The Catholic Archbishop called for good leadership that prioritizes the vulnerable and expressed hope that a recent international donation for internally displaced persons would reach those it is intended for.
“I understand that the United States has approved $32.5 million in assistance to Nigeria to help address hunger, to provide food assistance and nutritional support to internally displaced people in conflict-affected areas,” he observed, and added, “While thanking the US, one may ask, ‘Will the hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people affected really benefit from this emergency aid?’”
He expressed the fear that “the funds will naturally evaporate in administrative and bureaucratic malgovernance; swallowed up greedily in corruption by those who already have more than enough” and added, “We can only hope and pray that the money is used for the purpose for which it was meant.”
The Local Ordinary of Abuja also cautioned national leaders in the West African Nation against greed, saying, “God calls leaders, especially political leaders, to cultivate selfless giving and a leadership that serves rather than imposes or exploits.”
He urged the people of God in Nigeria to contribute to humanity by performing their tasks effectively.
“We have religious leaders, traditional leaders, political leaders, professionals, such as doctors, lawyers, security officials, etc. God desires that all people of all times should count exclusively on Him and be totally available for others,” he said.
Archbishop Kaigama warned the politicians who are “already frantically and desperately struggling” for the elective positions in the country’s upcoming elections, and urged them to live in honesty and dedication in the present.
He called on the leaders to live according to the teachings of Jesus Christ on good leadership, and to “resist the temptation to selfishly acquire money that belongs to the people”, to resist the temptation to prioritize their comfort over the suffering poor, and the temptation to follow their own will instead of that of God.
Archbishop Kaigama appealed to Nigeria’s leaders to choose God over their “possessions of Dollars and properties they acquire and keep abroad when the citizens are suffocating with poverty.”
He also encouraged Nigerian leaders to emulate the Virgin Mary, who inspires the people of God “along the way of humility, obedience, simplicity, service, justice, and trust in God’s wisdom.”
