From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Bishop of Kaduna Anglican Communion, Timothy Yahaya, has said he is ashamed of Nigeria’s leaders because they have failed the people they are supposed to protect.
The cleric, who spoke to newsmen, , on the occasion of his silver jubilee celebration as an ordained priest and the marking of his marriage anniversary, said he was sad on a day he was supposed to be happy because the country and the people have been subjected to hunger and insecurity due to ineffective leadership.
He noted that the nation’s leaders has lost integrity and honesty before the international communities where they are seen as thieves and rogues because of their corrupt style of leadership.
“The problem of Nigeria and sadness of Nigeria today can be seen from two prisms; the first prism is the failure of leadership. Nigeria used to lend money to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. What happened? In this issue of leadership, I wonder why our leaders are not ashamed when they leave Nigeria. Do you know how we are seen outside Nigeria? Our leaders are seen as thieves and rogues, and they know that very clearly; even Nigerians see them as thieves and rogues. It is a sad story. To carry the green passport today is almost an eyesore everywhere in the world. Look at how Nigerians are being treated and it is because of the failure of leadership.
“The office of the citizens is the highest office in the land. What are we doing as citizens? They divide us on religion, they divide us on political affiliation, they divide us on many grounds. And that divide and rule is why they are doing what they are doing with impunity. So, if we want to blame the leaders, even those of us who are followers have problems. Today, the goods that a marketer bought five years ago will tell you that the dollar has increased. He bought those goods when the dollar was still okay. He is now selling them at prevailing market rates. When you bring potatoes from the farm today, they will say that the dollar has increased. So, I wonder where we are going.
“The problem starts from the head and it has gone into the body. I pray that God will help us because it is a sad thing, it is very sad. Humanity has disappeared in Nigeria, it is very sad. It is my heart’s desire that we meditate about Nigeria, be patriotic about Nigeria, and the citizens must take care of one another. If we are not our neighbours’ keepers, this country will go nowhere.
“The saddest thing for me is that life has become the cheapest thing in Nigeria today. I wonder if our leaders see some of the videos I see where human beings are being slaughtered like animals, and it doesn’t provoke them. They don’t feel it, villages are being overrun for hours, with no help from anywhere and people living are from hand to mouth, even with this security quagmire. I am so sad. The politics on petroleum products is terrible in Nigeria, that politics has turned our heads upside down.
“I don’t even know what to say about politics because the more you look the less you see. We don’t understand what is happening in the petroleum sector. I don’t think there is any cabal that is bigger than God. Let us fear God because there is a tomorrow. No matter the wealth you gather today, you cannot be richer than the richest people that have died. One day, we will give account to God.
“Today, I rejoice over what God has done in our lives; I was ordained a priest 25 years ago, and I equally got married 25 years ago. I am celebrating what the lord has done in our lives, and what I have learnt as a leader in the past 25 years is that leaders provide good service for their followers, that is one. Number two; leaders are the people that bring solutions to problems and they don’t complain about problems.
“The reason there is a leader is to solve problems. Number three, I understood over the years that leadership without sacrifice is not leadership. If you are a leader, you sacrifice all for the people. You don’t go enjoying yourself while the people are suffering. Another thing I understand about leadership is that you must be humbled; humble yourself among the people, that is when you know the pains and joy of the people.
“When they are celebrating, you celebrate with them; when they are in anguish, you will be in anguish with them. I want to say that there must be trust among the leaders and the followers. When the people don’t trust you, no matter what you want to do, no matter how noble it is, the people will not see any nobility in it.
“So, I want to enjoin leaders, as I celebrate 25 years of leadership, to understand that leadership has to do with trust. We must not breach the trust of the people. We must not prey on the resources of the people. We must be seen to do exactly what is right. The second celebration is the fact that I have a family. I know what families are going through today, but I want to encourage this, that the way we are bringing up our children today is becoming alarming. No wonder children at the age of between 14 and 20 are ritualists today. It starts from the home; how are you training your children?
“I know bringing up children is not easy but the lord has helped us in our own family life. Again, I want to say that the children we are leaving in the streets today are the problem of the country tomorrow. So, let’s take the children out of the streets, give them a good education, let them have a good future so that the country will be great,” Bishop Yahaya said.