touched him personally.

In an attack on a village, more than 120 people were killed, including dozens from his own diocese. Many of them, he said, were women and children.

"Some were shot, some slaughtered with knives, some burned in their homes," said Dogo, who visited the scene the next day.

"Houses and churches were gutted, burned."

Before he left for the U.S. in June, 240 people were killed in a similar attack on another village, he added.

Dogo said the majority of Muslims in Nigeria have joined Christians in condemning the attacks.
But he hopes for more collaboration between the two groups.

"If we can have a good number of Christians and Muslims team up, we should be able to better control the situation."

He admits, however, that there are other factors. The region is complex both religiously and politically.
"(But) I'm not a politician; I'm a pastor," Dogo added.

He said he encourages people to join him and others in praying for the situation.
"We need God's help, more than anything."

Dogo, who is bishop of the Kafanchan Diocese, serving the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), is winding up a ministry trip that has included several stops in the U.S. He said Tulsa will be the first stop where he has spoken about the terrorism back home.

Who: Rev. Markus Dogo, Anglican bishop in Nigeria
When: 6 p.m. Saturday
Where: Church of the Holy Spirit Anglican, 12121 E. 41st St.
Admission: Free and open to the public
For more: Call 918-622-7979 or go tochstulsa.com.

FOOTNOTE: The Anglican Church of Nigeria is not in formal communion with Episcopal Church USA over its actions in ordaining a homosexual priest to the episcopacy in 2003.

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