“We must not allow ourselves to be divided by ethnicity, religion or political affiliation. Corruption continues to remain an obstacle to development in our country,” he says and adds, “Some of the factors that feed it are linked to ethnicity and religious bigotry. Easter teaches us that honesty and integrity are values that we must seek and uphold if we want to build a better Nigeria.”
For the country’s national rebirth to take place, Archbishop Kaigama says, “We must hold our leaders accountable for their actions, demand transparency in all acts of governance and demand a drastic cut in the cost of governance.”
“We must also do our part by being honest and ethical in all aspects of our own lives. It is only by working together to enthrone a culture of trust, to fight corruption that we can create a Nigeria that is fair and just to all,” the Catholic Church leader who started his Episcopal Ministry in April 1995 as the Bishop of Nigeria’s Jalingo Diocese says.
He continues, “Nigeria needs leaders who have the capacity to serve and lead without preferential treatment of groups or individuals to the detriment of others under their care; leaders who ensure equity and at all times do only what is true, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy; not like Pilate, who even though had the power to settle for the truth, handed Jesus over to be killed even when found guiltless.”
“Our leaders must be ready to make personal sacrifices rather than live in scandalous luxury while the vast majority of those who elected them wallow in incredible poverty, complicated by insecurity,” he says.
The Catholic Archbishop adds, “Our leaders must have a living, not a dead conscience, whereby, public funds are taken and misapplied, and costs of government businesses inflated for selfish gains.”
He says, “Nigerians need leaders who supervise the recruitment, employment, appointment, promotion of citizens or admission into important institutions based on merit and not on ethnic, religious grounds or selfish geopolitical considerations.”
“Some of our leaders feel above the law, giving credence to the saying that laws are like spiders’ webs, where the poor and the weak get caught, but the rich and powerful easily break through them,” he says, and adds, “Our leaders must not use their powers and economic advantage to become laws unto themselves. They should remember that the Supreme Judge (God) is watching and will judge their actions.”
In his Easter Message, Archbishop Kaigama also reflects on the “untold economic hardships” in Africa’s most populous nation.
He says, “Unemployment is high and many families are struggling to make ends meet. The cash crunch has worsened inflation on our already dismal poverty rating. The effects of this are rising tempers and a general climate of dissatisfaction that are both worrying and dangerous. Easter announces to us that there is always hope for a better future.”
