- Cardinal Anthony Olubunmi Okogie, the fiery archbishop of the Catholic Church, warned Nigerians not to continue to fold their arms

- Okogie listed the many problems in Nigeria and wondered why some would have fleets of private jets while others cannot feed

Nigeria is a country without leaders, Cardinal Anthony Olubunmi Okogie, a former archbishop of the Lagos diocese of the Catholic Church, has declared.

NAIJ.com learnt that Okogie said this in a lengthy article titled: ‘A nation without leaders’, in reaction to the state of the nation.

Okogie also compared the lives of the poor with those living in opulence in the country to reach the conclusion.

“Gracious God, grant that our leaders become wise, and the wise become our leaders.

“But it would be irresponsible fideism to simply pray and fold our arms. Those who pray must think, and, having sought and obtained answers to right questions, they must act intelligently,” Vanguard reported the 81-year-old as saying.

“It has become inescapable to inquire: what is the quality of leaders - of the men and women at the helm of affairs - in our beloved Nigeria?

“Can it be said that those at the helm of affairs - at federal, state, and local levels of government - are sufficiently competent to navigate the ship of state? Do our leaders fit the bill?”

“Insecurity in our land; the abysmally low quality of life of the average Nigerian, in scandalously sharp contrast with the opulence in which past and political office holders live; the self-serving and malevolent demagoguery that accompanies unitarist, secessionist, and xenophobic agitations in our country; the propagation of the stubborn myth that one’s ethnic community is marginalized by all other ethnic communities, when in fact every ethnic community is marginalized by the incompetence of our leaders; the acceptance of this myth by young, discontented but gullible Nigerians: these and many other indices offer little or no hope to even the most incurable optimist in the land.

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“Instead of devoting their mental and physical capacities to governance, our leaders are seeking their own interests. Nigerians bear the excruciating burden of being ruled by politicians who simply care less about Nigerians.

“The burden is increased when they have to listen to religious leaders who whip up emotions and deceive by using the name of God, claiming visions and miracles.

“We do not care about our legacy, we care only about the power we wield, the wealth - often ill-gotten - we display, and above all, the pleasure and affluence we seek,” Cardinal Okogie declared.

The Catholic clergy wondered why Nigeria had individuals who own a fleet of private jets while an overwhelming percentage of its citizens cannot afford a bus ride to the market.

He asked further: “What do we make of a country where the wealth of the land, wealth that belongs to the people and not to government, is used to provide security for government officials, while there is no security for the average man or woman in the street?

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“We have the police and the military; we have assorted security agencies with exotic names.

“Yet, Nigerians are robbed and murdered in their homes, abducted on the streets, at the mercy of gangsters, ritualists and cultists in their neighbourhood, while the police are helpless to the point of non-existence.

“The only sign that there is policing is when policemen and women extort money from Nigerians, often at gun point.

“Our security agencies need to get the sequence of their steps right. Thorough investigation must precede an arrest; diligent prosecution with evidence must come before conviction in a lawfully constituted court. That is what obtains in other climes. But in our own Nigeria, media trial is fashionable.

“Suspects are paraded on prime-time television, guns and bullets are displayed in front of them, the police spokesman presents them to Nigerians and pronounces them guilty in front of television cameras. Case closed.

“Nigerians are not asking for any follow-up. They hear of no trial, no conviction, no sentencing. What has happened to numerous suspects paraded on television in this country?

“While we seek answers, to these questions, we note that, from time to time, Amnesty International raises alarm about extra-judicial killings in Nigeria.

“Are Nigerians satisfied with the response of the police? Why is it that once suspects are paraded and presented as guilty - and the legal and moral propriety of the parade is another bone of contention - we very rarely see them in court?

“Is there no law that says a suspect must be charged to court within 48 hours? Why then are suspects kept for days and weeks and months without trial?

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“It is in the same vein that we must ask: what has happened to so many public office holders pronounced guilty by the EFCC and DSS in the media before they were even charged to court?

“We know that some of them were set free by the law courts. We also know that government reacts with a familiar refrain: ‘corruption is fighting back’.”

NAIJ.com reported earlier that the Northern Youth Leaders Forum (NYLF) recently called for the presidency to remain in their region ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Rising from its meeting in Yola, Adamawa state on Saturday, June 17, the group comprising the National Executive Committee of NYLF, the state chairmen and the chairmen and secretaries of the 42 affiliated Northern Organizations, were unequivocal in their demand for a northern presidency come 2019.

Addressing the press after the meeting, the chairman of NYLF, Comrade Elliot Afiyo, stated that the North will not allow the presidency move to the South in 2019.


https://www.naij.com/1114289-angry-cardinal-okogie-calls-nigeria-a-nation-leaders.html

This is nothing but the truth. So help us God...

Just kontinue

What Nigeria has as leaders are vampires and treasury looters
To cap it all up... The sole head is a vegetable in far away London
So it's open season for the looters who has no one to caution them..

Nigeria as a country is doomed in the hands of the current government
Chai!!!!

father pls tell him

bubu y

Here is one man I have a lot of respect for.

If other so-called men of God can be this responsible instead of calling crusades and hallelujah challenge, things would get better.

Nigeria has LOOTERS, MURDERERS and DESTRUCTIVE elements in charge of her executive, legislative and judicial arms of government. Moreover, their loot is never enough for them. They don't even have an accurate idea how much loot they have in their accounts, underground bunkers, cemeteries, graves, metallic vaults, soak-away pits, over-head tanks, un-occupied buildings, hidden safes, etc.

Our so called leaders can be classed as blood sucking demons feasting on the soul of Nigeria. This nation is on the path of doom and in the direction of disintegration if Nigerians continue to fold their hands and look stupid while these looters continue to sabotage our means of survival.

We the youths have to stand up and fight
We were told we are the leaders of tomorrow,tomorrow came yesterday and we are still at the mercy of recycled thieves,murderers and hardened criminals,we have prayed enough,come 2019,anybody that has ever held a political position should never be allowed into any office.
It's time to wake up!!!

He seldom talks about politics, but when he does . . . Omo na fire o!