Catholic cleric John Cardinal Onaiyekan yesterday lashed out at the Federal Government over its performance.
But two government officials disagreed with the man of God. Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha agreed that there were challenges, which he said the government was tackling.
Besides, Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed said Nigeria is in safe hands, with President Muhammadu Buhari in the driver’s seat.
The Metropolitan Catholic Archbishop of Abuja said Nigerians deserved better governance.
Cardinal Onaiyekan, in a homily delivered at the opening Mass of the first 2018 plenary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), said the nation had slipped to the verge of misery.
The clergyman said in the last three years, Nigerians had been hearing a lot about change, but got little of it.
In Cardinal Onaiyekan’s view, any change in human affairs must necessarily start with a change of heart.
But Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha who represented President Muhammadu Buhari, said the government had done its best to address the issues affecting Nigerians.
Mustapha said the CBCN was the only Christian platform that gave the president a listening ear prior to the 2015 presidential election.
Mustapha added that the president believed that the CBCN is a strategic partner in building the nation and noted that it has a lot to offer the nation.
“And for that reason, he remains eternally grateful. And I remember at that engagement, they asked very pertinent questions – direct, bullets to the face. And he provided answers. And because of that reason, he believes that the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria is a strategic partner in the enterprise of growing the Nigeria nation and he believes that they have a lot to offer,” Mustapha said.
He cited the recent visit of the Catholic bishops to the president and said he was giving the issues they raised priority attention.
He said the government was on its toes, addressing security challenges. Perpetrators of violent crimes will be made to face the law as the Federal Government is taking measures to stem the tide of insecurity, Boss said.
Cardinal Onaiyekan said: ”We do well therefore to remind ourselves of our need for repentance in the way we think, in the things that we do, in our entire attitude to life in ourselves and in our relations with all our neighbours. But this is not only for us who are Christians and Catholics.
It is for all men and women of our nation in this era of general confusion and near chaos, anarchy and doom.
“Yes, our nation is in a state of uncertainty and confusion. A few things are going well in the society and the economy for which we thank God and congratulate our leaders. They tell us that they are doing their best.
But a lot still needs to be done and too many problems have been left to fester. Our nation surely deserves far better than it is now getting in terms of good governance, social justice and peace and minimum of well being for our people,” Cardinal Onaiyekan said.
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