…says youth’s protest call to genuine national renewal
The Arch Bishop Abuja Catholic Diocese, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, has said Nigeria can not afford to continue on the present path of continued misery, pain and deaths powered by greed, corruption, narrow ethnic interest, thirst for power and exaggerated religious sensitivity.
Kaigama, who condemned the ongoing killings in some parts of the country resulting from the protest against bad governance and police brutality, said the protests were a genuine call by the youths for a genuine national revival.
He recalled the great economic, social, infrastructural, educational and positive heights being attained in the country immediately after independence 60 years ago, due to more careful planning, infrastructural development and maintenance which attracted people from everywhere.
According to him, the country has not remained the same after the civil war, degenerating as various forms of violence rooted in religious or ethnic sentiments have continued to surface ever since.
“From the moment of political independence, Nigeria appeared set to attain very great political heights, social integration and economic viability. It was not paradise, but there was a country that could really be said to be the giant of Africa on the march.
“We started well, but for 60 years now, it appears Nigeria has wallowed from one crisis to another, pursued misdirected economic policies and reaped sour political fruits. Over the years, as if by progression, life started becoming miserable.”