From Femi Mustapha, in Kaduna
The Archbishop of the Kaduna Ecclesiastical Province and Bishop of the Kaduna Diocese, Church of Nigeria in the Anglican Communion, The Most Rev’d Dr. Timothy Yahaya, has called on Nigerians to refocus their trust in God, saying human systems and leaders have repeatedly let the nation down.
Delivering the message at the Kaduna Anglican Diocese Synod Thanksgiving Service at Saint Paul’s Anglican Church, Kakuri, Kaduna South LGA, Archbishop Yahaya said the central theme for this year’s Synod for all Nigerians and specifically the Kaduna diocese is “Blessed is the person that trusts in God.”
He lamented that Nigeria has relied on men as leaders, yet they have failed to depend on the people for security. They are not securing the nation, and despite relying on certificates, graduates remain unemployed.
“After Abacha said our hospitals are mere consulting clinics, they are still mere consulting clinics today,” the Archbishop noted, adding that the pattern of failed expectations persists across sectors.
Archbishop Yahaya urged Nigerians to believe and trust in God for a better tomorrow, emphasizing that while humans can fail, God can never fail.
The Synod also sent a strong message to the National Assembly, with the Archbishop stating that the Synod is not happy with the legislature for failing to scrutinize the Executive.
“They have become an appendage to the Executive,” he said, criticizing the rapid approval of billions of dollars in loans without due process.
Archbishop Yahaya argued that the National Assembly is not fulfilling its oversight role as envisioned by the founders of democracy, which requires separation of powers among the Legislature, Executive, and Judiciary.
The Synod further addressed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), with Archbishop Yahaya telling the electoral body that Nigerians do not yet trust or believe in the electoral body.
He said INEC must prove itself this time around and ensure the next election is not a “kangaroo election,” but rather free, fair, and credible.
The Archbishop decried reports that the continuous voter registration servers are down, warning that deliberately disenfranchising Nigerians will not do well for the country.
He reminded INEC that billions of Naira are allocated to it, and Nigerians expect value for money, unlike the 2023 election, where large funds were spent on the process, it was explained away as a “technical glitch” with no accountability.
“Where is the value for money? Civilized governments all over the world pursue value for money,” Archbishop Yahaya stated, adding that he hopes the glitch will not start in the brains of officials before affecting the system.
The Synod also addressed the growing number of children on the streets, describing it as a ticking time bomb for Nigeria’s future.
Archbishop Yahaya said children who grow up without family values, sleeping and eating on the streets, will develop hatred for society and feel marginalized and dehumanized.
He said that the highest investment of any country is not in mineral resources but in human capital.
He urged the government at the national, state, and local levels to urgently strategize to solve problems faced by out-of-school and street children.
On fiscal policy, the Archbishop said the Synod does not understand the wave of government borrowing, especially after the removal of fuel subsidies and the lack of visible impact from the loans taken.
He suggested that subsidy savings be divided into three parts: some saved abroad to strengthen the currency, 30 percent used to pay debts, and the remainder for running the government.
Archbishop Yahaya recalled that loans in the First Republic funded visible projects like the Kainji Dam, but questioned what current loans are being used for, since citizens cannot see tangible results.
He decried the mobilization of cars for 2027 party politics, saying the number exceeds 20 times the number of ambulances available in the country, and asked why leaders are not putting Nigeria first.
“I call on our leaders to rethink whether Nigeria is a country worth dying for, and we must work diligently to bury our selfish aims and goals,” he urged.
The Archbishop concluded with an emotional appeal to the Federal Government, asking where the nation’s conscience is as young children of two years continue to die in the bush while political leaders speak on television without addressing the killings.
