Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev Dr Callistus Onaga has called on Nigerian politicians and those controlling the affairs of this country to begin to make things easier for Nigerian people.
Onaga, who spoke on Tuesday during a media briefing in his office at the Bishop Court decried the level of suffering in Nigeria to the extent that Nigerians can no longer afford to buy a tuber of yam in the market.
He said that to make matter worse the government have made it impossible for the people to go to their farms to cutivate it because of insecurity.
He said, “In Nigeria of today it is all about suffering. What is happening in the lives of Nigerians within the past one year will show you everything about suffering. You cannot be telling me that in Nigeria where somebody was buying a tuber of yam less than N1000 and in Nigeria of today we are buying a tuber of yam N4000, N5000 and sometimes you cannot even buy.
“And what worsens it is that the same system that is making things difficult for fellow Nigerians made it even difficult for them to go to their farms – insecurity. Let us note that very clearly, it becomes very obvious for us Nigerians that the issue of insecurity not only been politicised but even ethnicised. We are doing a little bit of ethnic cleansing in some areas and then we are blaming the foreigners. No we are the one doing it,” the Bishop Onaga lamented.
Speaking on the issue in the South East region, Onaga regretted that some people are profiting on the crisis which he said has become more of self destruction.
“Here in the South East we started killing ourselves saying that we are killing those who are supposed to be killing us. We are destroying ourselves. We have done it for the past three years since 2021.
“We become cowards of our own actions here in the South East. Let’s go over to the North East and all other parts of the North politics and ethnic cleansing,” more especially, Benue State where it has become imperative.
“Why will we sit down and plan our own destruction and few people will be profiting with that,” he questioned, drawing a parallel with the sufferings the Israelite past through in olden days.
“I thank whatever government that think is thinking right for us but let them think correctly. If you are trying to improve the economic situation of the country you don’t do everything at the same time. We have kept quite for some time now,” he regretted.
He also decried the headless and inconsistent cashless policy that has compounded the sufferings of Nigerians. “You cannot be making it difficult for people to get money because you said you are doing the so called cashless restructure that is not there and you gave the same money they are getting to go and buy again.”
“What kind of economy are we copying? Where has it ever been done in the world? For the meantime, we have regularize the naira no matter however they want to talk about it, that the dollar will always be higher here in Nigeria. If it is not artificial, tell me why during certain fests – some religious fest in this country the price of dollar will come suddenly down.
“I have experienced it in this country. If they are celebrating from Thursday to Monday the price of dollar will come down, and Tuesday it will go back. Who is doing that? There are things you can do you believe people don’t know. So why are we behaving this way making life difficult for ourselves.
“If you want to tell me that removal of oil subsidy will help the economy, my dear brothers who are piloting the affairs of this country, we have done it for how many months now? Where are we? Neither the security nor the food supply, nor even the things God gave us in this country – crude oil is nowhere to be found and you’re telling me you have wonderful economic policy. And the World Bank and everybody will be applauding you.
“Has it ever happened in their own country? And you want us to hail you and say that you are doing fantastically well. What have we not experienced in this country – structural adjustment, austerity measures, now it is oil subsidy measure. What is happening? So we are just like the Israelite of old seeking for a Messiah. Can God give us a Messiah? At this Christmas we are hoping that things should be better.
“Can our politicians think otherwise and being to make things easier. Will our politicians begin really believe that we the led have some measure of intelligence.”
Bishop Onaga prayed that with the coming of Christ and Christ celebration in this Christmas of this year we will overcome and amend our steps.
He however pleaded with Nigerians not to add further sufferings on fellow Nigerians with their actions and in actions this Christmas season.
“My dear fellow Nigerians let us not add to the sufferings that are coming onto us by making things more difficult. At the Christmas celebrate with everybody, bring down your prices, bring down whatever you are doing.
“Yes even in the church you should do something bring down whatever lavies so that people can really feel the impact of the celebration of love and celebration of joy at Christmas.”
