The Presidency has once again urged religious leaders and politicians to refrain from exploiting religion for petty political ends.
Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, made the comment late Monday night in Abuja in response to the Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Sokoto, Most Rev. Mathew Kukah’s Easter message for 2022.
Kukah’s Easter sermon, according to Shehu, was devoted not to Christ’s death and resurrection so that Man could be redeemed, but to denouncing the government in the most un-Christian terms.
According to him, Kukah neglects the Bible’s teachings in James 1:26: “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless”.
”Easter should be a time for renewal and hope. For those in authority – both temporal and spiritual – to come together in word and deed so those who look to them for example can be inspired by their grace,” he said.
Kukah presented his Easter sermon at a mass service in Sokoto on Sunday.
Kukah criticized the rise in cases of kidnapping, banditry, and other forms of criminality in his message, emphasizing the necessity for coordinated measures to combat the threat.
He counseled the President to acknowledge that deciding how to halt the war that had enveloped and was ripping our country apart was within his control.
Shehu, however, said: ”This is not a time for religious leaders to play politics, or politicians to play religion. It is a time, as in Titus 3:9 to “avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless”.
”Yet Bishop Kukah used his sermon purposefully to make dissensions and quarrels about the law. His accusatory list against the government revealed only his hatred for them.
”Still, when he accused them of division, he gave no examples: merely assertions emanating from his mouth. His allegation of the ethnic and regional divide was innuendo without proof, and he gave none.
”His list of things he claims as broken – from churches to mosques to schools and motorways – belies all those that have been built, and others built anew during this government’s time in office.
”Should he feel compelled for whatever reason to criticize the government for what he views as their mistakes the Bible makes clear how it should be done: “Brothers if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness”, Galatians 6:1-2.
”If Bishops or religious leaders believe they have a willing audience for tales of government error or fragility, they do an injustice to their flock by filling their ears with talk of division and hateful thoughts.
”Nigeria knows too well Bishop Kukah’s views of the government. He has made quite clear how much he dislikes them from the day they were elected.
”Whether expressing his political views is a good use or abuse of religious office is for others to decide. But the people of Nigeria have spoken – twice: They support this government at the ballot box. They have not been swayed by a hateful talk from any bully-pulpit.”
Kukah should focus on his spiritual responsibilities, according to the presidential advisor, and leave governance to the voters and lawmakers.
”We respectfully ask Bishop Kukah to leave government to the voters and the politicians they elect, while he concentrates on his job, as it is expressed in James 1:27: “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”
”Or else, he should put away his clerical garb, join partisan politics and see how far he can go.”
I will right away grasp your rss as I can not find your email subscription link or newsletter service. Do you have any? Please allow me understand so that I may just subscribe. Thanks.
What’s up, yup this article is really pleasant and I have learned lot of things from it concerning blogging. thanks.
Currently it sounds like BlogEngine is the top blogging platform out there right now. (from what I’ve read) Is that what you’re using on your blog?
Im not that much of a online reader to be honest but your blogs really nice, keep it up! I’ll go ahead and bookmark your site to come back later. All the best