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From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Chidubem Ikechukwu and Chisom Ezugwu, Enugu
The Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical Province Anglican Communion and Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma has said that the 2023 general election results will be decided by the Nigerian youths.
The outspoken cleric who has been off the news for sometime spoke to some select newsmen in Enugu where he reacted to a number of issues and developments in the country, insisting that the next leadership of the country will be determined by the youths. Excerpts:
What is the Church’s stand on state of the nation?
Many people are saying that the church is not talking, but we have been speaking. So, on the state of the nation, the church is very much concerned about many things that are happening and I have catalogued so many of them, which I’ll mention to you, but let me say, Nigeria should be prepared for a revolution. Prepare for a revolution in Nigeria, enough is enough. Why? Because of the security situation in Nigeria which has gotten to the point of people being killed, kidnapped and all that. Because of corruption, we have a war against corruption which the church is very much against the manner in which it is being fought. We also have problems concerning education, we have the problem of brain drain in every sector, we have the problem of the brutal killings in Owo Catholic Church and we have the case of the PDP, APC primaries. We also have the case of the kidnapping of the Methodist Prelate and all that. Most of these things are there, the Islamic agenda and also the general election 2023, the stoning and killing of Deborah, so these things are all contained in what I have as state of the nation for my synod. It is important for me to highlight some of them. Nigerians, as far as the democratic government is concerned for the past 23 years, we have endured enough insults, abject poverty, unemployment and sufferings. Nigerians have been taken too much for granted and are also very much worried about the insensitivity of the present administration under Buhari hence Nigerians are prepared now to vote out all these expired politicians. Hence we see Nigerians, youths and everybody going to clamour for the registration for PVC. Why is there such? There is such because Nigerians are tired. Before they stood aloof, but now their eyes are opened to say, is this how we are going to continue? The time has come now that we must take the government by ourselves and then make democracy to be really democracy, government of the people by the people and for the people. So, people are now out to make sure that they will vote for those who can change Nigeria. The change we were expecting was a chain, there was no change.
What about insecurity?
It is unfortunately, that the government under Buhari has not done enough to protect the lives of Nigerians in this democratic dispensation and also it had been so bad that the number of lives and bloodshed during the Buhari’s government is more than ever been thought in any government. And that is a matter of concern to the church. Lives are no longer safe, so it is necessary for us to think about that and also to let the president know that, however, Section 14, sub-section 2 and B of the 1999 Constitution stipulates that the primary purpose of any government shall be the security and welfare of the people, but the security situation in our country is still a great source of concern and the terrorists have continued to unleash great terror with no part of this government able to boast of being safe haven anymore, the rise in the activity of ritual killings, kidnapping, Fulani herdsmen, bandits, insurgency and the terrorist is a great source of concern. The value of life in Nigeria is truly at its lowest as even the media appear tired of reporting these deaths. Have you also forgotten that many Nigerian children and citizens are still in captivity, including the remaining Chibok students, Leah Shuaibu who refused to deny her faith with many others. The atrocities of the terrorist in the North and the criminal killings by the Fulani herdsmen in the South have greatly prevented our farmers from working on their farms. There is serious famine in the land with a 50kg bag of rice selling for as high as N35, 000. There are also the killings by those agitating as freedom fighters in the Southeast. So, the security situation has crippled businesses and productivity, and our children in the Southeast are forced to stay at home on Mondays due to the increase in insecurity threats, further worsening the decaying educational sector. Nigerians can no longer travel whether by land, rail or air, everywhere is beseeched by these terrorists and if you go by train, problem. The recent two terrorists attacks are the Kaduna international airport and the successive Abuja Kaduna train attack which took the lives of many citizens should make the government realize that these terrorists have indeed crossed the red line and the government should rise up to the occasion and deal decisively with this problem. It is also embarrassing that Kaduna State which was once very peaceful is now in the eye of the storm despite all the military installations that the state can boast of. This is where I feel so much worried, what we see is the demonstration of this military and they are doing nothing. How can we have battalions of soldiers in Nigeria and they could not tame this terrorist either by air or by land. There is a deceit in our military defence. I see no reason the Army cannot go into the forest and be able to arrest these terrorists, these kidnappers, what are they there for? There is war on the road, there is war in the forest, and there is war in the air. The Nigerian Air Force if they use their plane can catch these people. They are just doing seminar. This is a worrisome thing for us so it is a matter of concern. The federal and Kaduna State governments should also rise to stop the incessant killings of Christians in Southern Kaduna. The government should do far more to protect vulnerable communities in an unbiased manner and combat the threats the Fulani and other non-state actors posed.
Is this a Fulani agenda?
This is another thing I want to say here, what we are facing right now is not between Christians and Muslims anymore. The Fulani are out to wipe out every tribe and take over our lands. That is their agenda, so whatever that is happening now is not a matter of Muslims and Christians, it is a matter of Fulani people who have no respect for any religion. Let it be known to Nigerians that they are here to wipe out every tribe and take over the lands which they say belong to them. So Christians and Muslims should join hands together to make sure that they fight back against these Fulani so that they won’t claim what belongs to us to be theirs.
Continued marginalization of Igbo
Some of the solutions to our problems may not necessarily be by military actions. Government should, therefore, be ready to sincerely use other approaches in solving the numerous security problems in Nigeria, especially with those who have genuine grievances of marginalization and agitating for secession. Because many areas in the Southeast have been marginalized and whether we like it or not it is now clear with the primaries and the elections going on that the government of Nigeria, the parties in Nigeria, are out to marginalize the Southeast which is absolutely disreputable. We are part of Nigeria and it is wrong for any party or anybody to marginalize the Igbo of Southeast. It is either we belong to this country or you leave us alone, to your tent oh Israel. It is unfortunate; we have contributed to the development of this country, we have suffered during the civil war but still the government has not taken it as a means of pacifying us to make sure that at least whatever that is happening now the Southeast should have a share in the government so that at least the Southeast can be secured for what happened in the civil war.
Anti-corruption war
Why the government needs to be commended for the position it has secured via the EFCC, it is yet to convince Nigerians about its seriousness in propagating the war against corruption. Persons occupying offices of trust have continued to betray the trust reposed on them by millions of Nigerians. Take the recent case of the suspended and demoted Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari who also was allegedly involved in illicit drug trafficking, it was, therefore, shocking to hear the NDLEA spokesman said that he was still actively involved in carrying out his duties even after the Inspector General of Police had approved his suspension. He should therefore remain suspended until the case is concluded. We also feel very disappointed that the Accountant General of Nigeria could swallow up N80 billion without any serious action against corruption. All we hear is that he was suspended and he was bailed and we feel this is selective negligence. ASUU is crying, if this money is recovered truly by the Nigeria government, part of it can sort out ASUU’s problem but unfortunately, you find out that N80 billion by somebody called Accountant General is the highest peck of corruption in Buhari’s government and if Buhari’s government is not taking it seriously, it means Buhari himself is corrupt, by encouraging that type of action and that is why Nigerians are not happy.
Education
Just look at the trend in the educational system, it’s heartbreaking, public educational institutions are fast becoming a monument for sightseeing. The insensitivity of the government and the consequent incessant strikes by the university lecturers as well as the various unions such as ASUU, NASU and so on has not helped matters, our children, therefore, roam the streets and often find themselves engaging in several vices and that is why you find many of them either involved in kidnapping or involving themselves in so many drug addiction, including Mkpurumiri. So, the nonchalant attitude of the government to the educational sector has seemingly demoralized our teachers at every level with the result also seen in the very poor performance of our children in 2021 UTME.
Brain drain
There has been an increase in the number of Nigerians migrating and desiring to migrate to other countries in their quest for greener pastures and a stable economy. These appear to have been heightened by the insecurity in our land. No one wants to do business, invest or even work in an atmosphere of insecurity. The health sector appears to be the sector that has been worse hit as very many of our nurses and doctors have left the country for the United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, Saudi Arabia and even other African countries. So, the government of President Buhari does not seem to fully grasp the implications of these sins. Government officials often seek health care outside Nigeria leaving the common Nigerians no choice than the poorly funded health sector and the under-staffed government hospitals.
2023 election
Now, as the 2023 general election draws closer, we commend the President for signing the electoral act amendment bill into law. The president has another opportunity to leave a legacy of a free and fair election to Nigerians who have lost hope in our electoral system. I am talking about fairness, equity and justice; we therefore advocate that power should not only shift to the South, but also to the South Eastern part of Nigeria in the spirit of oneness, unity and stability of the nation, Nigeria. Every spirit of do or die mindset in our election should also be rejected. It is therefore important that while the National Orientation Agency starts early to enlighten the public, INEC should be ready to play the role of an unbiased umpire. The security officials should also begin now to strategize; no Nigerian citizen should lose his life or her life because of any political ambition.
Killing of Deborah and attack on churches by gunmen
Now talking about the stoning and killing of Deborah, we are still awaiting to see the outcome of the judgment but it is important to let government know that killing of our people because of religious bigotry will not be tolerated. Nigerian Christians have been so patient and time will come when we will begin to retaliate and so time has come for that. All Christians in Nigeria should be ready to fight back this religious bigotry. We cannot continue to allow ourselves to be killed for nothing, enough is enough.
Owo Catholic Church brutal killings
It is absolutely disreputable and unfortunate that people will be worshipping in church and gunmen will come to kill people in the church. It is not enough to sympathize. If the Nigerian government and security people could fish out Nnamdi Kanu wherever he was, why should it be difficult now to fish out those people who are killing people in the church. There is deceit in our security strategies. They should look at it. If it was easy for you to be able to arrest Nnamdi Kanu, why is it difficult for the security men to arrest people in the city of Nigeria where they are now killing people in the church and also kidnapping? We feel that the security people in Nigeria are not sincere and we now call upon them to be sincere and fish out these people. Failure to do that will be that they are collaborating with these people and the churches are crying and saying this cannot continue. May the Lord fight our battles for us in Jesus name.
Kidnapping of Clerics
The Methodist Prelate, His Eminence Kanu and two others including my priests were kidnapped and I want to say here, no church should ever pay ransom anymore. Paying ransom to these people encourages them. It is very disheartening to find out that the Prelate had to pay N100 million as a ransom and even the Bishop of Jebba was also kidnapped with the wife. I even heard that the Dean of the Cathedral of Abuja was also kidnapped. So, many things are happening and these terrorists and kidnappers are now out for church leaders and so we should intensify our prayers as church leaders to make sure that this does not continue. We cry out to our God and we cry out to security people to intensify their security to save the church leaders from all these insecurities, failure to do this will mean that we are no more safe in this country. And that the leadership of this country, therefore, should begin to find a way to resign. I said that Buhari should find a way to resign before his time if he cannot to find solution to these killings.
PDP, APC primaries
Now, both APC and PDP primaries have come and gone without solving the cry of injustice against the Igbo. For the umpteenth time, the imbalance in the nation’s power equation against the Southeast geopolitical zone, reared its ugly head, following the outcome of both political parties’ presidential primaries held at Abuja on May 22nd and 5th June 2022 respectively. However, the church critically as one of the observers are pondering over the implications of the outcome of both parties’ primaries in the larger context of fostering unity and giving a sense of belonging to the people of the Southeast with neither the PDP nor APC picking its candidate from the Southeast for 2023 general election. The country will again have to continue with the moral burden of the injustice of a major component of Nigeria. Many observers maintained that it would have done the country a lot of good if either the ruling party or the main opposition party has conceded its presidential ticket to the Southeast. Considering that the Igbo is one of the three major tribes in the country. Again both parties’ flag bearers are still the old wine in a new bottle. How long shall we continue this way? It appears that there is no hope for Nigeria. If we must get it right we need to go for the new wine in the new bottle. Nigerians should get their PVC and vote out these old cargoes. This is time to vote out corruption, banditry, and terrorism; we can’t continue to make the same mistakes of the previous years. Youths, please rise to exercise your franchise, with God on our side we can transform this country. And whether you like it or not, the youths will decide the result of the 2023 election and any attempt to rig any election in 2023 will bring Nigeria into a chaotic situation and there will be serious evolution, that’s why I say Nigerians should prepare for revolution. I want to let you know that the church is not happy with the trend of things in Nigeria. The church is angry and the church is crying for a revolution, for a new Nigeria if things cannot change. The church does not believe in these old cargoes to change Nigeria. if we must have a change, they must have new spirit of leadership that will make Nigeria to be better and economically viable. Failure to do this, we will remain the same, so we are appealing to all these old cargoes, they should give the youths a chance and they should give way. They should retire and become consultants, they have expired and we don’t want them anymore.
2023 Synod
In the synod programme, we are concentrating on “Feeding the Sheep” and talking about the church in a hungry world. We are in a hungry world where people are very much hungry, there is poverty in the land and we are going to examine the part the church is going to play in making the hungry world to be comfortable.
