Emeritus Catholic Archbishop of Lagos,
Cardinal Anthony Olubunmi Okogie has
weighed into the current state of the
country, describing Nigeria as a nation
without leaders.
The Cardinal made the statement in a
lengthy open letter titled: A nation without
leaders’, in reaction to the current state of
the country.
In the letter made available to Vanguard,
Okogie noted the high level of insecurity in
Nigeria, abysmally low quality of life of the
average Nigerian being compared with
those living in opulence in the country to
reach the conclusion.
Read the full letter below..
“Gracious God, grant that our leaders
become wise, and the wise become our
leaders. “But it would be irresponsible
fideism to simply pray and fold our arms.
Those who pray must think, and, having
sought and obtained answers to right
questions, they must act intelligently,”
Vanguard reported the 81-year-old as
saying.
“It has become inescapable to inquire:
what is the quality of leaders – of the men
and women at the helm of affairs – in our
beloved Nigeria?
“Can it be said that those at the helm of
affairs – at federal, state, and local levels of
government – are sufficiently competent to
navigate the ship of state? Do our leaders
fit the bill?”
Insecurity in our land; the abysmally low
quality of life of the average Nigerian, in
scandalously sharp contrast with the
opulence in which the past and political
office holders live; the self-serving and
malevolent demagoguery that accompanies
unitarist, secessionist, and xenophobic
agitations in our country; the propagation
of the stubborn myth that one’s ethnic
community is marginalized by all other
ethnic communities, when in fact every
ethnic community is marginalized by the
incompetence of our leaders; the
acceptance of this myth by young,
discontented but gullible Nigerians: these
and many other indices offer little or no
hope to even the most incurable optimist in
the land.
“Instead of devoting their mental and
physical capacities to governance, our
leaders are seeking their own interests.
Nigerians bear the excruciating burden of
being ruled by politicians who simply care
less about Nigerians.
“The burden is increased when they have
to listen to religious leaders who whip up
emotions and deceive by using the name of
God, claiming visions and miracles.
“We do not care about our legacy, we care
only about the power we wield, the wealth
– often ill-gotten – we display, and above all,
the pleasure and affluence we seek,”
Cardinal Okogie declared.
The Catholic clergy wondered why Nigeria
had individuals who own a fleet of private
jets while an overwhelming percentage of
its citizens cannot afford a bus ride to the
market.
He asked further: “What do we make of a
country where the wealth of the land,
wealth that belongs to the people and not
to the government, is used to provide
security for government officials, while
there is no security for the average man or
woman in the street?
“We have the police and the military; we
have assorted security agencies with exotic
names.
“Yet, Nigerians are robbed and murdered
in their homes, abducted on the streets, at
the mercy of gangsters, ritualists, and
cultists in their neighbourhood, while the
police are helpless to the point of non-
existence.
“The only sign that there is policing is
when policemen and women extort money
from Nigerians, often at gun point.
“Our security agencies need to get the
sequence of their steps right. Thorough
investigation must precede an arrest;
diligent prosecution with evidence must
come before conviction in a lawfully
constituted court. That is what obtains in
other climes. But in our own Nigeria, media
trial is fashionable.
“Suspects are paraded on prime-time
television, guns and bullets are displayed in
front of them, the police spokesman
presents them to Nigerians and
pronounces them guilty in front of
television cameras. Case closed.
“Nigerians are not asking for any follow-up.
They hear of no trial, no conviction, no
sentencing. What has happened to
numerous suspects paraded on television
in this country?
“While we seek answers, to these
questions, we note that, from time to time,
Amnesty International raises alarm about
extra-judicial killings in Nigeria.
“Are Nigerians satisfied with the response
of the police? Why is it that once suspects
are paraded and presented as guilty – and
the legal and moral propriety of the parade
is another bone of contention – we very
rarely see them in court?
