Those playing politics with religion are stoking up fire – Bishop Kukah

Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto State says politicians using religion to play politics are stoking up fire, which has damning consequences for the nation.

He gave the warning on Tuesday in Abuja during the presentation of his new book, “Broken Truth,” as part of activities lined up for his 70th birthday.

Bishop Kukah said just as it happened in Germany during the reign of Adolf Hitler, such actions by politicians in Nigeria would come with a grave consequence.

According to him, there are consequences for using religion to manipulate politics, stressing that there is a need to look at Germany as the consequences are there to see in Hitler.

Bishop Kukah said the Nigerian political elite lacked the mental capacity to understand the consequences of the fire they were stoking.

He said there was nothing to suggest that the average person living in the North, whether Fulani or Hausa, could say that they were proud of the Nigerian political system, beyond a very tiny percentage.

He added, “So, if you decide that you want to give privilege to a religion or an ethnic group, what will happen is that others automatically become outsiders.”

Already, he said agitations were ongoing in the country, positing that the citizens were more intelligent than those steering the affairs of the country.

He said it would not have been a bad thing if people who do not know seek knowledge.

‘Broken Truths: Nigeria’s Elusive Quest for National Cohesion’ is a collection of convocation lectures delivered over a number of years at several universities across Nigeria by Matthew Hassan Kukah, reflecting on the myriad challenges bedeviling the Nigerian nation. Some of the themes covered are “Nigeria and the future of Africa”, “After the insurgency: some thoughts on national cohesion”, “To heal a fractured nation: education and leadership for a new Nigeria”, “Transition to democracy: Can Nigeria ride the wave”, “The pursuit of happiness: Some thoughts on human rights, freedom and justice in Nigeria”.