Kukah meets Tinubu, says Nigerians suffering from varying levels of pain

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Hassan Mathew Kukah, has said that almost after a year of President Bola Tinubu’s rule, Nigerians are writhing in pain of varying degrees.

He disclosed this to House of Representatives correspondents on Wednesday after meeting President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to him, although it was too early to assess the administration, citizens found themselves in a difficult situation.

Describing the pains as unintentional, he blamed government policies which he hoped would be changed for the good of the people.

He said a review of such policies was necessary because the essence of government was to guarantee the welfare and security of the people.

However, he stressed the need for national renewal, stressing that the government should continue to build on what it believes it is doing well, calling on citizens to engage in nation-building.

The priest said: “I am sure many people will tell you that a year is not enough to give an opinion. However, we know from our situation that we are all in a very difficult situation.

“Nigerians feel pain at different levels and it is unintentional pain. However, they are the result of certain political decisions that can hopefully be changed over time to serve the good of citizens.

“Because I believe that the essence of government is to guarantee the well-being and security of ordinary citizens. I believe that the times we currently live in are very difficult and no one should have any illusions. But it is also a time of renewal.

“We just need to realize that building a good society takes a long time. This is not something that can be done in one lifetime. For me, the most important thing is to continue working on the things that we think are being done well.

“I have always argued that the government needs to improve communication very quickly so that Nigerians can at least have an idea of ​​how long it will be before the food is ready.”

Amid the political crisis in Rivers State, Bishop Kukah has admonished Nigerians not to worry about rivalries between politicians, insisting they know how to solve their problems.

He hoped that the problems would be resolved sooner rather than later as he noted that the state was very close to him.

Pressed to comment further on the crisis, he said: “Well, I don’t live in Rivers State. Look, this is politics and very often we, ordinary people, cry more than the bereaved. The most important thing is that politicians will solve their problems.

“Rivers State is a place that is very close to me because I have been involved with them for a very long time.

“But look, when politicians fight, don’t get carried away because they have the opportunity to right their quarrel. “I also hope and pray that Rivers State will reposition itself sooner rather than later because it is not a small part of Nigeria.”

During his mission to the Chancellery of the President, he said that it was related to the planned conference on national cohesion organized by the Kukah Center.

“I came to the President together with the director of the Kukah Center. We have come to talk to the President in connection with a previously issued and renewed invitation to organize a conference at which we would like him to be present, which would concern the topic of “national cohesion”. So that’s really what we came to discuss,” the vocal Catholic bishop revealed.