The Catholic Bishop of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province have bemoaned the current economic and security situation in Nigeria and call for action for positive change
The Bishops from Ibadan Archdiocese, Ilorin, Ondo, Oyo, Ekiti and Osogbo Dioceses in a communique issued after their meeting held at Jubilee conference centre, Ibadan Oyo state on Tuesday maintained that “The ship of the nation is foundering under the weight of pervasive insecurity, economic hardship due to hyperinflation and the collapse of the naira, cybercrime, high cost of food, lackadaisical governance and widespread corruption”
The commuiqué which was signed by Most Rev’ Leke Gabriel Abegunrin. The chairman and Most Rev’ Job Akin Oyejola was read by Bishop Adetoyese Badejo
The Clergies which frowned at the development added that “In all this, governments often seem weak or altogether absent. Any remedy now is even already too late for many Nigerians who have lost their lives to terrorists, hunger, kidnapping and sundry disasters. We plead for urgent action from all our leaders to save the Nigeria ship from sinking. The much-vaunted renewed hope is turning to utter desperation in many places and there is not much time left.”
While decrying the killing of Ekiti monarchs and that of Kwara state as well as abduction of innocent people ,the catholic bishop said that the time to stop this spiralling violence and bloodshed is now, before it becomes irreversible, by repositioning our security agencies to make them more pre-emptive and proactive.
“There is need to restructure our security apparatus and remove saboteurs where necessary so that they can collaborate and perform optimally. Disaster is imminent when people die of hunger and the living have to steal or scrounge for food in order to survive. Elected officers are elected not to make excuses about problems but to change things for better. Away with insensitive aides who furnish the public with lies and innuendoes in order mitigate government failure in the face of the recurring disasters. Nigerians deserve to know the truth about their leaders’ programmes, activities and whereabouts. Any country run on corruption and falsehood will crumble under the weight of self-inflicted evil. Time for positive change is running out.”
“All who are in position of authority however have a higher responsibility because there shall be a verdict of history, a day of reckoning. We urge them and all privileged people not to relent in their effort to work for positive transformation in Nigeria. Government must upgrade the ongoing “governance by palliatives” to governance that promotes productivity, accountability and which provides essential infrastructure like power supply and jobs for the populace. It is better to teach people to fish than to give them fish from time to time, especially because Nigerians are among the most industrious people in the world. This would be an effective way to limit the “japa syndrome,” which is the forced exodus of our best brains from our shores to greener pastures We thank a few among our leaders who are clearly doing their best to make a change for better in their various capacities”
