December 25, 2024
The Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Kukah, has commiserated with families that lost their loves ones in the recent tragic stampedes in Oyo and Anambra states as well as Abuja where over over sixty lives were lost, but blamed the unfortunate incidents on the failures of the government to respond actively to Nigeria’s hard socioeconomic challenges.
Delivering his message to Christians on the occasion of this year’s Christmas celebration, he noted with dismay that Nigeria was still walking in darkness despite attaining independence over 60 years ago.
Bishop Kukah, who lamented Nigeria’s lack of visible and measurable progress said the country had choosing darkness rather than light, has retard it development
“Imagine if we let the light shine on our public service, on our politics, on our individual, community and national life, on our public institutions. Imagine what Nigeria would be like if we chose light instead of darkness.
“Our journey to greatness is still severely constrained by the forces of ethnicity, nepotism, and greed. There is still the lingering anxiety that ethnicity and religion trump common citizenship in terms of access to opportunities. Feelings of exclusion drive citizens to the fringes of violence and frustration.
“We are still unable to come to terms with the ideals of our national anthem that says: though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand. Diversity is a gift of God. Let us use it effectively as a tool for national mobilization and cohesion,” he said
Commenting on the recent stampedes in some parts of the country, Bishop Kukar, blamed it on the failure of the government to respond concretely toward ending the horrible crisis of hunger and desperation in the country.
“The tragedies that occurred in Okija, Ibadan, and Abuja where innocent people lost their lives in stampedes at food distribution points are a metaphor for the situation of desperation that citizens have been thrown into.
“The failures of government to respond concretely toward ending the horrible crisis of hunger and desperation has created the conditions for these avoidable tragedies.
“Citizens are lapsing into despair. The Catholic Church is not new to providing succour for the needy and vulnerable. Under the auspices of St. Vincent de Paul, the Church continues to provide succour to the poor across the wider society. These tragedies were avoidable.
“Government needs to work more closely with institutions that help to promote the common good of our society. May God grant eternal rest to the dead and console their families. It is the duty of government to ensure minimum dignity for our people,” he maintained.
The Bishop also spoke on the cost of running for public office was the major obstacle for youth participation in Nigeria politics.
“In 2018, the passage of the Not Too Young to Run Bill was widely greeted by young people who believed that the doors had now opened for their active engagement in politics. After a few elections, many young people have been elected at various levels. This is commendable.
“However, problems of internal democracy, the costs of running for public office, still remain major obstacles for youth participation in politics,” he noted.
While commending the federal government for the educational loan schemes, the Bishop, adviced that, the scheme should not be limit only to university students but also to those seeking to acquire vocational or technical skills.
He however cautioned that the scheme should be free of the usual bureaucratic bottlenecks and favouritism that often hindered access to government programs.
“Hopefully, in future, poverty should not exclude anyone from a good education. We encourage the youth to seize this opportunity with both hands.”
Although he acknowledged some progress was made in the fight against insecurity in the country, Bishop Kukah recommended for a comprehensive work plan to secure our nation, with a clear mandate and datelines.
“Insecurity is the first child of corruption. We cannot win the war against insecurity without addressing the issues of unemployment and violent religious extremism which create the conditions for violence.”
