Matthew Hassan Kukah, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sokoto has described diversity as a gift of God and urged Nigerians to use it effectively as a tool for national mobilization and cohesion.
Bishop Kukah stated this in his Christmas Message issued on Wednesday, noting that 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.
According to him, we are still unable to come to terms with the ideals of our national anthem: 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.
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, and the costs of running for public office, still remain major obstacles for youth participation in politics.
The enactment of the Student Loan Act, of 2024, and the setting up of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, by the Federal Government, are very commendable gestures towards the youth.
Significantly, the Act does not limit access only to university students but to those also seeking vocational or technical skills.
It is hoped that this project will be free of the usual bureaucratic bottlenecks and favouritism so as to expand the scope of opportunities for our youth and their parents.
Hopefully, in future, poverty will not exclude anyone from a good education. We encourage the youth to seize this opportunity with both hands.
We are not out of the woods yet in terms of getting a firm grip on the security situation in our country. However, we note that some progress has been made.
A comprehensive work plan to secure our nation, with clear datelines, must be put in place.
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.
Religious extremism can only be resolved if the government employs the force of the law and prosecutes the perpetrators as criminals and murderers.
While appealing to Christians not to forget that we are the light of the world, the city on the hill that cannot be hidden. Christians must not allow the structural weaknesses, the foibles and failures of the Nigerian state, to become an excuse for doing wrong.
We cannot continue to blame the Constitution, the Judiciary, the Police, or other public servants for the corruption in our society.
Corruption is another word for our not keeping the words and promises we made at baptism as Christians. We swore to be faithful to Christ at baptism before we encountered the Constitution.
The Constitution is a human instrument with limitations and flaws. However, the Word of God is a divine command and inerrant. Good Christians have the laws of God written in their hearts (2 Cor. 3:3) They need no other law.
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”.
Government needs to work more closely with institutions that help to promote the common good of our society.
May God grant eternal rest to the dead and console their families. It is the duty of the government to ensure minimum dignity for our people.
“Let us therefore now open our hearts and renew our commitment to living the ideal for which Jesus came into the world. My wishes for a blessed Christmas. May the new year bring us blessings and peace”.
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