From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Bishop of Sokoto Diocese of Catholic Church, Bishop Matthew Kukah, has declared that the problems of Nigeria are surmountable.
He stated that every Nigerian knows the problems facing the country at the moment and it will take the people’s resolve to address the problems.
Kukah who spoke as keynote speaker at 3rd Annual National Public Lecture of the First News with the theme; “The Nigerian Question: Survival of the Federation in The Throes of Increasing Economic Challenges” in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state on Friday, said even those who are responsible for Nigeria’s problems are not also safe.
The cleric who disclosed that he has been privileged to meet every President and Head of State in Nigeria, except Gen Sani Abacha, said all of them have the burning desire to develop the country but they have failed because they lacked the will to implement their vision.
According to him, every country in the world also has its own problems and it takes the citizens and purposeful leaders to address such problems.
He urged Nigerians to find its own navigational truth for proper development as done in other nations.
He said: “Though, every country has its own problems, the challenge before us in Nigeria is that, what do we want? Obviously, can we democratise and develop our nation? It is a very difficult question to answer, because what we call the civilized world today is the last 200 years of exploitation of Africa that helped to build these nations.
“So we are imagining it ourselves, why are we not like other people? We are not like others because every nation has to find its own navigational truth for development. It is not as if we cannot use democracy to develop Nigeria, but there are certain fundamental things that must be on ground before people can appreciate democracy.
“Unless Nigeria settles the issue of ‘bread and butter mentality’ , democracy can actually look like a lottery.”
The publisher of the First News, Mr Daniel Iworiso-Markson, a former Commissioner for Information in Bayelsa State said the essence of the lecture was to brainstorm on Nigeria’s challenging economy and proffer possible solutions, adding that the nation’s economic problems are very glaring.
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Gideon Ekeuwei, urged Bayelsa people to develop themselves in order to curb the economic situation.