Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, has issued a passionate Easter message to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to rescue Nigerians from the depths of suffering, insecurity, and economic hardship.
Drawing a stark comparison to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, Bishop Kukah said Nigerians have been “dangling and bleeding on this cross of pain and mindless suffering for too long.”
In his words: “We all admit that you neither erected this cross nor did you effect our collective crucifixion.”
“Notwithstanding, Nigerians have been dangling and bleeding on this cross of pain and mindless suffering for too long. A culture of cynicism and self-doubt over our capacity to secure peace for ourselves pervades our land.”
The revered cleric acknowledged that hope remains essential, especially for Christians. “Indeed, a majority of our citizens feel that there is no hope in sight. However, for us as Christians, Hope is the anchor on which we hang all our hopes (Heb. 6:19). Now is the time to re-enkindle and renew that hope.”
Kukah painted a grim picture of the nation’s security landscape, warning of the threat posed by armed criminals.
“The road to our collective discouragement in Nigeria has been laid by marauders, murderers, savages and ravenous predators who threaten to overrun our nation. Mr. President, immediately rid our dear country of these forces of darkness and bring us down from this cross of cynicism.”
Food insecurity also featured in his Easter address, as he called for urgent reforms and an end to palliative approaches.
“Mr. President, hunger, sickness and desolation stalk the land. We still believe removing the subsidies was the right decision. We note that the country now has a huge volume of resources in its domestic reserves.”
He continued: “For over ten years now, farming has become one of the most hazardous pre-occupations in our country. I restate the obvious by warning that mere palliative distribution diminishes the dignity of citizens.”
“We have remained between the rock of self-doubt and the hard place of hopelessness. Make food security a fundamental human right to all citizens. Mr. President, please bring us down from this painful cross of hunger.”
On the issue of insecurity, Kukah reiterated the role political actors may have played in nurturing violence for political gain.
“Some years back, some of our public officers confessed that they brought our current killers into our country as a strategy for upstaging the government of the day and to gain power. Strange as it may sound, today we have watched as the cancer of insecurity and violence have metastasized. Now, this cancer threatens the very foundation of our common humanity.”
Describing how banditry and kidnappings have become deeply rooted in daily life, he warned: “The bandits have not only become embedded in every sphere of our lives, they threaten to destroy all that holds our communities together.”
“This self-destructive cancer has invaded our communities and kidnapping is a now a dog whistle for undermining the very structure and foundation of our country. We now hang on the cross at the mercy of these forces of darkness. Mr. President, please, bring us down from this cross of insecurity.”
Bishop Kukah further appealed for collective resolve, highlighting that most Nigerians desire peace and unity. “We are the light of the world, a city set on a hill,” he said.
“We are confident that a majority of the citizens of our country want to live in peace with one another. However, allowing this insecurity to persists will undermine all forms of goodwill that this or any government in Nigeria espouses.”
The Bishop also expressed worry that national frustration is reaching critical levels.
“We have all the ingredients to create a toxic mix of violence that can spin out of control. Right now, frustration has penetrated every spectrum of our society especially as the government and its security agencies seem to have largely become spectators in the dance of death that has overtaken our country.”
He raised a probing question about the root of the security crisis: “We are in a dilemma now and the question is simple: is the persistence of the insecurity a statement of the lack of capacity of our men and women in uniform, or is it evidence that those at the top are reaping the fruits of funding their own war machine? In other words, are Nigerians lambs being sacrificed to an unknown god? Mr. President, step up, get to the finishing line and bring us down from this cross of shame.”
Bishop Kukah concluded his message by wishing President Tinubu a happy Easter and urging all Nigerians to renew their dedication to nation-building.
