Bishop Kukah to Tinubu: Bring Nigerians down from this cross of pain
By Jeffrey Agbo
In an Easter message delivered during the Holy Saturday Vigil, Bishop Matthew Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto called on President Bola Tinubu to rescue Nigerians from what he described as a “cross of pain, brutality, and hopelessness.”
Drawing a parallel between Christ’s crucifixion and the current state of the nation, Kukah lamented the deepening crises of insecurity, hunger, poverty and moral collapse afflicting Nigeria.
“Mr President, Nigeria is reaching a breaking point. The nation is gradually becoming a huge national morgue,” he warned. “With a greater sense of urgency, hasten to bring us down from this cross of evil.”
While acknowledging that President Tinubu inherited many of the country’s challenges, Kukah emphasised that it is now his duty to lead the nation toward recovery and renewal.
“You neither erected this cross nor effected our collective crucifixion. Yet, Nigerians have been dangling and bleeding on this cross of pain for too long,” the bishop said.
He condemned the unrelenting insecurity plaguing communities and highlighted the economic distress caused by inflation and the removal of fuel subsidies. “Mr President, please bring us down from this painful cross of hunger,” he pleaded, urging the administration to prioritise food security and treat it as a basic human right.
Kukah also accused political actors of weaponising violence for personal gain, warning that insecurity has spread like cancer, endangering the nation’s very foundation. “Are Nigerians lambs being sacrificed to an unknown god?” he asked, casting doubt on the sincerity and effectiveness of the government’s response.
Despite the heavy tone, Kukah ended on a note of encouragement, aligning his message with the Vatican’s proclamation of 2025 as the Year of Hope. He urged Nigerians to cling to faith and resilience in the face of adversity.
“These times of great suffering should be times of hope — hope that does not disappoint,” he said, è to the promise of resurrection and national renewal.
