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From Magnus Eze, Enugu
Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu, Most Rev. Calistus Onaga, has said only truth can save Nigeria in 2025.
In his New Year message, the bishop stated that Nigerians suffered enough last year due to the economic policies of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration, especially the removal of fuel subsidy.
He said the policies had not worked but expressed optimism that some adjustment by the government would guarantee a better year.
Onaga, therefore, urged Nigerians to contribute as individuals for the progress of the country in 2025.
In the bishopric charge, Onaga said: “What the Nigerian society expects from every preacher in this country is truth. Truth telling is the only thing that can save us. Truth telling does not mean arrogance. Truth telling does not mean insult. Truth telling means seeing things the way they are and conveying them.
“Let us interpret the word of God the way it should be interpreted because the word of God, they say, is a two-edged sword. It can cut negatively, it can cut positively. But you know at the end of the day, the word of God is meant to convey hope, salvation and strengthen the spirit while making sure the society is built upon justice and right.
“Let all preachers, beginning from myself in this year 2025, be inclined to saying the truth to our listeners, our followers.
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“To other people, who are our own listeners, like I said, all hands must be on deck to make this year a success.
“If it is said that fuel should be sold at N950 per liter, why sell your own at N1000? Why don’t you sell at that same price? If a 50kg bag of rice is supposed to sell N90,000, why sell it at N104,000?
“If you are supposed to repair a vehicle in a normal situation with N20,000, why do you have to claim because the dollar is high, it must be N30,000?
“And we’re pleading with our politicians and leaders, there are policies that can help us live well. We have tried everything in 2024, it is not a crime or an act of cowardice for you to readjust and say, in 2024, it didn’t work, in this year, let me try something better.
“So, I expect our leaders, politicians, leaders of industry and what have you to readjust. This issue of blaming everything on the price of dollars should stop.
“Sometimes we’re thinking like men on the streets and not experts. But it’s not true because we’ve lived in a country that about nine years ago was exchanging one dollar for N150. Yes, the whole economy is turning not only in Nigeria. But the astronomical ways we increase prices of goods and services in this country does not really tally with reality.
“So, I’m pleading with the economists, financial experts, politicians, in particular, to be more objective in this year, 2025. Let us all work together to make the year 2025 a less discomforting nation than it was last year.
“If all of us work together, we shall justifiably sacrifice the much we should, we shall contribute the much we should and make this country move forward. God has given us everything. Let us manage what God has given very well in this country in 2025. Let our resolutions be to improve on what we had in 2024.”
