A former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Anthony
Cardinal Olubunmi-Okogie, has told the President Muhammadu Buhari-led
administration that Nigerians are angry over poverty and insecurity in
the country.
Okogie, a former Lagos Archbishop of the Catholic Church, also called
on the President to take note of the criticisms by former President
Olusegun Obasanjo; former military dictator, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida; the
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria and others, saying that they
should not be dismissed as “wailers.”
In a statement entitled, “There’s anger in the land” and made
available to newsmen, the cleric said, “The truth is: Nigerians are not
happy; Nigerians are hungry and angry.”
“They are not happy because their lives and their belongings are not
safe. They work so hard while the value of the money they earn cannot
make them enjoy basic things of life.
“Nigerians are unhappy because the economy has been so mismanaged
that some cannot pay the school fees of their children. Nigerians are
unhappy because they have not got jobs. Nigerians are unhappy because,
instead of hope, they are offered propaganda and insults by the
President’s men. Nigerians are angry because their loved ones are
butchered by herdsmen while the response of government is woeful.
“The issue at hand is more serious than getting re – elected. It
cannot be resolved by way of a facile intra – party reconciliation.
Before it can succeed, this government must admit it has failed . Before
it can retrace its steps, this government must admit that it has
strayed from the path of keeping the promises it made, promises that
made Nigerians to vote as they did in 2015.
“Apart from seeking intra- party reconciliation, this government must
first reconcile with Nigerians by treating them with respect.
“May this government not suffer the fate of the proverbial hunter’s
dog that got lost in the forest because it obstinately refused to heed
the hunter’s whistle.
“Anytime there was an infringement that escaped the attention of the
referee, he would ask his colleagues, Sebastian Ofurum or Tolu
Fatoyinbo, if they too saw the infringement. If they confirmed what he
saw, he would say in Igbo , ‘What two persons have seen and confirmed to
be a boa must not be mistaken for a piece of diamond.”
“One may apply that maxim to the situation in our country right now .
There is anger in the land. Many voices are echoing it . These voices
of anger are so deafening that it can no longer be denied. The level of
discontent in Nigeria at this point in time is like the proverbial boa
sighted by even more than two persons . It would be unwise to mistake it
for a piece of diamond.
“It has been sighted by retired Generals Olusegun Obasanjo and
Ibrahim Babangida, who have spoken of the anger in the land in clear and
unmistaken terms. It has been sighted by traditional rulers, who have
called the attention of government to it . It has been sighted by the
Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria when the bishops went to the
corridors of power to speak to power in the way Biblical prophets
directly confronted kings in Israel.
“This can no longer be treated as the cry of wailers. Even leading
members of the party ruling at the centre have demonstrated commendable
candour by openly acknowledging that the hopes of 2015 have been
shattered by the disappointment of 2019.”
Quoting the late Raggae legend, Bob Marley as saying ‘your worst
enemy could be your best friend, and your best friend your worst enemy,’
Okogie added, “But presidential aides in our country do not seem to
grasp the wisdom in those words.
“By their own reckoning, anyone who raises doubts as to the rightness
of government policies, actions and statements is an enemy of
government. He or she is ridiculed as speaking because there is no more
access to ill- gotten wealth.
“A police officer, appointed to his office, demonstrated unspeakable
insolence on television, calling an elected state governor a ‘drowning
man.’ In other climes, he would lose his job. In Nigeria, he keeps it.”
“Every line, every word of every intervention emanating from the
Conference was chosen to offer frank and friendly advice,” he said.