Keep speaking truth to power, Adebanjo urges Kukah

Adebanjo also advised the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to listen to Kukah because he has noble intentions.

He spoke on Thursday at the ‘2nd Never Again Conference: 51 Years After Nigerian-Biafran Civil War’ organised by an Igbo think-tank, Nzuko Umunna.

Kukah has been in the news of late for lampooning the Buhari regime over its failure to secure lives and property in the country.

The cleric, in his December 25 Message, had also accused the President of nepotism, one which riled some nerves, especially in the camp of the pro-Buharists.

A Sokoto-based group, the Muslim Solidarity Forum, had subsequently asked Kukah to vacate the state or tender an apology over his comments on Buhari and Islam.

But the Presidency said though Kukah offended many with his anti-Buhari remarks, under the Nigerian laws, groups or factions must not give quit notices to anyone but must tolerate religious and ethnic differences.

Speaking on Thursday, Adebanjo said Kukah has good intentions and urged the elite as well as the pro-Buharists to listen to his observations, adding that Nigeria must realise the past to be able to correct the mistakes of the present.

“The mistake of the past is that we put wrong pegs in right holes. We deny people their rights. We say we are one and we discriminate against each other. Even those who criticise the government are afraid to hit the nail on the head. Thank God for people like Bishop Kukah and I pray that he would live long because people like myself have a very short time to live.

“He is saying it as it is from that part of the country. I hope people who are listening are listening well with good intentions. Let us stop paying lip service to one Nigeria. Let us stop paying lip service to a united country. We must say it and act it,” the elder statesman said.

The Afenifere leader further spoke on the 2023 presidential election, noting that no part of the country has the exclusive right to Aso Villa.

“Talking about where should the Presidency goes at this time, I don’t know. But if we want to be equitable, if we want to have peace and if we want them to be here, why should somebody be a part of Nigeria and you say he has no right to be the President of this country? Why should a section of the country claim that they will choose who becomes the President and the conditions — and you must pay obeisance to them? It is irritating. Such kind of thing cannot continue and you say you want to have peace. There is enough for everybody to share if we don’t want to cheat,” he submitted. (The Punch)