Catholic Bishop Encourages Christian to Partake in Politics

Mary Nnah

The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan Kukah, has said that the absence of good Christians in the political space has led to a bad situation in the country. 

He noted that Christians have so much power and are given little because they are not united and organised as a bloc, adding that they have the capacity and resources to make Nigeria a better place for all.

He, therefore, urged Christians to embrace politics as the country prepares to elect new leadership in 2023.

Kukah said this while delivering a lecture at an event to flag off the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Order of the Knights of Saint Mulumba, (KSM), Nigeria, at St. Leo’s Catholic Church, Ikeja, Lagos being part of a one-year bouquet of activities geared at celebrating KSM’s platinum jubilee anniversary.

Kukah, who said kidnapping for ransom, banditry, robbery, corruption, and insurgency were some of the ills troubling the country, averred that Christians were complicit by not participating in the political process and allowing those who do not have the interest of the people at heart to dominate the political space.

“Toxic politics is poisoning religion in Nigeria. Christians should walk towards the barking dog,” Kukah said.

He blamed politicians and the government for implementing and executing policies and programmes that divide the people along ethnic and other sectarian lines.

Lamenting the security situation in the country, he also blamed the government for lacking the capacity and willingness to tackle it.

“Now, Nigeria is being ranked as the ninth worst country for Christians to live in the world. We are number nine and Iran is number eight. Everywhere I go; people keep asking me what is happening to Christians and Muslims in Nigeria. 

“Toxic politics has now poisoned our religion. Though I am not a veterinarian, I was told that when a dog is barking you walk towards it and not retreat because, if you turn back, it would attack. My point is that we Christians must walk towards the barking dog. We must not retreat, he noted.”

In his sermon, vicar-general/episcopal vicar, Ikeja Region, Monsignor John Aniagwu, who represented the Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, His Grace, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, advised Nigerians to get their permanent voter’s card (PVC) and avoid being manipulated in the 2023 elections.

He said, “There is a way forward if we allow true democracy to prevail and elect the right people. Nigeria is endowed with so many right people who can lead us in the right direction to overcome the challenges we are facing.”

Aniagwu flayed the economic situation in the country and lamented that many people were slipping into abject poverty and the government could not arrest the situation.

Bishop Martins, who later joined the occasion, expressed delight that Lagos was kicking off KSM’s 70th anniversary celebration.

Martins stated that the celebration was an opportunity, with its theme, to look to the past, examine the present and define the future, and believed that participants must have learned a lot speaking with Kukah.