Nigerians Are Suffering, Kukah Tells Tinubu

Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, says Nigerians are in pains, calling on President Bola Tinubu to open a channel of communication with the people on when his policies will begin to yield result.

Kukah said even though the “pains are unintended”, it was brought about as the results of certain policy decisions that hopefully, with time will serve the welfare of the people.

Kukah disclosed this to State House reporters on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa after meeting with President Bola Tinubu.

The clergy man said even though the times are difficult it is also a time for renewal, asking Nigerians to brace themselves because “building a good society takes a lot of time.”

“I came to see the President with the Director of the Kukah Centre. we came to discuss with the President an invitation we had earlier extended, which we renewed, to have a conference in which we will like him to be in attendance, addressing the theme of National cohesion. So, that’s really what we came to discuss.”

Asked to evaluate the one year administration of Tinubu, he said “I ’m sure many people will tell you that one year is not enough to make a judgment. However, from where we all stand, we know that we are all in a very difficult situation.

“Nigerians are in various levels of pain and they are pains that are unintended. But they are the results of certain policy decisions that hopefully, with time, can be amended in order to serve the welfare of the people.

“Because I believe that the essence of government is to guarantee the welfare and security of ordinary citizens. I believe that the times that we are in now are very difficult times and nobody should be under any illusion. But they are also times for renewal.

“We just need to commit ourselves to the fact that building a good society takes a lot of time. It’s not something that is done in one life time. And for me, the most important thing is to continue on the building blocks of the things that we think are being done well.

“My argument has always been that the government needs to very quickly improve the quality of communication so that Nigerians can at least get a sense of how long is it going to be before food is ready.”

On Rivers political crisis, Kukah said what is happening is politics and very often, “we ordinary people cry more than the bereaved. The important thing is politicians will fix their problems.

“Rivers State is a place that is very dear to me because I have been associated with them for a very long period of time.

“But look, when politicians fight, don’t get carried away because they have their capacity to fix their quarrel. And I hope and pray that Rivers State will sooner rather than later reposition because it is not an insignificant part of Nigeria.”