In a powerful Easter message filled with passion and urgency, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Hassan Kukah, has made a heartfelt appeal to President Bola Tinubu to rise to the occasion and lead Nigeria out of what he described as a crisis of violence, hopelessness, and national despair.
“Step up. Break the silence. Lead from the front,” the bishop urged. “Bring us down from these crosses of shame, hunger, and hopelessness.”
A Nation in Grief
Bishop Kukah painted a grim picture of a country where daily headlines are dominated by kidnappings, killings, and disappearances, with citizens trapped in a worsening spiral of fear, hunger, and disillusionment.
“We are gradually losing our place among the comity of civilised nations,” he warned. “The entire country has become a theatre of grief.”
Though he acknowledged that President Tinubu did not create the current challenges, Kukah stressed that the burden of leadership and the responsibility to fix it now rests on his shoulders.
“Mr. President, you did not place this cross upon us, but Nigerians have been hanging from it for too long. The blood of the innocent cries out daily, and despair now haunts every corner of this nation.”
On the Economy: “Hunger Stalks the Land”
Kukah also addressed the country’s economic hardship, especially in the wake of the fuel subsidy removal. While admitting that the decision may have been necessary, he criticised the government’s response as inadequate.
“It is insulting to reduce our national suffering to temporary palliatives,” he said. “Hunger, sickness, and desolation now stalk the land. Food security must be treated as a fundamental human right.”
Security Concerns: “Banditry Is Now Part of Our Daily Lives”
Perhaps the most stinging part of Bishop Kukah’s message focused on insecurity. He spoke about Nigeria’s farming communities being under siege, and described agriculture as “one of the most dangerous occupations in Nigeria today.”
He also recalled how some politicians once admitted to bringing armed groups into the country for political gain—an action he believes has now spiraled out of control.
“What started as a selfish strategy has become a raging inferno threatening to consume us all,” he said. “Banditry and terror have woven themselves into the fabric of Nigerian life.”
The bishop then questioned the effectiveness and motives of Nigeria’s security institutions, asking whether the crisis persists because of lack of capacity—or because some are benefiting from the chaos.
“Are we sacrificial lambs offered to a strange god?” he asked solemnly.
A Glimmer of Hope
Despite his harsh critique, Bishop Kukah ended his message on a hopeful note, using the symbolism of Christ’s resurrection to call for national renewal.
“All is not lost,” he said. “Now is the time to reclaim our nation from darkness and rebuild a country anchored in justice, peace, and dignity.”
