The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), should listen to the cries of Nigerians and intensify action to resolve the problem of lingering fuel scarcity and the one-month warning strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
This was the challenge thrown to the President the by Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, His Grace Most Revd. Ignatius Kaigama on Sunday during the dedication ceremony of Holy Cross Parish, Gwarinpa in Abuja.
According to him, Nigerian leaders must not ignore the voice of reason.
Kaigama said, “Our nation would achieve greater progress when we truly listen to one another in mutual respect. Government leaders must listen to their citizens, politicians must listen to the people they represent.
“This is the path to enduring peace, greater solidarity and harmony in our society and the best way to resolve problems such as the lingering fuel scarcity in the nation and the ASUU one-month warning strike to press home her demands from the Government.”
He regretted the hypocrisy of some leaders in the country, stating that many who occupied big positions of responsibility lacked the disposition to make such offices function properly.
While referencing the Biblical text of Luke 6:39-45, Kaigama said, “Jesus speaks in the gospel about leaders who should see clearly and have the wisdom to lead others, since a blind man cannot lead a blind man.
“Leaders with the responsibility of governance must remove the log in their eyes so that they can better help others to remove theirs. This means that leaders must look first at themselves and correct their faults before they can see clearly to identify and correct the errors in other people.
“What we find in our society today is sadly the reality of ‘blind guides’. There are some leaders who occupy big positions of responsibility today but lack the disposition to make such offices function properly.
“Some fight and even kill to occupy such offices, but are only guided by their quest for material possessions and could be regarded as “blind guides”. Leaders are challenged to expunge hypocrisy and deception, to bear good fruits.”
The Catholic Archbishop said that following the Russia-Ukraine fiasco, Pope Francis has directed that Christians should make fervent prayers for peace to reign in the world on March 2, 2022.
“The worsening Russia-Ukraine war situation is a failure in human compassion and the consequence of failure to listen to the voice of reason. The Holy Father, Pope Francis, has called for prayers and fasting on March 2, Ash Wednesday”, Kaigama emphasized.
