Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah
BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto-
The outspoken Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah has decried in his Easter message to Christians that the frustration curve has continues to be on the increase in Nigeria because the country’s cup of sorrow seems to be permanently full.
Bishop Kukah who titled his Easter Message to Christians as “Nigeria: Before Our Glory Departure” stressed that the large scale of insecurity can be linked to the pathetic rating of the country in terms of poverty globally.
Speaking imperatively of the truth without minding whose ox is gored, Bishop Kukah quoted Pope St. Gregory the Great as saying, “If a religious leader is afraid to say what is right, what else can his silence mean but that he has taken flight? Hiding behind a wall of silence is like taking flight at the approach of the wolf”.
While warning against seeing those that are factual about the reality of the country at the moment as imaginary enemies, Bishop Kukah said, “When governments face legitimacy crises, they fall back on serving the sour broth of propaganda, half-truths, and outright lies.
“They manufacture consent by creating imaginary enemies, setting citizens against one another by deploying religion, ethnicity, region, and other platforms while appealing to the base emotions of patriotism”.
Putting it in a more succinctly manner, Bishop Kukah said: “We forget the reality that without truth, the throne of power often turns into a cage, and the occupant is turned into a prisoner. In reality, the truth needs neither a judge nor a witness. The truth is its own judge and witness. Without the truth, as the old song says, all else is sinking sand”.
“Recently, according to the World Happiness Report, we are one of the unhappiest nations in the world. This is unacceptable but understandable. Our clay-footed fight against corruption has not moved the needle of transparency forward”.
“Of course, being one the poverty-stricken Nation of the world comes with its rewards such as banditry, violence, death, sorrow, blood, poverty, misery, and tears. Our cup of sorrow is permanently full; hence the exponential rise in the frustration curve across the country”.
“Taunted by Boko Haram, ravaged by bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers, and other merchants of death across the nation, there is collective fear as to whether Nigeria’s glory is about to depart! Retired military and intelligence officers lament over what has become of their glorious profession as they watch the humiliation of our military personnel. Traumatised citizens are tortured daily by bandits”.
“The nation has since become a massive killing field, as both government and the governed look on helplessly. A thick and suffocating cloud of desperation, despondency, desolation, gloom, and misery hangs in the hot air. We have no message and have no idea how long this will last. Our people seek solace and protection, but frustration and darkness threaten to drown them. Is their government on AWOL? Bishop Kukah bitterly asked.