By his calling, the Catholic Bishop of the Sokoto Diocese, Most Reverend Mathew Hassan Kukah, is already an outstanding figure whose influence cuts across religious, socio-economic and political barriers. The recent extensive and colourful celebration of his 70th birthday in which a lot of Nigerians of various backgrounds and social classes participated was a testimony to his greatness as a cleric, public affairs analyst and community leader.
In fact, Bishop Kukah’s perennial and most noticeable engagements with the various categories of Nigerians have continued to indicate his resourcefulness and determination to make a huge impact on all the segments of the society. His regular sermons, presentations at public events and comments on issues are always strong enough to generate diverse concerns amongst the people.
Right from the time he set out to become a cleric, Kukah showed both the interest and the capacity for perception and analysis of issues as well as the engagement of others in a debate on politics, governance and, most particularly, inter-religious matters. He has, over the several past decades, manifested tendencies that have been given conflicting interpretations by the varying communities in the country.
Having emerged in Northern Nigeria where religious diversity is not only most pronounced but is also the basis of accusations and counter-accusations as well as the resultant hostility between Muslims and Christians, the Bishop is unsurprisingly, as an opinion moulder, more than just an interested party in the whole matter. The particular manner in which he either puts up a defense for the religion and ethnic community(ies) he represents or complains about some real and perceived imbalances remains a tendency on which varying views are continuously expressed.
Kukah’s Stories And Broken Truths
Just like many other notable Northerners, Bishop Kukah is totally desirous of peace and is therefore a full participant in most of the processes of peace promotion and confidence-building in the region. It is the recognition he has gained as a peace advocate that is the basis of the tremendous attention his actions and comment always generate.
However, his analysis of the situation and prescriptions which are products of his understanding of the problem are, at least, confusing to a lot of people. Even with the utmost acknowledgement of his concern for the country and intellectual capacity, there is an abundant reservation over the quality, in terms of balance, of a lot of his submissions on co-existence among Nigerians, particularly Northerners.
His subscription to such theories founded on the basis of an alleged domination or even subjugation of one community by another which he consistently seeks to validate and expand makes those Nigerians to whom the conclusions in the theories are unfavourable to be correspondingly uncomfortable with him. A lot of his narratives on inter-relationship among, particularly the diverse Northern communities have been countered by those who believe that the narratives are bereft of the required objectivity.
It is absolutely justifiable for Bishop Kukah to voice out concerns about the welfare and security of Christians, which he always does with an uncommon determination. His defence of the interests of Christians who naturally look up to him for such a service is a matter of religious duty that he must not fail to perform
In other words, the Kukah’s usual expression of dissatisfaction or even anger over prevailing circumstances which, in his own view, encourages discrimination against Christians, is widely regarded by the people of his own faith as a laudable act. It is the strong feeling of satisfaction over his manner of approach to issues of religious freedom that translates into the sufficient reverence that he currently enjoys within the Christian community.
It has always been his argument that Christians in the North are perennially and openly denied the fundamental freedom of worship which is a clear form of persecution. He, for example, in the concluding part of his book—DEMOCRACY AND CIVIL SOCIETY IN NIGERIA—states that the “shrill cries of marginalisation by many segments of the society across ethnic, regional and religious lines is evidence that there is something fundamentally wrong with the power equation in Nigeria” and even adds that in a lot of parts of the North there have been “constant harassment and victimisation of Christians on the question of freedom of worship and access to power.”
The messages contained in most of the arguments of Bishop Kukah are key parts of the on-going conversation on the rising level of religious intolerance which is clearly the effect of manipulation of religious sentiments by the elite class to which he belongs. Rather than serve as solutions to the problems, a lot of such submissions simply amplify the friction that is already the main feature of the co-existence among communities in the North.
The combination of his ethnic background, status as a Catholic Priest and high level of social exposure has conferred on him the legitimacy to, simultaneously, speak for all the good people and against all the bad ones. It is the due recognition of this undeniable fact that makes most non-Christians to consider him a leader to whom they should defer.
There is an also acknowledgement of the fact that the Bishop, in the spirit of Catholicism and, by extension, Christianity, extends his gestures and hands of friendship to the people of other faiths. It is these pan-Northern disposition and outlook of Kukah that have, arguably, made him the closest Christian cleric to Northern Muslims and from whom, therefore, much bigger effort towards the restoration of unity among the people of the region is expected.
This is precisely the expectation that was expressed in various ways by all those who, irrespective of their faiths, participated in the recent celebration of his 70th birthday. The Bishop must have now realized that he occupies a special position in the North in particular and country in general which should afford him the opportunity to look at issues from a balanced perspective.
As one of the chief drivers of the processes of peace-making, confidence-building and security restoration, he is duly expected to strengthen his contact with the various communities in the North and expand his scope of analysis of issues and situations so that his contributions to the resolution of crises can be a lot more comprehensive and comprehensible. This is surely the best way to mitigate the effects of the divisive politics that power-seekers continuously promote.
It is generally believed that Bishop Kukah, considering his age, vocation and strong attachment to all the critical segments of the Northern society has all it takes to, in collaboration with some other well-meaning Northerners, ensure that the most disturbing issues of disunity and insecurity are adequately addressed. He should not fail to be the blessing that he truly is to all of us.
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