By Desire Emmanuel
Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday, May 16, hit hard on President Bola Tinubu over various killings, destructions and insecurity ravaging the country, saying they seem to have been normalised.
Jonathan described the situation in the country as dangerous, saying people were losing the moral values that bound communal living over the years.
The former president said this during the first session of the 13th Synod of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), held at St. James Anglican Church, Asokoro, Abuja.
Jonathan said it is very sad that the shedding of the blood and the destruction of property no longer evoked emotions in the leadership because it seems the killings and destruction are beginning to be seen as normal occurrences.
He said: “As someone who has spent many years in public life and politics, I must confess that moments like this provide an opportunity for sober reflection on the state of our society.
“When we look around today, particularly at the challenges confronting our country, it is easy to become discouraged. Violence, insecurity, moral decline and the loss of human values have become deeply troubling realities.
“What is even more painful is how the country and its leadership sometimes appear to normalise these tragedies as though they are ordinary occurrences. In times past, such incidents would shake the conscience of the nation.
“Today, people are killed, communities are destroyed and life seems to continue as though nothing has happened. This ought not to be so. It is a reminder that society desperately needs moral direction, spiritual guidance and a restoration of values.”
He told the church not to relent in its task of guiding leaders alright by not shying from speaking truth to power constantly.
He stated: “That is why the role of the church remains indispensable. The church must continue to stand as the conscience of society, speaking truth, defending righteousness and shaping lives through faith and godly example.”
At the event, Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Reverend Henry Ndukuba, spoke against the weaponisation of ethnicity and religion to further polarise the country instead of seeking realistic solutions to its challenges.
According to him, insecurity, killings and other forms of criminality are most times wrapped in the cloak of “communal clashes” or “farmer-herder conflicts” to avoid digging into the root causes and addressing them squarely.
“The weaponisation of ethnic and religious identities remains one of the major drivers of insecurity in Nigeria. The persistent attacks on communities, especially in parts of Northern and Central Nigeria, have led to devastating humanitarian consequences.
“Nigeria is bleeding, and innocent lives continue to be lost daily. Many communities in states such as Plateau, Benue, Kaduna, Adamawa and Kwara have suffered repeated attacks, killings, displacement and destructions,” he said.
