The Bishop of the Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Hassan Kukah has tasked the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to keep Nigerians alive before embarking on infrastructural development.
According to the the cleric in his Easter message titled: “NIGERIA: RECONCILIATION POSTPONED?”, only the living could enjoy infrastructures.
“I am hopeful that you will appreciate that the most urgent task facing our nation is not infrastructure or the usual cheap talk about dividends of Democracy.
” These are important but first, keep us alive because only the living can enjoy infrastructure.
” For now, the most urgent mission is to start a psychological journey of making Nigerians feel whole again, of creating a large tent of opportunity and hope for us all, of expanding the frontiers of our collective freedom, of cutting off the chains of ethnicity and religious bigotry, of helping us recover from the feeling of collective rape by those who imported the men of darkness that destroyed our country, of recovering our country and placing us on the path to our greatness, of exorcising the ghost of nepotism and religious bigotry,” he noted
On the outgoing President, Bishop Kukah remarked that, “as you prepare to return to Daura or Kaduna, I do not know if you feel fulfilled or that you met the tall dreams and goals you set for yourself such as: ending banditry, defeating corruption, bringing back our girls, belonging to everybody and belonging to nobody, selling off our presidential fleet and travelling with us etc.
“You may have followed my engagement with you through these Messages over the years.
“You publicly referred to me during one of our visits as your number one public critic with a huge smile.
“I commend you for the fact that you have known that none of this was done out of malice but that we want the best for our country.
” May God guide you in retirement while we all embark on the challenge of reclaiming the country we knew before you came,” he prayed
Kukah also messaged judiciary, saying “the future of our country hangs on your deliberations. I will not judge you. I can only pray that God gives you grace. It will be up to you to decide how you use that gift which no amount of influence or power can buy.
“Nigerians are saddened that your sacred temples have been invaded by the political class leaving the toxic fumes that now threaten your reputation as the last hope for all citizens.
” It is sad that your hard earned reputation is undergoing very severe stress and pressure from those who want justice on their own terms.
” Nigerians are looking up to you to reclaim their trust in you as the interpreters of the spirit of our laws. The future of our country is in your hands.
“You have no obligation to please any one. Our future depends on how you arrive at your much awaited judgement,” he said
On our youth, he urged them to look at the mistakes of the past and avoid them.
“Note that your actions today will shape tomorrow. Learn the rules of good sportsmanship, know rules, know your roles, know when to fight, what to fight for and know when to walk away so you can embrace other fights,” he said.
