By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah has said blasphemy laws has no place in democracy as long as Nigerians are not in a theocracy.
He also strongly advised President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria to lay the foundation for the discontinuation of unnecessary sufferings of Nigerians, saying Nigerians are tired of promises and stories and want evidence they can see and touch.
Bishop Kukah who made the assertions in a Christmas message entitled, “Time to Reclaim Nigeria’s Greatness”, noted that the problems of country are deep and are structural, calling on President Bola Tinubu not to 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 lamented.
Kukah also called on the President to stop the killings of Nigerians by whatever name, saying, that is a must end, and now.
“These senseless killings, abductions, extortions and kidnappings have to end and the sacredness and sanctity of human life restored.
According to him, “blasphemy laws have no place in a democracy” adding that Nigerians 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 institutionalized and states must take full responsibility while criminals or those who hide them are fished out.
A member of Nigeria Peace committee, Kukah noted “We cannot go on this way as the seeds of hatred that have sprouted in Gaza show us the consequences of allowing a culture of distorted narratives to grow among us.
He also asserted that President Bola Tinubu must rid 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 dead weight of corrupt oga’s at the top who use corruption as their oxygen!
He also told the President that this surgery must happen, “if you are to succeed in any of your dreams of delivering much-needed services to our people.
He also took a swipe on the 2023 elections and its consequences on the nation, and called on leaders to as a matter of urgency start the healing process as soon as possible.
“Our injuries are not invisible. Very many National Conferences have been held to chart a way forward. The trove of grievances and hopes is there and all the government needs to do is to dust them up. No need to reinvent the wheel or attempt some new diagnosis.
“Mr. President, Sir, congratulations and a happy Christmas. Now, you have what you prayed for, what you dreamt of, what you longed for. For the better part of over twenty years, you have plotted to be our President. For years, you campaigned for a new Nigeria through restructuring or overhauling the defective machinery of the Nigerian state.
“For years, you fought the military and other forms of dictatorships. For years, you fought for the victims of a deep state. For years, you sought to create an egalitarian society.
“For years, you sought a just society. For years you have built networks with individuals, communities and institutions. Now is harvest time.
“You are on the driving seat now. Under your watch, Nigeria must turn the corner. Under your watch, we must end the ugly instrumentalization of religious, ethnic or regional identities.
“You have had enough time to think of the answers to many questions that are crying for answers. 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.
“We have seen the first faltering steps of policy decisions which have elicited a mixture of controversy, anxiety and praise. This is to be expected. You have promised us a Renewed Hope Agenda, but know that hope has worn thin in our dear nation.
“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, Sir.
“We now have seen some renewed hope in your effort to run an inclusive government. 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.
“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. 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 on 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.
To this end, he charged the President to “Lay the foundation for ending the unnecessary sufferings of our people”
Kukah also appealed to Nigerians to continue to have faith in the country and stay the course in 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.
“The call to be a Christian is not a call to join an Association or a Club. The fourteenth-century English poet Alexander Pope who said, “Christ may be born a thousand times in Bethlehem, but if he’s not born in your heart, his birth has no meaning for you, as far as he’s concern.
