Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic
Archdiocese of Lagos, Cardinal Anthony Okogie,
has warned politicians that they will some day
stand before God to give account of their
stewardship.
Okogie gave the warning while reacting to the
face-off between the Executive and the
Legislative arms of the Federal Government.
In a statement he personally signed, Okogie
called on the country’s leaders to put the
interest of the citizenry above personal
interests.
He urged both warring arms of government to
come together and work for the development of
the nation.
Okogie called on political leaders to provide
infrastructure and adequate security for the
citizens.
Rather than engage in face-off, Okogie said
leaders must assume the responsibility of
governance by securing the nation from armed
robbers, kidnappers and herdsmen.
The statement reads, “Our politicians are busy
fighting one another, exchanging blows in the
hallowed chambers of legislation, resorting to
character assassination.
“Our law enforcement institutions have been
turned into their arsenal in this battle of the
sanctimonious; the executive accuses the
legislature of corruption and vice versa.
“Both parties in the conflict pretend to be
fighting for us, they are fighting to guard the
“trophy” they won at the last election while
preparing to retain the same trophy in the next
election.
“They are so busy fighting that they have no
time to work for our security. Their sterile
conflict is, in fact, prejudicial to our security.
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“Their negligence of duty, their tantrums, their
failure to be transparent and accountable with
very few exceptions, point to the fact that they
are part of the equation of insecurity in our
country.
“Our leaders are well protected, but we the
citizens are not. Political leaders who cannot
provide security are a total failure.
“Almost six decades after independence, almost
70 years after the establishment of Nigeria’s
premier University of Ibadan, we still have to
rely on medical tourism.
“But how many poor Nigerians can afford to
spend one day in a hospital overseas. How many
can afford to be away from their work for three
months?
“But Nigerians have the capacity to run good
hospitals. All we just need is a leadership that
enables, not one that disables.
“They receive the perks of office in a land
where workers have gone unpaid for months,
government does not serve Nigerians and the
public servant does not serve the public.
“One thing is clear: almost all our political
leaders are either Christian or Muslim. The two
religions teach that we shall one day account
for our earthly stewardship.
“Every leader will stand before the “Just
Judge” (God) and account for the way he or she
got into positions of authority and used the
authority.
“Propaganda in the print and electronic media
will be of no assistance, lies told to get elected
and falsehood peddled to remain in office will be
of no value.”
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