A Call to Action: Nigeria’s Path to Renewal
CATHOLIC Bishop of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan Kukah, has issued a dire warning that unless Nigeria urgently confronts the growing tide of religious extremism and political intolerance, the country could descend into a Gaza-like situation marked by endless violence and despair. Delivering a keynote lecture titled ‘Nigeria: Time to Reload’ at the 60th birthday celebration of journalist and former presidential spokesperson, Dr. Reuben Abati, at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Friday, Bishop Kukah painted a sobering picture of a country at war with itself, fractured along religious, ethnic and moral lines.
He urged political leaders to “reload” the Nigerian project by revisiting the ideals of justice, fairness and national cohesion, warning that weaponised religion and unrestrained extremism now threaten the very survival of the state. He said:
“To reload our politics, Nigeria needs to rethink how to rescue our country from the clutches of the dark forces of all forms of extremist ideologies. If Nigeria does not confront the demon of weaponised religion, we may have no country because those who weaponise religion are a greater danger to the religion itself.”
Kukah emphasized the need for Nigeria to be a country of one people under one law. To this end, he appealed to the President to take legal action to address the implications of the adoption of Sharia Courts in the 12 northern states. He noted that victims of the manipulation of religion constitute over 90 percent of believers. The encircling steps of the angels of death and doom are here, he said, and warned that if Nigeria does not kill the dragon of religious extremism, it will be only a matter of time before the country becomes a larger Gaza.
A Wake-Up Call from the West
Kukah argued that the survival of the Nigerian state now depends on restoring moral balance and national identity, away from ethnic rivalry and religious manipulation. Our insecurity is the result of our lack of unity and faith, which have made peace and progress impossible, he said. He encouraged Nigerians to see comments made by United States President, Donald Trump, about the country as a wake-up call to address the nation’s deep-rooted problems.
Kukah stated that Trump’s remarks were not the real issue but merely a reflection of Nigeria’s failures in governance, unity and values. He compared Trump to a symptom of the disease that is in our country. Using the metaphor of a marksman reloading his gun after missing a target, Kukah urged Nigerians to confront their historical failures with courage and creativity.
National Values and Moral Foundations
Kukah lamented that Nigeria’s political elite have failed to build a unifying national myth comparable to those that sustain patriotism in other nations. He called for a national values renaissance rooted in African humanism and Ubuntu, “I am because you are,” contrasting it with the “dark world of charms and sorcery” that has overtaken public life.
He also expressed deep concern over declining faith in democracy globally and in Nigeria, quoting political scientist Fareed Zakaria’s warning that “people no longer doubt their governments; they doubt each other.” He argued that Nigeria’s political elite must renew the people’s faith in democracy through transparency and accountability, rather than opportunism and endless party defections.
A Nation in Crisis
The event also featured remarks from former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, who both praised Abati for his scholarship and contributions to national discourse. Obasanjo, who chaired the occasion, lauded Abati’s intellectual evolution and stressed the importance of truth as a core value for national development.
Book reviewer, Mr Louis Odion, described Abati’s three books as a mix of Nigeria’s best and worst moments, offering hope for a more cohesive nation. Other dignitaries at the event included former Ogun State governor, Segun Osoba; Abia State governor, Alex Otti; Lagos State deputy governor, Obafemi Hamzat; Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairman, Ola Olukoyede; the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo; and the Olota of Ota, Oba Adeyemi Abdulkabir.
Also in attendance were former governors Gbenga Daniel and Adams Oshiomhole, Ambassador Godknows Igali, Lady Maiden Alex-Ibru, Messrs Biodun Shobanjo, Femi Adesina, Nduka Obaigbena, Prof. Anthony Kila, Amaju Pinnick, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Bimbo Ashiru, Prince Julius Adelusi, Shaffy Bello, veteran journalist, Tola Adeniyi, Mr. Edward Dickson, Mr. Sina Oladeinde and Dr. Lasisi Olagunju and other editors across the country.
The author’s wife, Kikelomo Abati, led family members to the ceremony.