By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
The Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) has declared that there is suffering, hardship, pain hunger, frustration and anger in Nigeria is very clear for even the blind to see.
CCN however stressed that “it is certain that we did not arrive at this point by a sudden flight. Nigeria, since her independence in 1960 appears to have made more progress in the reverse as all aspirations for better life and living for the citizens have remained elusive.”
The Council through its President and
Anglican Archbishop of Owerri Province, Most Rev David Onuoha lamented that, “Corruption, selfishness and greed have characterized more the administration and application of the vast resources the country is endowed/blessed with.”
According to the CCN, “Protests are legitimate means of ventilating citizens frustrations and disappointments on the state of affairs in the country. The overall aim is to draw Government’s attention to them with a view to securing a review of its policies and programmes so that people’s burdens will be lifted somehow.”
“However, the dire security challenges the country faces presently may provide the environment that enemies of the country may explore to unleash mayhem that will not be in the interest of anyone,” It observed.
The CCN added that, “Having sufficiently drawn the attention of the government to the reality of pain, suffering and hunger in the land, I call on the organizers to consider dropping the idea of protest for now.”
“Unlike Kenya where the government started making reforms after much destructions had been made, the present leadership of the country, instead of looking for who to blame, should be proactive by looking at the demands already made public by the organizers of the proposed protest and address those it can address now as a way of assuaging and assuring the citizens of its commitment to their welfare and wellbeing. It requires wisdom, tact, sincerity, forthrightness and maturity for Nigerian government to handle this situation,” It added.
CCN demanded that Government must make clear its action plan both in the immediate, short and long term of ameliorating the sufferings of the people.
” More importantly, government functionaries must not live and speak as if they are not part of the Nigerian society. Their live style must be made to reflect the realities of the time,” It stated.
According to CCN, “This way, the common man will believe them when they preach patience. Government should do all it can to convince our youths to suspend this protest.”
