The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Mathew Hassan Kukah has again examined the issues in the country and the plight of the citizens in his Easter message.
In the message titled” Nigeria,:Before our glory departs,Kukah who has not hidden his worry of the current security challenges and concern for the poor handling of the issue by the government likened the situation to that of the state of Israel which led to the death of Eli the 98- Year- old high priest of Israel,
Eli was said to have collapsed and died after hearing news of the death of his two sons, Hopni and Phinehas in the battle against the Philistines that consumed also 30,000 Israeli soldiers .
” Elsewhere,on hearing about the death of her husband,her father in- law, and the loss of the Ark, Eli’s daughter in- law went into premature labour. She was delivered of a baby boy- a call for great celebration in Israel! Strangely,she responded by naming her newborn son” Icabod” meaning, The glory has departed”
According to the cleric, there is collective fear as to whether Nigeria’s glory was about to depart following taunting by Boko Haram, bandits, Kidnappers, armed robbers and other merchants of death across the country.
The Bishop drew a picture of hopelessness in the country in the. expression that Nigreria has become a “massive killing field’ as the government and the people helplessly look on and do nothing to challenge the situation
” A thick and suffocating cloud of desperation, despondency, desolation,gloom, and misery bangs in the hot air.We have no message and have no idea how long this will last. Our people seek solace and protection,but frustration and darkness threaten to drown them. Is their government on AWOL?
While citing the trial of Jesus before Pontius Pilate, the clergy said that when government face situation of reality, it manufactured lies, and create imaginary enemies and set citizens against one another by deploying religion, ethnicity, region, and other platforms while appealing to the base emotions of patriotism.
” We forget the reality that without truth, the throne of power often turned into a cage, and the occupant is turned into a prisoner. In reality, the truth needs neither a judge nor a witness. The truth is its own judgement and witness. Without the truth,as the Old song says,all else I’d sinking sand.
He recalled with regret the recent World Happiness Report which stated that Nigeria is one of the unhappiness nations saying this is unacceptable but understandable.
” Our clay- footed fight against corruption has not moved the needle of transparency forward. Of course,being the poverty capital of the world comes with its rewards such as banditry, violence, death,sorrow, blood,poverty, misery and years. Our cup of sorrow I’d permanently full,hence the exponential ride in the frustration curve across the country” he said.
