From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan and Layi Olanrewaju, Ilorin
Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has warned the Federal Government and other stakeholders against disintegration of the country in view of the unending insecurity.
The Bishops gave the warning during the burial service of late Archbishop Peter Jatau at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, yesterday.
President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Augustine Akubueze, Cardinal Onaiyikan, Bishop Hassan Mathew Kukah and other clergies, at the ceremony said if government failed to listen to voices of reasons, it could promote injustice, which may likely lead to division of the country.
Bishop Akubueze, in his message, said it was unfortunate that government has taken those giving honest advice on the state of the nation as enemies, saying it will be in the interest of all to save the country from the scourge of the current socio-political problems facing the country.
According to him, trying to clamp down on honest advices will do the country no good, saying that there should be seriousness on the part of the leadership of the country in tackling the security and other challenges facing the nation.
Emeretus Archbishop of Abuja and former president of the CBCN, Cardinal Onaiyekan, who delivered the homily at the stadium said the project Nigeria is work in progress, pointing out that it is wrong not to agree with people who are saying that in our nation things are getting worse by the day.
“This is not denying that there are some people who have had it good so good, even their prosperity gets lost in the wider and deeper sea of the misery that is engulfing the mass majority.”
He explained that the government should understand that the basic human needs, security of lives and property and a minimum need for peace in the country are not luxuries, adding, “they are necessities of life that one expect from any true Government. Those in pain should be allowed to cry, pointing out what is not going on well within the country. This is the patriotism which government should welcome and embrace in a truly democratic nation, not to demonize or shout down critic.
“In our present predicament, what is needed is to bring all on deck to rescue our nation from sliding into avoidable chaos. The cardinal responsibility of joint action and ensuring the stability of the nation rest on those who are ruling us. We can only pray that those who will hear this simple advise will take it.
“Building a one country, is for many of us a desirable enterprise. It is an enterprise that calls for sincere effort to live with one another in a spirit of mutual respect, equal opportunity, and in solidarity with common mind. Before we discard this as a common a price too high to pay.”