Archbishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan Kukah, has issued a powerful Easter message to President Bola Tinubu, urging the administration to rescue Nigerians from deepening despair marked by hunger, violence, and insecurity.
In a heartfelt appeal during Easter Sunday services, Kukah painted a grim picture of the nation’s current state, saying Nigerians are “dangling and bleeding on the cross of pain and mindless suffering,” while marauders and criminals roam free.
“Mr. President, hunger, sickness, and desolation stalk the land,” Kukah declared. “We still believe removing fuel subsidies was the right decision, but its aftermath demands compassionate governance.”
While acknowledging the wisdom behind subsidy removal, the cleric said the government must ensure that the nation’s growing domestic reserves translate into real relief for citizens—not mere figures on paper.
Kukah also condemned the palliative programs introduced to ease economic hardship, warning that such measures diminish the dignity of citizens and fail to offer long-term solutions.
“Make food security a fundamental human right to all citizens,” he urged, adding, “Please bring us down from this painful cross of hunger.”
The archbishop further accused the political elite of weaponizing insecurity in the past, noting that forces once used to gain power—bandits and militias—have now infiltrated every layer of Nigerian society.
“Bandits, who were once tools of political strategy, now slaughter citizens and annihilate communities,” Kukah said. “This cancer of violence has metastasized, and it now threatens the very soul of our nation.”
He lamented that no Nigerian home, family, or region remains untouched by the rising tide of kidnappings, killings, and lawlessness.
“A dark pall of death hangs languidly from north to south. The nation is gradually becoming a huge national morgue.”
Despite acknowledging that Tinubu inherited many of these problems, Kukah stressed that the burden of leadership now lies with him.
“Mr. President, you did not erect this cross, but you must hasten to bring us down from it. The country is nearing a breaking point.”
With his appeal, Kukah joins a growing chorus of voices demanding urgent and sustained action to steer Nigeria away from collapse and restore hope to its people.
