Bishop Kukah Says Trump’s Warning Is a “Symptom of Nigeria’s Deeper Problems
Bishop Kukah Says Trump’s Warning Is a “Symptom of Nigeria’s Deeper Problems
Azeez Ajibola Afolabi
Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, has said President Donald Trump’s recent comments on alleged Christian gen+cide in Nigeria should be seen not as an att@ck but as a “wake-up call” to confront the nation’s underlying crisis.
Kukah spoke on Friday in Lagos during the 60th birthday celebration of journalist Reuben Abati and the public presentation of his three new books.
His remarks came days after Trump redesignated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over claims of widespread k+llings of Christians, warning that the U.S. would not rule out air strikes or ground operations against terr+rist groups.
Responding to the development, Kukah said Trump’s statement should force Nigerian leaders to face the country’s deep-rooted failures instead of seeing the warning as foreign interference.
“All of us are confusing Trump with a sickness. Trump is a symptom of the dis+ase that is in our country,” he said. “Whether it is Trump or whoever that has given us this jab, it is time for Nigeria to wake up.”
The bishop lamented what he described as Nigeria’s weak institutional culture, lack of national identity, and absence of structures that inspire pride. He questioned why the country has no major tourist attractions or national monuments befitting its size and history.
“If somebody wants to visit this country today, where will I take them to? He urged political and intellectual stakeholders to recognise the seriousness of Nigeria’s problems and to collectively design sustainable solutions capable of restoring unity, stability, and a sense of purpose.
