The Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Hassan Kukah says the recent tragic stampedes for free food in Oyo, Anambra and Abuja is a reflection of the failure of governance as Nigeria continues to grope 64 years after independence.
He said not only has government failed to actively respond to the current hunger in the land, but also the issue of corruption, unemployment and violent extremism.
Kukah said in his Christmas message that more citizens are lapsing into despair.
“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.”
According to the Bishop, the tragedies were avoidable, and advised government to work more closely with institutions that help to promote the common good of the society, so to ensure minimum dignity for our people.
He acknowledged the gains recorded in taming insecurity, but said a lot more needed to be done to secure the country, including tackling corruption headlong.
“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,” he added
Kukah said Nigerians must “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.”
The Bishop also spoke on the issues discouraging Nigerian youths from participating in active 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 reiterated.
Kukah, however, commended the federal government for activating the education loan scheme.
He advised that the loan be extended to those seeking vocational and technical skills.
The Bishop further advised that the scheme should be free of the usual bureaucratic bottlenecks and favouritism so as to expand the scope of opportunities for young people and their parents.
“Hopefully, in future, poverty should not exclude anyone from a good education. We encourage the youth to seize this opportunity with both hands,” he said.
