Kukah: I Criticise Govt to Put Them on Their Toes

* Says I’m excited when people call me politician

 *Blames prosperity preaching on rise in criminality  

*Gives condition for women quota in governance

Emameh Gabriel in Abuja

Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Dioces, Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah, at the weekend, said he would continue to criticise the government to put those in power on their toes to prioritise the safety and welfare of the citizens of the country.

Bishop Kukah, an ardent critic of the President Muhammadu Buhari government, said his confidence to speak truth to power was inspired by his clear understanding of the teachings and doctrine of the Catholic Church, which  he said had overtime exposed him to the social dimensions of the church, on how policies of government could be interrogated for the good of the masses.

In his keynote address at the median event of Lux Terra Book Festival held in Abuja, Kukah said, there was a misconception among most people that a clergyman should not engage or interrogate the policies of government, noting that he was not bothered with name calling from critics, who called him a politician due to his constant criticism on government policies.

The event, which was organised to unveil seven new publications of  Rev. Father George Ehusani as well as encourage the culture of reading and writing in the country, featured top religious prelates, academics and professional.

Among them were Cardinal John Onaiyekan, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, Prof Pat Utomi, Prof Nuhu Yaqub, Prof Matthew Adikwu, Prof Hycinth Ichoko, Prof Vincent Anigbogu and many other book enthusiasts, who turned out in their numbers to celebrate the host for his contribution to literary work in the last three decades.
Kukah, who spoke extensively on the role of the church and her relationship with government, said there was no way the church could be separated from governance since the church and her people were part and parcel of the political community.

He said: “We should ask how and why the children of church, who found themselves in different public places, have not been able to make impact, the whole question as to the limit between church and state and where we can move in to?

“Where I come from, everyday people are telling me, ‘Bishop Kuka, you are a politician’. Which is fine! When they say I am a politician, I feel very happy about it. It is based on ignorance but I appreciate it, because people are not used to the kind of things I say. Not because I say them better but because people are of the assumption that priests ought to be praying.

But my concern about the existential reality around me are not taken away by the fact that I cannot engage the process. If you look at the significance that constitutes the Catholic church spiritual teachings, what is amazing is that the Catholic church has covered every considerable aspect of life – from beginning to end.

 Those who used to talk about the Catholic church being conservative, that allegation is based on their ignorance. The Catholic church in 19th Century was talking about the dignity of labour. The contradiction and distortion created by capitalist accumulation vis-a-vis the crippling poverty the people were seeing. There are documents on social progress, peace on earth, development of the people, human labour.

“What is God plan for humanity? And it is when you ask those in power, what really was in God’s mind, when He put so much for us in Africa and in Nigeria? What did God have in mind? Is it that some bandits will take over the resources of our country and distribute it to themselves, their children, their families?

“These are the questions every church leader must constantly assault the throne of power with. So, when people like us sound a little bit angry, it’s because you can’t live in this country and be aware of the huge resources we have and you square that up with fraudulent governance system we have in Nigeria,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishop did not reserve his worries on rise in prosperity teachings by some denomination of the christiandom, whom he said would continue to mislead a wider proportion of their followers. Kukah lamented that the practice has become one of the most pervasive and disturbing trends in charismatic protestant Christianity today.

Kukah, who also spoke on the agitation for equal quota for women in public office, explained that the intention must be holistic.
He explained: “Now the women are talking about gender. These are conversation we never had before. And in Nigeria and Africa, there are things in African culture that are direct antecedence of democracy. I don’t want to get into trouble by getting into this conversation about women and quotas and so on. But let me tell you in one single word: me I think the sums are right but make sure the total is spread.

As far as I am concerned, people like myself or my small ethic group that is marginalised even at local government level, I am asking if we are going to create a space for women and I think we should. But we should agree on the kind of women that will benefit from that quota.

“Because if it’s the same big boys, who are coming with their mistresses and their extra wives, it’s not acceptable. If we want to create a quota for women, we must listen to 70-80% of Nigerians, who are not Ibos, who are not Hausas, Fulanis and who, are not those of us who have the right to be here,” he said.

In his remarks, Rev. Father George Ehusani, Executive Director, Lux Terra Books, said his “writings are a reflection of what is happening in the society and how I feel about it. It gives me the feelings to express my feelings without fear.
“What you see today is a result of my writings over a 30 years period.
We need to encourage our children to be reading so that when they grow up, they are expose to book.”