By Ankeli Emmanuel, Sokoto
Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah has challanged Nigerians to see any single life lost to insecurity as national pain rather than whose region or religion is affected the most by the ugly trend.
Kukah who spoke at the Holy Family Cathedral, Sokoto during his annual Christmas message added that, the government has constitutional responsibility to protect it’s citizens, however appealed to Nigerians to also back it up with prayers citing the Biblical Wall of Jericho that fell not because of Isreali Army’s weapon but when the people led by prophet marched round it by faith.
While noting that security of lives, properties and freedom are cardinal determinants of a true country, Bishop Kukah said, “‘This evil in Nigeria will surely come to an end. Let’s use the season of Christmas to remember that the million of our brethrens scattered in the IDP camps, kidnapped and trapped in the forest”.
Kukah who titled the 2025 Christmas message as that of
“Joy and Hope In A Time Of Tribulation” said, despite Christmas being a season of great joy to the whole world, Nigeria is however sadly stuck in a valley of violence and sorrow because of the web of insecurity that has engulfed us.
“In the midst of the darkness of our circumstances, we strongly urge our leaders to strengthen their resolve towards ameliorating the sufferings that challenge our faith. We may not have enough to feed the greed of our elite, but there is enough to feed our people.
“Christ remains the cornerstone of our faith. It is tempting for us to grow weary and despondent due to these circumstances. Over a long time, we have become inconsolable, helplessly watching our communities torn apart by violence. Occasionally, there seems to be a reprieve, then suddenly we find ourselves lapsing again into sorrow as the murderers among us reenact the orgy of death and destruction”.
The respected fiery clergy continued by saying as Christians, we should not be detered by any challenge citing how the birth of Jesus itself was also marked by the violent realities of the time.
“Jesus was born in poverty. Fearful for his throne, Herod ordered the killing of all children born around this same time.
“We Christians are no strangers to violent persecution. Christianity was born during one of harshest periods of the Roman empire. Yet, through time, we Christians have seen the backs of empires and emperors. There should be no ambiguity as to how to confront violence against our faith. Christians have never shirked from persecution. We have not sought it, but we never run from it”.
Continuing Kukah said, ‘Christmas is a good time to remind ourselves that violence still stalks the cribs where the innocent children lie today. From Gaza to Sudan, children are being exposed to the violence that threatens their innocence and childhood. In Nigeria, our harvest of this tragedy is rich. We think of the Dapchi and Chibok girls whose fate now seems to have become a distant echo. Their fate is sealed by the official complicity of a negligent state. Only yesterday, it was Maga and today it is Papiri. Today, about two thousand children have been subjected to this inhumanity in our country. Our children are being exposed to the highest risks from early marriages, slavery, physical, psychological and sexual abuses. These children are our future”.
Submitting that with collective resolve, Nigerians can overcome it’s challanges, Bishop Kukah optimistically said, “In all this, we Nigerians must renew our belief that we can win this battle against the evil in our land. This is a battle for our soul as a people and a nation. We cannot outsource its solution. We need to ask what has happened to us and what has exposed us to these evil forces.
“We must now draw from the pool of the goodwill that has held us together as human beings and as a people. In all of this, we have buried our dead together. We have mourned together. We must hold toget