Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah
Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah is the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto
Diocese. In this interview with Mohammed Aminu, Kukah speaks on security
situation in the country, endemic corruption and other sundry issues
What is your impression of the country at the attainment of 52 years of nationhood?
We have made progress despite the difficulties that the nation went
through. The first problem we had in Nigeria was the tragic decision of
the military to take away 30 years of our independence because had it
been we were on the road like other countries during independence, the
changes would have been tremendous. Thus, had it been we did not have
such military interruption and instability, which coincided with massive
upsurge of resources, Nigeria would have been one of the top economies
in the world. I thank God that the military has left us and we are on
the path now to doing new things despite the fact that we have missed
several opportunities.
Are you saying that the military destroyed Nigeria?
It is not possible for us to quantify how much the military destroyed
the foundations of democracy. Tragically, other countries that had been
under military rule probably did things slightly differently but in the
case of Nigeria, the greed of the military that led to successive coups
destroyed the foundation of the military itself and pulled back
democracy by so many years. And the military unfortunately did not have
the capacity to unify the country by way of infrastructure.
Although the soldiers probably as individuals, might have been
fantastic but they did not have the kind of time that was required to
stay to build and complete projects. That is why we have massive spread
of uncompleted and abandoned projects scattered everywhere. For
instance, it took the Indians eight years to build and complete the
Cancun Railways. The average project that you think that has a lasting
effect probably requires at least eight years to complete it.
Unfortunately, because of the greed of the elite and military, any
person who shot himself into power, decided to abandon what the next
person had started and that is why we have abandoned projects. So, had
it been we had a sustained and uninterrupted democracy, things would
have probably been different. The Indian Railway is literally on its
own, it has a substantial workforce and is the highest employer of
labour and it is a place where people want to go and work in India. For
over a 40 year-period, Indian Railways never witnessed a workers’
strike. But if you look at Nigeria, tell me which profession has not
been bastardised, whether it is military, bureaucracy or private sector.
So, we are literally in the period of rebuilding and Nigerians need a
bit of patience. This road to democracy is irreversible, though it may
have its problems. The only guarantee that we have now is to begin a
process of saying that this man or woman has done well, let us give him a
chance for a second term while this person has not done well and should
be rejected in the next election. So, I think in the next 10 years,
things would change and we will begin to see a different Nigeria based
on certain level of continuity. It has to begin with the support of all
of us.
Do you believe in rotational presidency and do you think it is a threat to the nation’s survival?
I don’t know what you mean by rotational presidency, but I think it is a
rotation of greed. It is not a rotation of anybody trying to do good
for Nigeria. We have got ourselves to a corner, which everybody believes
it has to be their turn. If you see the kind of contract that is
available to militants of yesterday and the kind of money people are
throwing around, you will probably be tempted to say you are waiting for
your turn when your own kinsman or person will be in power to have this
kind of contract. And that is not the way a country should go; we
cannot have a country that is rotating corruption and greed because in
the long run, none of these things would impact on the lives of ordinary
Nigerians.
I do not think you can pretend to be running a democracy based on the
notion that it is the turn of this person or the other. Democracy is
about competition and should be driven by ideas. Americans never say for
example now, that it is time for a black person or a woman to be
president.
So, we must not be tempted by extraordinary greedy politicians who
never had any interest of transforming Nigeria beyond the fact that they
want to have access to resources. I don’t think if the Igbo get the
presidency tomorrow, they will actually change the living conditions of
majority of the Igbo beyond the psychological feeling that their ethnic
group is in power. I do not think President (Goodluck) Jonathan will
necessarily impact the lives of majority of Niger Deltans beyond the few
elite.
The clever politician will still make money and it doesn’t matter
whether Abubakar or Kolawole is the president. I think what we are
looking for is the best strategy that will guarantee the happiness of
majority of Nigerians and it will not be by regional or rotational
presidency but by Nigerians collectively choosing the best person for
the nation.
Kukah... rotational presidency is greed informed
ThisDay
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