Catholic Church backs Kukah on state of the nation comment

The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), has thrown its weight behind Bishop Matthew Kukah, saying it aligns with comments by the Bishop on the state of the nation.

Ripples Nigeria had reported that Kukah, who is the Bishop of the Sokoto Diocese of the Catholic Church, had in the statement on Christmas day claimed that Nigeria was gradually becoming a failed state.

“The spilling of this blood must be related to a more sinister plot that is beyond our comprehension. Are we going to remain hogtied by these evil men or are they gradually becoming part of a larger plot to seal the fate of our country?” Kukah had asked.

The Church, in a press release made available to journalists in Abuja by the National Director of CSN’s Social Communication, Fr. Mike Umoh, raised the alarm over the attacks on the Bishop by those alleging he is trying to instigate violence and hinder national integration with his message.

According to Umoh, however, with the prolonged security and economic challenges facing the country, the Catholic Church in Nigeria stood by Kukah’s position on the state of the nation.

He said: “We are quite aware of the 2020 Christmas Message by our revered Bishop Hassan Kukah and the enormous space it has enjoyed on social media and in the public sphere.

“As expected, the agents of evil have gathered to attack the person of the Bishop and to discredit the simple obvious truth of the message. This is the stock in trade of evil people.

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“However, they often succeed when good people Christians, choose to do nothing. We are therefore calling attention to this new development so that we can all rise in unison and stand for truth.

“The situation in Nigeria no longer allows anyone to sit on the fence, indifference is now a greater form of sin. Everyone must choose and stand up for what he/she believes in.

“The truth about our nation is also that there are only two parties now existing: the good and the evil, the oppressed and the oppressor, the suffering people and the benefiting government officers and their families.”

Calling on Nigerians to stand in support of the truth, Umoh cautioned against falling for the antics of those he described as players of the religious and tribal card even at the expense of the general good of the nation.

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