Metro

Outspoken clergyman describes Nigerian leaders as ‘drunken men searching for way home

Published

2 months ago

April 1, 2024

Outspoken Nigerian Priest, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, has described the crop of leaders the country has produced in the last 60 years as “men in a drunken stupor who stumble and fumble while searching for the way home.”

Kukah, who is the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese in Northern Nigeria, in his Easter message to the nation on Sunday, said since Nigeria gained independence in 1960, successive leaders had failed to create a template on which the country should run seamlessly but rather facilitated a situation where “immoral and sordid debauchery has spread like cancer destroying all our vital organs.”

Bishop Kukah further called on the present government to come up with a robust template on how to reverse the trend of bad governance and put the country on a path of national healing.

“Our leaders chose the feast rather than the fast. We are today reaping what we sowed yesterday. For over 60 years, our leaders have looked like men in a drunken stupor, staggering, stumbling and fumbling, slurring in speech, with blurred visions searching for the way home,” he said.

“The corruption of the years of a life of immoral and sordid debauchery has spread like cancer destroying all our vital organs. The result is a state of a hangover that has left our nation comatose.

“Notwithstanding, Easter is a time to further reflect on the road not taken. It is a time to see if this Golgotha of pain can lead us to the new dawn of the resurrection. Nigeria can and Nigeria will be great again. Let us ride this tide together in hope.

“The government must design a more comprehensive and wide-ranging method of recruitment that is transparent as a means of generating patriotism and reversing the ugly face of feudalism and prebendalism

“There is a need for a clear communications strategy that will serve to inspire and create timelines of expectations of results from policies.

“There is a need for clarity over questions of the who, what, when, and how national set goals are to be attained and who can be held accountable.

“Second, the notion of rejigging the security architecture is a hackneyed cliché that is now at best, an oxymoron. It is difficult to fathom our current situation regarding the ubiquity of the military in our national life.

“It is impossible to explain how we can say we are in a civilian democracy with the military literally looking like an Army of occupation with an octopussean spread across all 36 states and Abuja.

“This has very serious consequences both for its professionalism, its integrity and perceived role in protecting society.

“No other person than the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, who recently referred to the military as facing the dilemma of what he called ‘see finish.’ It is now difficult to say whether the persistence of insecurity is a cause or a consequence of military ubiquity.

”Trillions of naira continue to go into bottomless pits with little measurable benefits.

“Our military’s professionalism cannot be diluted by the recruitment of hunters, vigilante groups, and other unprofessional and untrained groups,” the fiery cleric added.

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Metro

Nigerian govt to open student loan application portal May 24

Published

57 mins ago

May 17, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

The Nigerian government has announced that the portal for the long awaited student loan scheme will open on May 24, 2024, under the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund).

The announcement which was made in a statement on Thursday by the media lead for the NELFund, Nasir Ayantogo, stated that once the portal is opened, eligible student will have the opportunity of applying for educational loans.

Ayantogo said the opening of the application portal marked a significant milestone in the commitment of President Bola Tinubu to fostering accessible and inclusive education for all Nigerian students.

The portal, according Ayantogo, provides a user-friendly interface for students to submit their loan applications conveniently.

“Through the portal, students can now access loans to pursue their academic aspirations without financial constraints.

“We encourage all eligible students to take advantage of this opportunity to invest in their future and contribute to the growth and development of our nation.

“Students can access the portal on www.nelf.gov.ng to begin application,” the statement said.

President Bola Tinubu had, on June 12, 2023, signed the Access to Higher Education Act, 2023, into law to enable indigent students to access interest-free loans for their educational pursuits in any Nigerian tertiary institution.

The Act, popularly known as the Students Loan Law, also established the Nigerian Education Loan Fund to process all loan requests, grants, disbursement, and recovery.

While signing the Act into law, Tinubu had said:

“This is not an exclusive programme. It is catering to all of our young people. Young Nigerians are gifted in different areas.

“This is not only for those who want to be doctors, lawyers, and accountants. It is also for those who aspire to use their skilled and trained hands to build our nation.

“In accordance with this, I have instructed NELFund to explore all opportunities to inculcate skill-development programmes because not everybody wants to go through a full university education,” he had said.

Tinubu had said that he based his decision on the need for the scheme to accommodate those who may not want to pursue a university education, noting that skill acquisition is as essential as obtaining undergraduate and graduate academic qualifications.

Metro

Church in Kasama warns government against misusing Cyber Security Act

Published

20 hours ago

May 16, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

In Kasama District of Northern Province, the Church has issued a caution to the government regarding the use of the Cyber Security Act to intimidate, harass, or oppress citizens and political parties.

Reverend Joseph Nkonde, Chairperson of the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) for Kasama District, restated the importance of fair implementation of the law to prevent discontent among citizens.

Speaking to Zambia Monitor in Kasama, Nkonde stressed the necessity for the government to focus on the positive aspects of the law and refine problematic clauses to achieve the desired Act.

“In this age of information, today’s Zambia is vastly different from yesterday’s. Citizens now utilise cyberspace to access and disseminate information,” he said.

Nkonde highlighted that Cyber Security also pertained to media freedoms, which are crucial for democracy and the well-being of Zambians.

He cautioned the government against intimidating journalists or their media houses using laws like the Cyber Security Act, as it could impede their performance.

“It’s important to note that many people, especially in rural areas, are unfamiliar with or unaware of the Cyber Security Act. The government can use the media to educate them about its advantages and disadvantages,” Nkonde advised.

Regarding media freedom, Nkonde acknowledged government’s efforts to implement policies aimed at protecting journalists but stressed the need for further action to ensure their security.

He urged Parliament to consider enacting laws that safeguard journalists and, ultimately, ordinary citizens who rely on the disseminated information.

“I also want to caution ordinary Zambians against misusing social media and posting content that may sow division or prompt government action that could be perceived as harmful,” Nkonde added.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.