HIGHLIGHT – Most Rev. Matthew Kukah
The Catholic bishop blamed the elites for failing to have proper understanding of the nation’s structure and lead Nigeria effectively.
The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto diocese, Most Rev. Mathew Kukah, has said the reason Nigeria is in a constant state of commotion can be attributed to the inability of political elites to ascertain what exactly is wrong with the country.
Kukah made his position known while speaking to the UK-based ARISE TV Network over the lingering tensions and agitations in Nigeria
He said that despite the impression that Christians and Muslims cannot coexist harmoniously, Nigerians of both religions “have no problem” with one another.
The cleric said the Southern Kaduna crisis had not been properly handled by the All Progressives Congress (APC) government.
“Today, it is Southern Kaduna, yesterday it was something else and tomorrow it will be something completely different.
“But, I think that this issue has not been given much attention. We really have not been able to figure out what really is wrong with Nigeria. Whether it is Biafra as you mentioned in the news, the agitators, how is it that this nation is in constant state of commotions.
“Unfortunately, religion has become the tour guide but, really we don’t have problem let me say between Muslims and Christians. There are Christians, there are Muslims and there are people who are misusing the religion but, it all comes down to the nature and the responsibility of the political elites who have stepped up and asked us to give them the mandate to govern us.
“So, we intend to blame the victim, which is that the Christians have not just been able to settle down with their Muslims brother.
“The country (Nigeria) does not belong to Christians and does not belong to the Muslims, and people don’t get elected into public offices as Christians or Muslims.
So, it’s a question of the failures of the inability of the political elites. There is absolutely no bad will but just sheer mental inability to understand the structure. It is a problem of leadership,” he said.
