Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, has explained the current wave of insecurity manifested in banditry and terrorism on successive administrations not according priority to education of the youths.
By Emma Ogbuehi
The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, has explained the current wave of insecurity manifested in banditry and terrorism on successive administrations not according priority to education of the youths.
Kukah who made the remark on Friday in Abeokuta, Ogun state, said Nigeria is reaping what it sowed by that crass negligence.
He blamed the insurgency on the government’s inability to prioritize education of the young generation, warning that the situation may get worse.
As a way out, Kukah argued that Nigeria must try to combat illiteracy because there is no substitute for education, adding that it would be a serious mistake for the educated to assume that they are safe under the present situation.
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The Catholic Bishop spoke while delivering a lecture at the 42nd Actualisation conference of Rotary International, District 9110.
The four-day conference attracted thousands of Rotarians from Lagos and Abeokuta.
He said “We are facing the challenges that are the consequences of our children not having education. Now everybody is fearing bandits, everybody is fearing Boko Haram, we are reaping today what we sowed yesterday and it will actually grow worse.
“We have millions of children, at least between 10 and 12 or 15 million children that are on the streets who are begging, each of these children are growing by the day, the Almajiri that is 10 now, in 10 years’ time he will be 20 years so unless we quickly do something the situation may go worse.”
He called on philanthropists, religious bodies and other humanitarian organisations to channel their efforts towards combating illiteracy.
In his goodwill message, former President Olusegun Obasanjo charged the Rotary club to redouble their efforts in creating a better world.
Obasanjo who spoke in a pre-recorded video, called on the club to continue to put service to humanity above every other thing.
The former President urged participants to use the opportunity of the conference to reignite the passion for helping the less privileged and impacting the society positively.
The District Governor, Ifeyinwa Ejezie, noted Rotary Club under her watch has done a lot in the area of its focus including basic education and literacy, maternal and child health as well as economic empowerment.
She said the District has taken the issue of mental health to another level by educating alot of people, adding that drug abuse among the youths was equally addressed by the club.
Ejezie reiterated the Rotary Club’s commitment to humanitarian activities within the district and across the world.