Another View on The Southerner Newspaper
Saturday, December 6, 2025

“Religious leaders must take a stand, they must identify and if need be, name the kind of demons of oppression and injustice. It is necessary to name the demon for an exorcism to take place.” — Bishop Kukah.

An ordained priest or minister of the gospel is supposed to be the spiritual leader of members of his Church or Christianity at large, anytime, any day. They are at all times to stand in defence of truth, their faith and flock. They must preach the teachings of Jesus Christ without mincing words and live the values they also preach.

It is even more demanding for Catholic priests who have neither wives nor children; they own no property, no other worldly distractions to put them in a tight corner with the political establishment of the state.

There is absolutely nothing in the world that should be a stumbling block to Catholic priests to deviate from the truth all the time.

The Catholic Bishops of Malawi remain a good example of what is expected of Priests. During the era of President Kamuzu Banda, he undemocratically made himself a President for life. He ensured all citizens of voting age in Malawi were members of his political party, Malawi Congress Party. He disallowed and did not tolerate any opposition. He ruled Malawi with iron fist.

In 1992, the Catholic Bishops of Malawi wrote a Pastoral Letter to President Banda that almost cost them their lives. They challenged his dictatorial tendencies, injustices and gross violations of citizens’ rights in the country. President Banda considered their boldness to challenge him a ‘see finish’ and betrayal, disloyalty and coup against him and his government. He ordered for their immediate arrest and detention.

All the Bishops were marked for execution by President Banda. But their predicament generated global attention and organizations were established and mobilized for actions within and outside Malawi to pressure the government of Malawi for their freedom.

In all their predicaments during their detention, the Bishops never budged. They remained calm, prayerful, steadfast, unmovable. They spoke the truth for the freedom of their people and country. That was what the Malawians needed at that point in time. Priests with their consciences in tact, for their country to move forward.

I started hearing about Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah PhD, while reading the newspapers. He was then a Reverend Father in the early 1990s. He served at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria office then located at Onikan, Lagos.

No doubt, Bishop Kukah is a brilliant scholar, very intelligent, astute, in fact, an encyclopedia of knowledge, if you ask me. Naturally, I admire every speaker and defender of truth. That’s the beginning of my likeness for Bishop Kukah.

He spoke the truth and stood firmly for justice and equality. He is a lover of souls irrespective of religion or ethnicity. He condemned the unholy performances of governments then without fear or favour.

Kukah was loved by Nigerians because of his forthrightness and firmness in condemning government excesses. I met him for the first time at a public lecture he delivered in 1996. The public lecture was organized by the Constitutional Rights Project, CRP, held at Nigeria Institute for International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos.

We greeted very warmly and exchanged pleasantries. I congratulated him on his well presented lecture. For many, especially in the campaign for the restoration of democracy in Nigeria in the 1990s, he was loved and sought after by many international and local organisations to make presentations or chair the occassions.

However, for some years now, since the coming of President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999, Father Kukah has found it convenient to move closer and dilly-dally with the political elites, thereby reducing his status and stand against bad governance, injustice and oppression.

Former President Obasanjo apparently used his military intelligence to discover his weakness and brought him closer to his administration during his second coming as an elected civilian President.

Remember, Bishop Kukah served as Secretary to the Oputa Panel, a Truth and Reconciliation Commission created by President Olusegun Obasanjo to look into some alleged human rights abuses during the military era. The said commission was headed by late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa.

No doubt, Bishop Kukah who headed the secretariat, managed the commission very well and used his deep knowledge in religion, experience and exposure to make deep contributions at achieving the goals of the commission – peace and reconciliation. He and the chairman brought together separated brothers and sisters.

Father Kukah to the surprise of many, turned full circle and began to romance with governments until 2015 when late President Muhammadu Buhari became the president and allegedly sidelined him throughout his eight years in power.

In anger, Bishop Kukah reportedly started to abuse, condemn and call President Buhari and his administration names until the man left power in 2023 and eventually died this year.

He constantly and openly accused Buhari of suprintending the massacre of Christians in Southern Kaduna and other northern states. Kukah reportedly took the campaign to international level, accusing the late President of inability and unwillingness to protect lives and property of citizens of Nigeria that were being killed by some Islamic militants.

The revered cleric did not rationalize nor define the word, Genocide. He basically demanded that, the killings and attacks on particular targets constituted genocide that required immediate global attention. So, what has changed?

Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election was condemned by many Nigerians, local and international journalists and observers as a sham but our own Bishop Kukah defended it. He chose to call for peace and acceptance of the already declared presidential results by the Mahmoud Yakubu led INEC. He didn’t at any time condemn the shambolic election that lacked credibility and allegedly produced ‘a glitched result.’

That election was conducted by former INEC Chairman, now one of the Ambassadorial nominees. He rather disappointingly echoed that, there was no perfect election anywhere in the world.

Of course, we may agree but, what is bad is bad. Many wondered why Bishop Kukah refused to condemn the process and outcome of the election. Our once fiery cleric and defender of the oppressed and preacher of justice defended the 2023 presidential election outcome.

The Catholic Church is known and has always preached and stood in support of justice. Despite the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the 1993 Presidential election won by MKO Abiola and Babagana Kingibe, the Catholic Church stood against its annulment. Catholics believe that without justice there cannot be peace and development in any society. Why is Father Kukah now redefining the teachings of his Church? What is now new?

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recognized Father Kukah after coming to power in 2023, and gifted him a juicy appointment as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of council of the Federal University established in his home town in Kaduna state. It seems that is now a problem.

I have always argued that, we need righteous men and women in positions of trust to get it right. But allowing such privileged power to becloud our sense of reasoning and judgement is what is faulty. And, it is dangerous for the society. Why would Bishop Kukah allow his closeness to the Presidential Villa to now become his political compass? It is disappointing and treacherous.

Bishop Kukah is now more loyal to the government. He perhaps prefers associating with the men and women in the corridors of power. He attends more political functions than spiritual pilgrimages. I’m not sure as a man of God, ifvhe has visited any of the IDP camps or terrorist ravaged communities lately?

That is why he could deny there is no Christian genocide in Nigeria. What can the targetted killings and abductions in Benue, Plateau, Kwara, Niger, Borno to be called?

Christians do not need spiritual leaders of his ilk who have become politicians wearing collars and cassocks. Christians need pastors that will act as the conscience of the nation. The people of God need Priests that will speak against the evils in the society, call them by names, whenever, wherever and damn the consequences.

A priest must always lead the way in the campaigns against injustice and failure of government to secure the lives of her people and protect their property and not priests who will be compromised by political favours and personal benefits.

The reality in Nigeria presently is that, there are killings and abductions against Christians, Muslims and communities. There are internally displaced people’s camps scattered in various states of the federation hosting people displaced by the bandits. All these cannot be denied. Not even a man who preaches the gospel from the pulpit nor an Imam can deny this reality.

The country is on the brink of a collapse. Nigeria is on the cliffhanger because of the activities of these terrorists. The country has become one of the most unsafe places to be in the world. There is no day without the sad news of attacks, killings and abductions in Nigeria. Yet, the Federal Government and its security agencies do not have any solution to the mayhem.

No person or group is talking in defence of the people. We have been abandoned to the philistines by our political, traditional and religious leaders. The citizens either rise up to defend themselves or be doomed at the growing attacks of the terrorists with superior firearms and technology.

When a man of Bishop Kukah’s religious pedigree could deny the obvious, then, Nigerians must wake up and reclaim their country from state capture or be doomed.

Nigeria is going through pains that words alone cannot describe. The country is bleeding profusely and as concerned or patriotic citizen, you are greatly disturbed. We are not where we are supposed to be, not because of the weather, climate, air, water, or damaged forest, but the leadership and style of management over the years that concentrated more on looting of the treasury than building a country for all.

A country can only be built when her leaders see the tears in the eyes of fellow citizens and then act to wipe them away. When leaders insulate themselves from the pains and sufferings of the people then a country ceases to exist. Our religious, traditional and political leaders must learn to be compassionate, accountable and fair to the people always.

Bishop Kukah needs to do a rethink and elect to engage fully with his vocation which he swore to defend and leave hustling for the secular world. He has drifted too far away and needs to apply the breaks before he enters the highway.