Bishop Mathew Kukah blames government failures for Nigeria’s hunger crisis, tragic food stampedes, and deepening despair. In his Christmas message, he calls for urgent reforms to tackle poverty, insecurity, and systemic challenges.
Sokoto State, December 25, 2024 – The Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Hassan Kukah, has held the government accountable for the worsening hunger crisis in Nigeria, citing recent food stampedes in Abuja, Oyo, and Anambra States as tragic outcomes of systemic failures. The Christmas Day message from the cleric served as a wake-up call for urgent reforms to address growing desperation among citizens.
Reflecting on the harrowing incidents in Okija, Ibadan, and Abuja, where lives were lost during chaotic food distribution efforts, Bishop Kukah described these tragedies as symbolic of the nation’s broader struggles with poverty and despair.
“These tragedies are a metaphor for the desperation that citizens have been thrown into. The failure of the government to respond concretely to the crisis of hunger has created the conditions for these avoidable tragedies,” he lamented.
The Bishop criticized the government’s inaction in tackling the hunger crisis and urged it to collaborate with social welfare institutions to ensure citizens live with dignity.
Kukah also reflected on Nigeria’s 63 years of independence, noting that the country remains shackled by systemic issues such as ethnicity, nepotism, and greed. These factors, he said, deepen exclusion and fuel violence.
“Our journey to greatness is still constrained by ethnicity, nepotism, and greed. These forces exacerbate feelings of exclusion and violence among citizens,” he noted.
Addressing youth inclusion in politics, Bishop Kukah highlighted the high cost of running for office as a persistent barrier, despite the enactment of the Not Too Young to Run Bill. On education, he praised the government’s introduction of loan schemes but urged broader support for vocational and technical training, emphasizing the need to remove bureaucratic obstacles.
“In future, poverty should not exclude anyone from a good education. We encourage the youth to seize this opportunity with both hands,” he advised.
While acknowledging progress in combating insecurity, Bishop Kukah called for a comprehensive national security strategy that addresses unemployment and violent religious extremism, which he identified as root causes of violence.
“Insecurity is the first child of corruption. Without tackling unemployment and extremism, we cannot achieve lasting peace,” he stressed.
The Bishop’s powerful message is a reminder of the urgent need for government accountability and collaboration to address Nigeria’s challenges and restore dignity to the lives of its citizens.
