The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Kukah

  • Christmas: Kukah urges Nigerians to rise above divisions

    Christmas: Kukah urges Nigerians to rise above divisions

    The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, has urged Nigerians to rise above religious, ethnic and regional sentiments, warning that the country must choose to renovate and educate or face collective ruin.

    Kukah said years of miseducation had turned innocent children into vessels of hatred, stressing that leaders must strengthen their resolve to ease the suffering threatening the nation’s faith, unity and survival.

    He noted that northern Nigeria had become the epicentre of violence, describing the region as the theatre of death with the highest levels of poverty, illiteracy and disease.

    “The message is simple: we must either renovate, educate or perish. We must choose the light of knowledge and abandon the darkness of ignorance. We must hold ourselves to higher moral codes,” the cleric said.

    According to him, embracing these values is essential to defending Nigeria’s strength for peace and unity amid prolonged violence fueled by banditry, kidnapping and other security threats.

    “These negative trends against our survival are happening in the midst of the darkness of our circumstances. It is tempting to grow weary and despondent,” he added.

    In his Christmas message titled “Joy and Hope in a Time of Tribulation,” delivered on Thursday in Sokoto, Kukah expressed concern that Nigeria was trapped in a valley of violence and sorrow, caged by pervasive insecurity.

    “We may not have enough to feed the greed of our elite, but there is enough to feed our people,” he said.

    He observed that Nigerians had for long watched helplessly as communities were torn apart by violence, with brief moments of reprieve often followed by renewed waves of killings and destruction.

    Kukah recalled tragedies such as the abduction of the Chibok and Dapchi schoolgirls, lamenting that their plight had faded into distant echoes amid what he described as official negligence. He also referenced more recent incidents in places like Maga and Papiri.

    “Today, about two thousand children have been subjected to this inhumanity in our country. Our children face the highest risks from early marriage, slavery, and physical, psychological and sexual abuse. These children are our future,” he said.

    Read Also: Nigerians’ resilience weakened by poor governance, oil dependence, says MUSWEN president

    The bishop called on Nigerians to remain steadfast in prayer and hopeful that the country could overcome the evil confronting it, insisting that the task could not be outsourced.

    “This is a battle for our soul as a people and as a nation,” he stated.

    Kukah said Christmas was a time to reflect on the teachings of Christ, renew strength and resist despair, warning against resorting to violence in response to evil.

    He argued that the rise in violence was rooted in toxic politics driven by selfishness and greed for power, noting that perpetrators often had sponsors within society.

    “Whether we call them bandits, kidnappers, jihadists or herdsmen, these men and women of violence are our children. They have come from among us,” he said.

    He prayed for those who lost their lives, urging Nigerians to commit to building a better future founded on peace and justice. Kukah also expressed relief that abducted schoolchildren had been reunited with their families, commending the federal government for its role while describing the ordeal as one too many.

    “In spite of it all, let us not deny ourselves the opportunities for joy this season offers,” he said.

  • Kukah visits Kanu in Sokoto

    Kukah visits Kanu in Sokoto

    Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, yesterday visited jailed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

    Kanu’s legal counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, in a post on his X account, thanked the cleric for the visit.

    He stated: “Thank you so much, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, for taking the time to visit Mazi Nnamdi Kanu today (yesterday).

    Read Also: Nigeria’s security in good hands with Tinubu, Defence Minister Musa – Kukah

    “As the distinguished Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, your visitation symbolises your solidarity and that of Sokoto Diocese with #MNK in this time of distress.”

    The visit followed that of Abia State Governor Alex Otti to Kanu.

    Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 20 convicted Kanu on all the counts of the terrorism charges filed against him by the Federal Government.

    He sentenced him to life imprisonment on counts 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 (terrorism-related offences), 20 years imprisonment (no fine option) on Count 3 (membership of a proscribed terrorist group), and five years imprisonment (no fine option) on Count 7 (unlawful importation of a radio transmitter to further Radio Biafra broadcasts).

  • Nigeria’s security in good hands with Tinubu, Defence Minister Musa – Kukah

    Nigeria’s security in good hands with Tinubu, Defence Minister Musa – Kukah

    The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Most Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, has expressed confidence that efforts to restore security and normalcy across Nigeria are “in very good hands” following the swearing-in of General Christopher Musa (rtd) as Minister of Defence.

    Speaking to journalists at the State House after witnessing Thursday’s ceremony, Bishop Kukah said the blend of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s resolve and General Musa’s experience offers renewed hope for stabilising the country.

    “We just need restoration of normalcy in this country by any means possible, and I think that this job is in very good hands. It does seem very clear that the President wants to reposition issues of security, and I think the situation is in very good hands”, he declared.

    Kukah, who noted that he attended the event in dual capacity, representing the Sultan of Sokoto and as a son of Southern Kaduna like the new minister, conveyed the Sultan’s greetings and goodwill to General Musa.

    Responding to a question on the minister’s position during his Senate screening, where Musa had said terrorists require more punitive measures, Bishop Kukah said there is broad agreement on the urgency and seriousness needed to confront insecurity.

    “We are on all fours as far as that is concerned. Rain, thunder, sunshine, whatever it takes to get this mess under control. These guys need to be flushed out. Normalcy needs to return to our country. Laughter and joy have to come back to Nigeria within the shortest time possible”, he said.

    He added that Nigerians must continue to support efforts aimed at ending insecurity, noting that “all we do is to pray for the best” as the new minister takes on the national assignment.

  • Arming communities to defend themselves won’t end insecurity, says Kukah

    Arming communities to defend themselves won’t end insecurity, says Kukah

    The Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, has said that the growing belief that arming communities to defend themselves against terrorists and bandits only offers a false sense of security.

    Kukah said this in Abuja, on Thursday, when he spoke at a national dialogue on “A Whole-of-Society Approach to Prevention of Violence and Conflict in Northern Nigeria.”

    The event was organized by the National Peace Committee, Kukah Centre, and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

    Kukah raised questions about what would happen to the weapons given to people to defend themselves if/when peace returned to the country.

    He said Nigeria has too many underlying ailments, such as unstable homes, fragmented communities, and weakened moral foundations, noting that these vulnerabilities create fertile ground for bandits and criminals.

    Kukah emphasised that Nigeria can only overcome its security challenges when every citizen, irrespective of faith, ethnicity, or cultural background, comes together to fight the common enemy.

    He said, “The scale and depth of the insecurity problem in the country show that we have hit rock bottom, and the only direction left is upwards.

    “There is a growing belief that communities can defend themselves by arming up. But arms will not solve our problems. They offer a false sense of security.

    “And when peace returns, where will those weapons go? As a Christian, it is not accidental that Jesus asked Peter to put back his sword. God’s teachings do not change; circumstances may change, but the truth does not.”

    He described the gathering as not a conversation for its own sake, but part of a long journey, which, he said, calls on each of us, in our various traditions, to be custodians of conscience and custodians of hope.

    “We meet because we believe Nigeria is worth fighting for—not with weapons, but with truth, courage, justice, and compassion.

    “Our gathering is meant to respond to the cries in our land—not to look for scapegoats or excuses. Nigeria remains a country searching for itself, blessed with extraordinary diversity.

    “Our challenge is to turn that diversity into an asset, not a liability. Nation-building is about gathering and harmonising possibilities and skills from across the board.”

    Kukah said Nigeria should learn from the United States of America, which, he said, thrives today because of its diversity, adding that “If diversity were a liability, America would not be what it is.”

    Read Also: Kukah, others on national identity: citizenship must rise above indigene-settler divide

    “Let us also acknowledge that peace cannot be outsourced. Peace is the collective work of all of us,” he said.

    Kukah said that the whole-of-society approach dictates that every segment of society must participate actively in solving the problem of insecurity.

    According to him, the government must lead with humility, transparency, and justice, while religious and traditional leaders must guide with courage, especially in confronting extremism within their own communities.

    He said, “Peace begins with individuals, families, communities, and societies. If each of us seeks peace where we are, the nation will benefit.

    “We must build trust. We must speak for the voiceless. We must feel free to raise our voices. Women make up the majority of our population, yet many lack a voice—not because of numbers, but because voice means participation and representation,” he added.

  • Kukah, others on national identity: citizenship must rise above indigene-settler divide

    Kukah, others on national identity: citizenship must rise above indigene-settler divide

    The Bishop of Sokoto Diocese and Convener of the National Peace Committee, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, has warned that Nigeria’s unresolved indigene-settler question continues to undermine national unity, cohesion, and genuine citizenship.

    The cleric noted that the issue has been causing the country to drift from the aspirations of its founding fathers.

    The European Union (EU) also expressed the concerns of many people and international bodies on the state of the nation. It said Nigeria must urgently resolve long-standing issues around identity, citizenship, and belonging, if it is to build a stable and prosperous future.

    The bishop spoke yesterday in Abuja at the National Peace Committee’s discourse on Nigeria’s national identity, organised by the National Peace Committee with the support of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS.

    The cleric said the nation’s growing culture of public dialogue demonstrates citizens’ willingness to seek solutions, but lamented that outcomes rarely shape policy in ways that strengthen democracy or national belonging.

    “Recent developments in Nigeria suggest that we are still so far away from the goal posts that our founding fathers set up for us,” he said.

    Kukah noted that unresolved tensions have turned nation-building into a “syllabus of forced errors and crises”.

    The bishop recalled that national identity once occupied a central place in public debate, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s, when scholars interrogated how to build a nation reflecting constitutional diversity.

    He warned that many Nigerians continue to feel excluded, living amid “tension, misery, trauma and desolation” that alienates millions.

    “We need to elevate the Nigerian identity to a higher pillar of common citizenship around which all other identities can stand,” he said.

    Read Also: Abubakar, Kukah, others preach peace as candidates sign accord

    Kukah cautioned that failure to prioritise national identity over sub-national loyalties fuels mistrust, violence, and widening gaps between citizen expectations and state performance.

    The cleric noted that migration and settlement are part of human history and should not be a basis for exclusion, and stressed that Nigeria’s instability is worsened by societal fractures and the indifference and incapacity of the state.

    “If we do not mend quickly, we shall break ultimately,” he warned.

    Supporting the call for urgent reform, the EU said Nigeria must resolve long-standing tensions around identity, citizenship, and belonging to build a stable, prosperous future.

     The Head of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ambassador Gautier Mignot, said dialogue is critical, especially amid rising insecurity, communal tensions, and social fractures.

    “What is at stake is not merely social harmony but the essence of stability itself: every citizen, regardless of ancestry or length of settlement, must enjoy the rights to reside, participate and prosper,” he said, stressing that constitutional guarantees must be realised in daily practice.

    Mignot urged Nigeria to move beyond narrow notions of indigeneity to embrace the creative and cosmopolitan character of its population.

    Embedding residency rights and federal character principles into governance, he said, would help dismantle discriminatory practices that weaken state legitimacy and impede development.

    Drawing lessons from Europe, he recalled that the continent’s ethnic diversity once fueled wars, border conflicts, and mass displacement.

    “The European Union has long embraced the principle of ‘United in Diversity,’ transforming its diverse nations, cultures, and identities into a source of strength rather than division,” he said, highlighting policies promoting equality, anti-discrimination, and respect for all identities.

    He added that Europe continues to face challenges with indigenous and immigrant populations, but deliberate policies and political will have enabled stability.

    “Diversity should be an asset for every society, where competence and character matter more than ethnic background,” he said.

    A policy strategist, Kunle Fagbemi, called for confronting Nigeria’s colonial legacies, warning that unresolved treaties, ethnic classifications, and constitutional inconsistencies continue to fuel the citizenship and identity crisis.

    He described these legacies as “haunting ghosts” shaping political culture, elite behaviour, and institutions, and argued that the 1999 Constitution deepened divisions.

    The policy strategist called for a new constitution founded on inclusive, participatory governance, residency-based rights, and reforms that encourage intra-Nigerian migration while distinguishing it from cross-border movement under ECOWAS.

    Fagbemi argued that the 1999 Constitution, imposed without consensus, deepened divisions, and that universal rights-based citizenship models cannot succeed without addressing Nigeria’s historic fragmentation.

    He stressed that genuine nation-building requires enforcement of existing laws, attitudinal change, cultural exchange, and deliberate support for cross-cultural families.

    Fagbemi also criticised the political elite for exploiting ethnic divisions and bypassing statutory structures such as the Police Council in security matters.

    He urged enforcement of existing laws, attitudinal change, and deliberate support for cross-cultural families to advance genuine nation-building.

    The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Isa-Onilu, echoed the call for unity, stressing that identity tensions influence access to opportunities, citizenship rights, and social cohesion.

    Represented by Dr. Olukemi Afolayan, Director Civic, Values and Democracy Education, NOA, he highlighted initiatives such as the National Values Charter, civic education programs, and interfaith and community dialogue platforms to promote tolerance, peace, and inclusive citizenship.

    “This discourse aligns with our mandate to shape national consciousness, foster unity, and cultivate shared allegiance,” Onilu said, urging Nigerians to recognize every citizen as a stakeholder beyond ethnicity or place of origin.

  • National Identity: Unresolved indigene-settler issue threat to Nigeria’s unity, says Kukah

    National Identity: Unresolved indigene-settler issue threat to Nigeria’s unity, says Kukah

    Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, Bishop of Sokoto Diocese and Convener of the National Peace Committee, has cautioned that Nigeria’s unresolved indigene-settler question continues to weaken national unity, cohesion, and genuine citizenship, pushing the country away from the vision of its founding fathers.

    The warning comes as the European Union (EU) emphasized that Nigeria must urgently address long-standing issues surrounding identity, citizenship, and belonging to ensure a stable and prosperous future.

    Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja at the National Peace Committee discourse on Nigeria’s national identity, organized by the Committee with support from the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Kukah noted that the nation’s growing culture of public dialogue reflects citizens’ willingness to find solutions. 

    He, however, expressed concern that the outcomes of such discussions rarely influence policies in ways that reinforce democracy or foster a sense of national belonging.

    “Recent developments in Nigeria suggest that we are still so far away from the goal posts that our founding fathers set up for us,” he said, noting that unresolved tensions have turned nation-building into a “syllabus of forced errors and crises.”

    Kukah recalled that national identity once occupied a central place in public debate, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s, when scholars interrogated how to build a nation reflecting constitutional diversity. 

    He warned that many Nigerians continue to feel excluded, living amid “tension, misery, trauma and desolation” that alienates millions.

    “We need to elevate the Nigerian identity to a higher pillar of common citizenship around which all other identities can stand,” he said, cautioning that failure to prioritise national identity over sub-national loyalties fuels mistrust, violence, and widening gaps between citizen expectations and state performance.

    Kukah added that migration and settlement are part of human history and should not be a basis for exclusion, and stressed that Nigeria’s instability is worsened by societal fractures and the indifference and incapacity of the state.

    “If we do not mend quickly, we shall break ultimately,” he warned.

    Supporting the call for urgent reform, the EU said Nigeria must resolve long-standing tensions around identity, citizenship, and belonging to build a stable, prosperous future.

    Ambassador Gautier Mignot, Head of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, said dialogue is critical, especially amid rising insecurity, communal tensions, and social fractures.

    “What is at stake is not merely social harmony but the essence of stability itself: every citizen, regardless of ancestry or length of settlement, must enjoy the rights to reside, participate and prosper,” he said, stressing that constitutional guarantees must be realised in daily practice.

    Mignot urged Nigeria to move beyond narrow notions of indigeneity to embrace the creative and cosmopolitan character of its population. 

    Embedding residency rights and federal character principles into governance, he said, would help dismantle discriminatory practices that weaken state legitimacy and impede development.

    Drawing lessons from Europe, he recalled that the continent’s ethnic diversity once fueled wars, border conflicts, and mass displacement. 

    “The European Union has long embraced the principle of ‘United in Diversity,’ transforming its diverse nations, cultures, and identities into a source of strength rather than division,” he said, highlighting policies promoting equality, anti-discrimination, and respect for all identities.

    He added that Europe continues to face challenges with indigenous and immigrant populations, but deliberate policies and political will have enabled stability. 

    “Diversity should be an asset for every society, where competence and character matter more than ethnic background,” he said.

    Policy strategist Kunle Fagbemi called for confronting Nigeria’s colonial legacies, warning that unresolved treaties, ethnic classifications, and constitutional inconsistencies continue to fuel the citizenship and identity crisis.

    He described these legacies as “haunting ghosts” shaping political culture, elite behaviour, and institutions, and argued that the 1999 Constitution deepened divisions. 

    He called for a new constitution founded on inclusive, participatory governance, residency-based rights, and reforms that encourage intra-Nigerian migration while distinguishing it from cross-border movement under ECOWAS. 

    Fagbemi argued that the 1999 Constitution, imposed without consensus, deepened divisions and that universal rights-based citizenship models cannot succeed without addressing Nigeria’s historic fragmentation. 

    He stressed that genuine nation-building requires enforcement of existing laws, attitudinal change, cultural exchange, and deliberate support for cross-cultural families. 

    Fagbemi also criticised the political elite for exploiting ethnic divisions and bypassing statutory structures such as the Police Council in security matters.

    He urged enforcement of existing laws, attitudinal change, and deliberate support for cross-cultural families to advance genuine nation-building.

    Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Isa Onilu, echoed the call for unity, stressing that identity tensions influence access to opportunities, citizenship rights, and social cohesion. 

    Represented by Dr. Olukemi Afolayan, Director Civic, Values and Democracy Education, NOA, he highlighted initiatives such as the National Values Charter, civic education programs, and interfaith and community dialogue platforms to promote tolerance, peace, and inclusive citizenship.

    “This discourse aligns with our mandate to shape national consciousness, foster unity, and cultivate shared allegiance,” Onilu said, urging Nigerians to recognize every citizen as a stakeholder beyond ethnicity or place of origin.

  • SCSN faults Kukah over comments on Shari’ah

    SCSN faults Kukah over comments on Shari’ah

    The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) has faulted recent comments by the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, suggesting that the implementation of Shari’ah law in northern Nigeria fuels violence.

    In a statement by its Kaduna Chapter Secretary, Engr. AbdurRahman Hassan, the Council described Kukah’s position as a “misconception that ignores both history and fact,” insisting that Shari’ah is neither a political weapon nor an instrument of violence, but a system of moral discipline and justice deeply rooted in Muslim faith and tradition.

    According to the SCSN, when properly applied with due process and oversight, Shari’ah promotes justice, order, and social harmony. It argued that most conflicts in the region are by-products of corruption, bad governance, and inequality, not religion.

    The Council maintained that Muslims in northern Nigeria had practiced Shari’ah for centuries before colonial rule, adding that it remains a way of life for millions who follow it peacefully and voluntarily. “To dismiss or ridicule it is to disregard the culture and identity of an entire people who have shown tolerance toward their Christian neighbours,” it warned.

    SCSN also reminded religious leaders that respect must be mutual, stressing that “no responsible Muslim scholar attacks Canon Law; likewise, no Christian cleric should insult Shari’ah.” It said Nigeria’s federal system accommodates multiple legal traditions, showing that diversity need not lead to division.

    The Council challenged Bishop Kukah to propose how Canon Law could be formally practiced in Christian-majority states if he believes in equity and fairness. “Such a proposal would reveal whether the objection to Shari’ah stems from principle or prejudice,” it noted.

    It further stated that the true test of any legal system, religious or secular, lies in its ability to protect rights, promote justice, and foster peace—objectives which, it said, Shari’ah seeks to achieve when rightly understood.

    SCSN urged all clerics to exercise restraint when speaking on sensitive national matters, calling on religious leaders to be agents of peace and unity. “Let us focus on building a just Nigeria where every faith is respected and no community feels targeted for practicing its belief,” the statement read.

  • Dangote vs PENGASSAN: Critical lessons for Nigeria’s economic future by Emir Sanusi, Kukah, Atedo, others

    Dangote vs PENGASSAN: Critical lessons for Nigeria’s economic future by Emir Sanusi, Kukah, Atedo, others

    Some prominent stakeholders in Nigeria including religious leaders, business figures, and civil society advocates have appealed for calm and sustained dialogue in the labour dispute between the Dangote Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

    They unanimously lamented that the recent industrial strike had sent out wrong signals to investors.

    These eminent Nigerians noted that while government mediation and renewed talks had de-escalated the crisis, the episode exposed risk to investor confidence and efforts to restore domestic refining capacity.

    This joint statement was signed by: Abubakar Siddique Mohammed, Aisha Yesufu, Arunma Oteh, Atedo Peterside CON, Bishop Matthew Kukah CON, Dr. Salamatu Hussaini Suleiman.

    Others are: Dudu Mamman Manuga, Ibrahim Dahiru Waziri, Khalifa Muhammad Sanusi II, Sarkin Kano, Obonganwan Barbara Etim James, Opeyemi Adamolekun, Osita Chidoka and Senator Sola Akinyede.

    According to the statement, the refinery’s operations have already contributed to a drop in petrol prices — from around ₦1,500 to about ₦820 per litre — representing a 55 percent reduction in some areas.

    This, they said, has begun to ease the burden of transport and food costs on ordinary Nigerians.

    READ ALSO; Nigeria’s non-interest capital market hits N1.6tr

    Recall PENGASSAN had last week shut down critical oil and gas facilities over allegations that Dangote refinery sacked 800 workers who joined the union. 

    But Dangote refinery said it only sacked a few workers who were sabotaging the facility, saying this was part of the company’s reorganisation.

    The oil and gas workers embarked on a strike in defence of their colleagues, causing the nation losses in oil and gas production as well as a drop in power generation.

    The intervention of the Federal Government restored normalcy as PENGASSAN suspended the strike after the Dangote Group was asked to redeploy the sacked workers to other business units.

    The statement reads, “We, the undersigned, note with concern the recent disputes and disruptions surrounding the Dangote Refinery. Although the immediate crisis has been de-escalated through government mediation and renewed dialogue between labour and management, the episode raises important lessons for Nigeria’s economic future.

    “For decades, Nigerians endured the collapse of government-owned refineries, the waste of trillions of naira in subsidies, and dependence on fuel imports.

    “These failures left citizens exposed to scarcity, inflation, and insecurity. In this context, the Dangote Refinery represents more than a private venture; it is a national symbol of what bold domestic investment can achieve.

    “Already, the refinery has begun to ease supply pressures, with petrol prices in some parts of the country dropping from around ₦1,500 per litre to about ₦820 — a 55% reduction. This impact on transport costs and food prices offers Nigerians a glimpse of how local productivity can improve daily life. It also signals to investors at home and abroad that industry, rather than speculation, can still thrive in Nigeria.

    “However, the strikes and threats that accompanied this transition send the wrong signals. Industrial disputes, if not carefully managed, risk discouraging both domestic and foreign investment at a time when Nigeria most needs capital and innovation.

    They urged that workers’ rights to organise and bargain must be upheld, and those rights must not be used to hold the economy hostage.

    They also called for transparency and social responsibility from large investors.

    “A refinery of this scale is a national lifeline, with profound consequences for jobs, energy security, and inflation.

    “We wish to underscore three principles: Workers’ rights must be respected. The Constitution guarantees the right to organise and to demand fair treatment. No enterprise can succeed without motivated, fairly treated workers; Markets and productivity must be protected.

    “The right to organise cannot become a license to hold the economy hostage. Productive enterprises that lower costs and create jobs must be safeguarded; Social responsibility and accountability must remain central. Investors of this magnitude must operate transparently, uphold fair labour practices, and reinvest in the communities they serve.

    “We also note that concerns about monopoly or market dominance should not be settled by disruptive industrial action.

    “Nigeria has institutions, such as the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), that are mandated to assess such claims.

    “Where there are legitimate issues of pricing or dominance, the proper channel is through these statutory bodies, not strikes that harm ordinary Nigerians. Moreover, as has been noted, there is no legal monopoly here; others are free to invest in refining, provided they can mobilise the necessary resources and expertise.

    “We commend the Federal Government, labour unions, and Dangote Refinery for stepping back from confrontation and resolving this dispute through dialogue. We urge that this spirit of constructive engagement becomes a template for the future. At the same time, we must stress the dangers that such disruptions pose to investor confidence, economic stability, and Nigeria’s strategic interest in reducing dependency on imports.

    “This crisis is not about a refinery or any other business. It is about the direction of our economy: whether we will continue in a cycle of scarcity and rent-seeking or build a future anchored in productivity, fairness, and shared prosperity. The Dangote refinery represents an audacious step forward. It should not be undermined but strengthened — as a signal to other industrialists that investing in Nigeria’s future is worthwhile.”

  • Kukah commends Gov Sani for stabilising Kaduna

    Kukah commends Gov Sani for stabilising Kaduna

    The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, has lauded Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani for his efforts in stabilising the state and supporting the establishment of the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia.

    Bishop Kukah, who also serves as the Pro-Chancellor of the university, commended the governor for going beyond the call of duty to ensure the institution becomes a reality. 

    He gave the commendation during a courtesy visit to the governor at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House alongside members of the university’s management.

    He noted that the Vice Chancellor, Professor Barnabas Qurix, has been engaging relevant ministries, departments, and agencies to fast-track the start of academic activities.

    Kukah highlighted the university’s foundation on the legacy of the former NOK University and expressed confidence that it would soon rank among the best in Nigeria. 

    He added that while academic activities are scheduled to begin in September, there are still some challenges that would require the support of the Kaduna State Government.

    The clergyman said that the university will need more infrastructure in the coming years and for this reason, it requires more land for expansion, adding that the school will also require access road.  

    Read Also: Bakare, Kukah and politics of religion

    The Pro Chancellor also said that the Federal University of Applied Sciences will require utility vehicles and adequate security.

    Responding, Governor Uba Sani said that he has been working closely with Bishop Kukah on not just the University but on a number of issues, adding that the clergyman has been a pillar of support.

    According to the Governor, his doors are always open as he reiterated his commitment to deepen consultation amongst the diverse people of Kaduna State, irrespective of their ethno-religious or party affiliations.

    He said that his developmental strides in Kaduna State was made possible because of the prevailing peace, adding that there has never been any ethnic or religious crisis since he assumed office about two years ago.

    The Governor also argued that peace was achieved because of his administration’s policy of taking development to every part of the state, irrespective of whether or not the area voted for him.

    Governor Uba Sani disclosed that the Minister of Education promised that funds will be made available to the Federal University of Applied Sciences Kachia through TETFUND.

    He also promised to give the university more land, adding that the Managing Director of Kaduna State Roads Agency(KADRA) will assess the access road to the school for necessary action.

    On security, Governor Uba Sani noted that although there are a lot military formations in Kachia, he will collaborate with the Chief of Defence Staff to strengthen security.

    The Governor promised to sit down with members of his administration on the issue of utility vehicles.

  • Bakare, Kukah and politics of religion

    Bakare, Kukah and politics of religion

    In their Easter homilies cum state of the nation messages, Pastor Tunder Bakare of the Citadel Global Community Church and Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto Matthew Hassan Kukah deployed diverse analytical tools to x-ray the societal and developmental crises facing Nigeria. Bishop Kukah’s address was more homiletical, even partly exegetical, while Pastor Bakare’s was more political, judgemental, and didactic. Both men delivered their addresses on Easter Sunday, with the bishop more mindful of the need to sound less political in a church environment. As a matter of fact, he tended to be more acutely aware of the indispensability of aligning his speeches with the person and doctrine of the Christ. In contrast, Pastor Bakare has obliterated the divide between the secular and the non-secular, probably because he believes that the goal of bettering the circumstances of the people had become urgent.

    The bishop described as expiative sacrifice the difficult economic measures in which the Bola Tinubu administration has got Nigerians to welter. Alluding to the transcendence of the cross on which Jesus Christ was hung, and directly calling on the president to vicariously feel the people’s pain, he said: “We all admit that you neither erected this cross nor effected our collective crucifixion. Notwithstanding, Nigerians have been dangling and bleeding on this cross of pain and mindless suffering for too long.” He then went on to ask the president to bring the people down from the cross if far more cataclysmic forces of destruction and despair were not to overtake the country. As he put it: “The bandits have not only become embedded in every sphere of our lives, they threaten to destroy all that holds our communities together. This self-destructive cancer has invaded our communities and kidnapping is now a dog whistle for undermining the very structure and foundation of our country. We now hang on the cross at the mercy of these forces of darkness…Mr. President, please bring us down from this painful cross of hunger. Now is the time to re-enkindle and renew that hope. We have all the ingredients to create a toxic mix of violence that can spin out of control. Right now, frustration has penetrated every spectrum of our society, especially as the government and its security agencies seem to have largely become spectators in the dance of death that has overtaken our country.”

    Bishop Kukah seemed to recognise the sinister forces at play in Nigeria, indicating that beyond the superficial events of apparent administrative laxities and complicities is a more terrifying undertow of forces determined to skew the structural equilibrium of the country or destroy it altogether. If it is not an exaggeration, the bishop seemed very circumspect in railing against the administration. He knew too well that to do so would surrender to the populist excoriation of the administration capable of emboldening the forces of disintegration. He, therefore, measured his words, attempted to give the people hope in the survivability of their country, and suggested that human and economic resources could still be marshaled to lift the country out of penury and instability. His message was thus familiar to exponents of the faith, if not the rest of the country.

    Read Also: North, coalition formation and presumptions

    Pastor Bakare was in contrast fiery and a tad populist. Dividing his message into two sections, either deliberately or accidentally, he launched into a fierce denunciation of both the administration and the legislature, inexplicably sparing the judiciary perhaps because he is a lawyer. He completed his message with quotes and annotations, managing in the process to eschew the rhetorical and scriptural balance famously associated with the New Testament. Without scrupulous interrogations or careful investigations, he turned the femme fatale, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, and the hypercritical Oby Ezekwesili into national totems of resistance and virtue, using both women to vilify the National Assembly and infer the complicity and indulgence of the Tinubu administration. His logic was far-fetched, and his quotations, both biblical and secular, were more meretricious than relevant; but overall, his address tilted largely towards the judgemental and populistic.

    The first part of Pastor Bakare’s address was mainly devoted to rhapsodising his idols and stigmatising the Tinubu administration. More, it was also shockingly consecrated to unedifying name-calling. “Those responsible for steering the course of our nation,” he said plaintively, “lack the humility and character this moment demands of leaders. Instead, what we have seen since the beginning of the year is a descent into tyranny and the brazen abuse of power.” He offered no substantiation except his interpretation of the state of emergency proclamation in Rivers State and the alleged orchestration inspired by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister and former Rivers governor Nyesom Wike. He threw in the tangential matter of what he implied was the role of the groveling national legislature in the president’s acts of ‘state capture’, concluding inelegantly that the “two main contenders in the ongoing institutional immorality Olympics are the executive and the legislature.” He also suggested that “The quality of leadership in Nigeria has become so repugnant that citizens must declare a state of emergency on governance.”

    The pastor was even fiercer on President Tinubu. He dismissed him as the guiding but graceless force in Nigeria’s political theatre. Said he: “…At the centre of this political banditry is the motor park brand of politics nurtured by the old brigade politicians and, in recent times, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Mr. President, it is through your influence that the Nigerian National Assembly has become a haven for legislative rascality. Mr. President, it is under your watch that the National Assembly has become an extension of the executive, grossly violating the principles of separation of powers, and rubber-stamping the whims and caprices of your office, all the while singing the international anthem of sycophants: ‘On your mandate we shall stand.’ Mr. President, thanks to your political machinations, Nigeria is now bedevilled by a captured National Assembly, the most ineffective in its checks-and-balances role since the start of the Fourth Republic.”

    His denunciatory and sweeping dismissal of the president was music to the ears of the opposition, the social media, the Obidients, and the regional merchants of ethnic and religious bigotry. The pastor in fact showed no care about the subtleties of power relations in Nigeria, nor the dangerous political convolutions that have upended many nations, nor still the ecumenical restraint expected of his calling or that should reflect in his language. He was widely quoted days after with resounding approbations, which perhaps gratified his private, public and political longings. If he was worried that the brilliant second part of his address was vitiated by the excessively vituperative first part, the country may never know. It is, however, sufficient for him that he has remained in good standing with the social media and the vocal and significant majority of angry Nigerians.

    The second part of his address, which showed a lot of brilliance and scholarship, was hardly acknowledged in the media, let alone quoted or even understood by the jubilant rabble that approved his person and politics. But at least he got the headlines and publicity his brand of liberation theology crucially welcomed. His address might contradict his essential theology, but he had long made his peace with such contradictions, and constantly built and co-opted them into his pastoral undertakings. The contradictions may sometimes lead him to predictive errors, but in his interventions it is remarkable how he explains those fallibilities away in the same awkward manner he frequently reconciles his flawed politics with his controversial theology.