Advice!! Nigeria must learn to manage its diversity – Kukah

Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah

Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, the Most Reverend Matthew Hassan Kukah, has identified distortion of nationhood as the main problem confronting Nigeria as a country.

Kukah said getting it right in the education sector will serve as a basis for transformation of values and a positive generational change capable of launching Nigeria into the league of the most developed nations of the world.

He spoke on Tuesday while delivering the 3rd convocation lecture of the Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD). The lecture was titled: “Education and Leadership Recruitment for a Plural Society: A Case of Nigeria.”

The lecture was chaired by the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega and was attended by the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Alhaji Ado Ibrahim, ABUAD Founder, Aare Afe Babalola and other dignitaries.

According to him, Nigeria must learn to manage her diversity and maximize it for the purpose of meeting its goals for sustainable development and fulfil the dream of its founding fathers.

He described education as “too serious a business to leave to the hands of trained educationists.”

Kukah canvassed support for the anti-corruption crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari.

He added that fighting corruption could only guarantee a stable nation when it is complemented by entrenchment and protection of social justice and the rule of law.

Kukah stressed that corruption, poor leadership, nepotism, tribalism, sectarian crisis, armed robbery and other ills confronting Nigeria could be traced to the fundamental problem of distortion of nationhood.

He deplored a situation in which merit, competence and ability to deliver are no longer the yardsticks to be considered to determine the suitability of candidates for admission, jobs and leadership positions insisting that things must not continue that way.

Kukah said: “A distorted society cannot expect the reward of a decent society. Happily for us in Nigeria, we are turning a new page. We must therefore not be seduced into thinking that we should hand over our hope, our dream and our aspiration to President Buhari and go to sleep.

“Corruption is a symptom of the disease of the distortion of our nationhood. We may have a transparent election but the most perfect electoral outcome does not translate to the right result.

“When people receive the licence to govern, what does it mean to them and what do they do with it? We must acknowledge the opportunity of the concession of defeat by (former) President Jonathan , we need institutions that can save voters from the excesses of the Nigerian politicians.

“As a country, we must have succession plan, we must have capacity for succession and the institutional capacity to recruit the future leaders and we must crate opportunities for young Nigerians to rise to the highest office in the land.

“Unless we develops culture of discipline and clear sense of goalpost that says if you do well, this is the outcome and if you do wrong, this is the outcome, we may not getting right.”

Jega said every Nigerian must do his best for the country to witness the transformation envisaged by all.

He commended ABUAD Founder, Babalola for bequeathing a university that now ranks as one of the best in the country.