The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, on Monday, advised President Bola Tinubu on certain steps that must be taken to make Nigeria better. He warned the Nigerian leader that neither God nor history would forgive him if he failed as president.
Mr Kukah said this in a Christmas message where he described Nigeria as a nation in search of healing.
You are in the driving seat now, the clergyman told Mr Tinubu. “Under your watch, Nigeria must turn the corner. Under your watch, we must end the ugly instrumentalisation of religious, ethnic or regional identities.”
He said Mr Tinubu has had enough time to think of the answers to many questions that are crying for answers.
He added that Nigerians would not forgive the President if he failed, because, for the better part of over twenty years, he plotted to be Nigeria’s leader.
“Your future and that of our country is in your hands. Mr President, you have no excuses before God or the people of Nigeria. Neither God nor history will not forgive you if you fail.
“This is our moment, our date with history. Now, all eyes and ears are on you. Our prayers for a united country are with you,” Mr Kukah said.
On the policies taken by Mr Tinubu so far, the bishop said some of them have caused suffering for the masses.
“So far, a few of your key policies have unleashed a raft of suffering on the masses of our people. There must be a deliberate effort to restore hope to the faces of the poor and vulnerable in our society.
“We have heard the familiar stories of empty treasuries and the efforts at investigations. We wait to see if anything will be different. Lay the foundation for ending the unnecessary sufferings of our people,” Mr Kukah said.
On the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr Tinubu, the Bishop said hope has worn thin in Nigeria.
“Nigerians have almost lost hope in the fact that a government can really and truly care for them.
“Nigerians have lost hope in the fact that our politicians will put our interests first and find a way to deal with the cancer of corruption. We had lost hope in being united again given the seeds of division that had been sown. Ignite our hope again,” Mr Kukah said.
Notwithstanding, the Bishop said he has seen some renewed hope in President Tinubu’s effort to “run an inclusive government.”
He advised the president to end partisanship and address structural issues.
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“We want an end to partisanship. The problems of Nigeria are deep-seated and they are based on a culture of corruption that has become the foundation stone of governance. This evil structure has to be dismantled.
“Nigeria’s problems will not be resolved by palliatives. The problems are deep and are structural. Please do not be afraid to reset the template of power no matter the cultural or historical myths. We are tired of promises and stories. We want evidence we can see and touch,” he said.
The bishop also urged the president to address insecurity and end the killings of Nigerians.
“These senseless killings, abductions, extortions and kidnappings have to end and the sacredness and sanctity of human life restored.”
He argued that blasphemy laws have no place in a democracy.
“We are not in a theocracy. Those who take life by whatever means must be fished out and punished. A culture of compensation to victims must be institutionalised and states must take full responsibility while criminals or those who hide them are fished out. We cannot go on this way.”
“The seeds of hatred that have sprouted in Gaza show us the consequences of allowing a culture of distorted narratives to grow among us.”
On corrupt public officials, Mr Kukah advised the president to get rid of the “public service of criminals who have turned the opportunity to serve into an ignoble enterprise.”
“We concede that there are millions of decent men and women who genuinely wish to serve but are crushed by the deadweight of corrupt ogas at the top who use corruption as their oxygen.”
These things must happen if you are to succeed in any of your dreams of delivering much-needed services to our people, Mr Kukah added.
“To be able to have credibility, your Renewed Hope agenda must be based on a solid foundation of faith and hope for the restoration of glory for our country.”
He also advised Nigerians to stay on the course of hope.
“God will do great things for our nation, but we each must renew our commitment towards self-examination and repentance. Good politics and good politicians can bring about change, but all of these require the commitment and honesty of citizens, to be honest at all levels. I therefore call on Christians in particular in this season to become real models of our faith,” he said
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