By Gilbert Ekezie
The President, Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN), Most Rev. Benebo Fubara Fubara-Manuel has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to fish out and punish those behind the kidnapping and killing of innocent Nigerians , in the name of Boko Haram, Banditry and Fulani Herdsmen to serve as a deterrent to others.
He said the level of insecurity in the country has degenerated, yet the president who supposed to take drastic actions to curb it, is not living up to the expectation of Nigerians.
Fubara- Manuel who spoke when members of the Association of Christian Correspondents of Nigeria ( ACCoN), paid him a courtesy visit at the Presybitarian Church, Lekki Lagos, also frowned at Buhari’s silence on other critical issues that affect Nigeria.
He regretted that the Boko Haram sect, Fulani herdsmen, bandits , kidnappers and others who are posing security threats in the country, have been on the dastard acts, without serious effort by the government to stop them. And, as a result, people are kidnapped and killed every day.
According to him, it is so worrisome that President Buhari refused talk or act accordingly, while terrorists continued to claim lives of innocent Nigerians. “The killers are having their day, while the kidnappers are extorting money from their victims at this critical state of the economy. Obviously, Buhari’s silence on the insecurity and other issues affecting Nigerians is suspicious. If he claims not to know where those who are causing the security threats in Nigeria are, that is laughable and unbelievable, so, he should resign.”
Having observed that Nigerians are suffering with the level of insecurity and poor state of the economy that has made it very difficult for them to have food on their table, Fubara-Manuel, was dissatisfied at the level of education in the country, pointing out that the decay started when the government interfered and took over schools from churches.
Fubara-Manuel who is also in charge of the Presbyterian Church, Lekki blamed the recent happenings in the country to lack of political will by the government to effect the desired change in the polity. “Education is the ability to act and think wisely. It also broaden someone’s horizon. So, those opposing any form of education do not understand it’s importance. Government take over of schools from the missionaries weakened the nature and concept of education in Nigeria. We all know the decay in our university system; they never used to be like that. When churches were at the fore of education, somebody trained at standard six can operate like today’s graduate because the stuff you got at standard six seems to some of us as equivalent to today’s graduates. Unfortunately, while the churches are now taking the schools back from the government, they lack the ability to maintain the standard , because the resources required to do so are no longer in their hands.
“The businesses of churches are no longer flourishing, farms are no longer there and locals can no longer farm. If you want them to deliver – they must be sustained.”
He informed that Churches are playing important roles in nation building, by building the minds of people to engage at the level of education and empowerment, as they hold their members, the political parties and politicians accountable. “I want to state here that the role of the Church goes beyond interacting with members on religious matters, but to freely engage on issues of public formation and decision- making that take place at the legislative and other arms of government.
“For instance, at CCN , we bring education to the fore; we build healthcare facilities and civic education.We also bring empowerment, campaign on Violence Against Women and Girls , spread of HIV/AIDS and more. These are some of the things we do to support nation building.”
He observed that some people are pushing the agenda to forcefully promote one religion in Nigeria against the other and called on members of the public , especially Christians and Muslims to thread with caution on such cankerous plan. “Those pushing the agenda to forcefully promote one faith against the other are not true believers practicing the tenets of the religion. Such move is dangerous, and will not do the country any good.”
The Cleric urged President Buhari to come out to address Nigerians and give them hope on the physical and psychological trauma they are going through. ” Nigerians need to hear the President’s position on the present situation of the country, and he needs to do that to give them hope.”