In a fiery Easter message, Bishop Matthew Kukah urges President Tinubu to confront Nigeria’s deepening crisis of hunger, insecurity, and hopelessness
By Effiong Ime| April 20, 2025 | Politics & National Affairs
In an emotionally charged Easter message that has reverberated across the nation, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, Archbishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, has made a fervent appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to rescue Nigerians from what he calls “the cross of suffering and despair.” Speaking truth to power, the respected cleric described Nigeria as a nation “bleeding” and “dangling in pain,” amid widespread hunger, insecurity, and moral decay.
“Nigeria Is Hanging on a Cross of Pain”
Delivering his homily during the Easter celebrations on Sunday, Bishop Kukah likened the current situation in Nigeria to a crucifixion scene. “Mr. President,” he said, “we all admit that you neither erected this cross nor initiated our collective crucifixion. But Nigerians have been bleeding and dangling on this cross of pain for far too long. Please bring us down.”
In a message both spiritual and deeply political, Kukah decried the harsh economic realities Nigerians are enduring. “Hunger, sickness, and desolation stalk the land,” he said, lamenting the decline in citizens’ quality of life since the removal of the fuel subsidy in 2023. While acknowledging the policy’s economic justification, he criticized the lack of a structured support system to cushion its impact.
Banditry and Insecurity: “A National Cancer”
The Bishop pulled no punches as he described Nigeria’s worsening insecurity. He argued that terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping are no longer isolated incidents but have become deeply embedded in the nation’s social fabric.
“Bandits who were once brought into the country as a political strategy are now threatening to overrun our homes, farmlands, and schools,” Kukah asserted. “Today, the cancer of insecurity has metastasized, putting our common humanity at risk.”
He warned that the country was inching dangerously close to becoming “a huge national morgue,” with virtually no community untouched by violence and sorrow. “A dark pall of death hangs languidly across the nation—from north to south,” he added.
Food Insecurity and Dignity in Crisis
Taking a swipe at the government’s reliance on palliative distributions, Kukah criticized the practice as a short-term and dehumanizing response to a long-term crisis. “Giving out palliatives does not solve the hunger problem—it reduces the dignity of citizens,” he said.
Instead, he urged the government to declare food security a fundamental human right, calling for structural policies that make access to food and healthcare non-negotiable.
A Call for Leadership with Urgency
In what many consider a challenge to Tinubu’s presidency, Kukah insisted that urgency, sincerity, and compassion must now guide leadership decisions. “Mr. President, hasten to bring us down from this cross of evil. The nation is at a breaking point.”
Kukah emphasized that while Tinubu did not create all of Nigeria’s problems, he now bears the responsibility of resolving them. He advised the president to prioritize security reforms, invest in human capital, and decentralize power to enable regional solutions to local crises.
Social Reactions and Public Response
Kukah’s Easter message quickly gained traction across social media platforms and news outlets, with Nigerians applauding his boldness and clarity. Civil society groups, political commentators, and ordinary citizens echoed his sentiments, calling for immediate action from the federal government.
#BringUsDownFromThisCross trended across X (formerly Twitter), as many users shared personal stories of economic hardship, violence, and loss, reinforcing the reality Kukah painted.
The Bigger Picture
As Nigeria teeters on the edge of a humanitarian and socio-political crisis, Bishop Kukah’s voice serves as a moral compass, challenging the conscience of the nation’s leaders. His message is not just a lamentation but a roadmap for hope—one that demands visionary leadership, urgent reforms, and a recommitment to the dignity and well-being of every Nigerian.
