The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Hassan Kukah has pointedly said that President Muhammadu Buhari only succeeded in destroying every aspect of life in Nigeria, stressing that only corruption has been allowed to thrive and grow.
He noted that with everything literally broken down, the country has become one big emergency national hospital with full occupancy
Bishop Kukah, who stated these in his Easter message on Sunday in Sokoto, said that the greatest challenge now is how to begin a process of reconstructing the nation hoping that we can hang on and survive the 2023 elections.
He specifically said that the real challenge before Nigerians now is to look beyond politics and face the challenge of forming character and faith in the country.
In his words; “Here, leaders of religion, Christianity and Islam, need to truthfully face the role of religion in the survival of our country. The Nigerian Constitution has very clearly delineated the fine boundaries between religion and politics. Yet many politicians continue to behave as if they are presiding over both the political and the spiritual realms in their states rather than governing in a Democracy.”
Bishop Kukah specifically said that the government has slid into hibernation mode, stressing that it is hard to know whether the problem is that those in power do not hear, see, feel, know, or just don’t care.
He further said; “Either way, from this crossroad, we must make a choice, to go forward, turn left or right or return home. None of these choices are easy, yet, guided by the light of the risen Christ, we can reclaim our country from its impending slide to anarchy.
“Our individual hearts are broken. Our family dreams are broken. Homes are broken. Churches, Mosques, infrastructure are broken. Our educational system is broken. Our children’s lives and future are broken. Our politics is broken. Our economy is broken. Our energy system is broken. Our security system is broken. Our roads and rails are broken. Only corruption is alive and well.
“Nigerians can no longer recognise their country which has been battered and buffeted by men and women from the dark womb of time. It is no longer necessary to ask how we got here. The real challenge is how to find the slippery rungs on the ladder of ascent so we can climb out. Yet, we ask, ascend to where?
“One would be tempted to ask, what is there to say about our tragic situation today that has not been said? Who is there to speak that has not spoken? Like the friends of Job, we stare at an imponderable tragedy as the nation unravels from all sides,” Kukah said.
The Bishop therefore called on all religious leaders in Nigeria to urgently come to the country’s rescue, saying that religious leaders must face the reality that here in Nigeria and elsewhere around the world, millions of people are leaving Christianity and Islam.
In the words of Kukah; “While we are busy building walls of division with the blocks of prejudice, our members are becoming atheists but we prefer to pretend that we do not see this. We cannot pretend not to hear the footsteps of our faithful who are marching away into atheism and secularism. No threats can stop this, but dialogue can open our hearts”.
True talk God bless you