Catholic Bishops say governance by palliatives and intimidation not the solution to Nigerians’ problems
The Catholic Bishops of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province, representing four states, have voiced their concerns that governance relying on palliatives, intimidation, or evasive methods cannot offer a lasting solution to Nigeria’s issues.
According to Vanguard, in a communique issued at the conclusion of their meeting at the Domus Pacis Pastoral Institute in Igoba, Akure, Ondo State, the Bishops expressed their stance. The document was signed by Archbishop Gabriel Abegunrin of the Ibadan Catholic Archdiocese and Bishop John Oyejola, who served as the chairman and secretary of the meeting, respectively.
According to the clerics, “We strongly believe that if governments in Nigeria at all levels had responded more promptly and effectively to the groans and distress calls of the Nigerian people, the current protest would not have gathered momentum.”
The communique highlighted the multiple grievances voiced by Nigerians, including severe hunger, persistent insecurity, unfulfilled promises, shattered hopes, the exorbitant cost of living, and governance, as well as the ineffectiveness of the rule of law in addressing public officials’ criminality and ineptitude in managing critical national issues.
“We strongly urge the Federal, State, and Local Governments to promptly attend to the distress call of the Nigerian people and turn a new leaf by responding promptly and effectively henceforth to the problems and distress of Nigerians. As we have said in the recent past, governance by palliatives, by intimidation, or by hide and seek methods cannot provide a permanent solution to the challenges faced by the country.”
Regarding the planned protest, the clerics urged Nigerians to stage their demonstrations peacefully and orderly. They called on “governments at all levels to be proactive and respond promptly to the suffering of Nigerians to prevent protests.”
The bishops emphasized that protests should not cause alarm in a true democratic setting, as the right to protest is guaranteed in democracies worldwide. They advised that the protesters should ensure their demonstrations were orderly, exercising their constitutional rights without causing disturbances.
“The protests in Nigeria should be made to serve that purpose and none other. The protesters should exercise restraint and not disturb or intimidate those who may choose not to participate in the exercise, knowing that it is their inalienable right not to do so. Such people should be allowed to go about their lawful business unhindered. The organizers of the protest have therefore a responsibility to ensure all these or call off the protest.”
The bishops also urged the country’s security agencies to handle the protests professionally to avoid violence and bloodshed.
“During this protest, therefore, relevant security organizations must show restraint and civility in discharging their duties and avoid violence and accidental deaths, which unfortunately seem to have characterized past exercises in Nigeria.”
