Nigeria Has Practically Become A Failed State — Cardinal Okogie

Cardinal Anthony Okogie, Emeritus Archbishop of the Catholic
Archdiocese of Lagos, on Wednesday, lamented the state of the
nation, saying Nigeria has virtually become a failed state.

Speaking at his 85th birthday thanksgiving mass and 50th
Episcopal Ordination anniversary held at the Catholic Church of
Assumption, Lagos, he said while the problems confronting the
country did not start under the present administration, the
challenges have worsened in the last six years.

He said it was shocking for President Muhammadu Buhari to
declare during the sixth anniversary of his government that
Nigerians were better off compared to when he took over.

He stressed that the country is experiencing all indices of a
failed state, lamenting the high level of insecurity.

Okogie, a former President of the Christian Association of
Nigeria (CAN), lamented that every part of the country is battling
insecurity and insurgency.

According to him, there has been no “articulated and coordinated
response” to tackle the challenges apart from the usual “playing to
the ostrich.”

He also condemned the recent ban on the micro-blogging platform,
Twitter, by the Federal Government, describing it as too harsh.

He stated that what Nigeria needed was national restoration
which he observed is not entirely manmade but given by God.

“It seems that Nigeria has become a killing field as impunity
and terror reign from one end to the other and there seems to be no
end in sight at present,” he stated.

“As they say, the matter speaks for itself as it is evident that
Nigeria has practically become a failed state. A country fails when
it is no longer able to protect its citizens from harm and secure
their welfare.

“A country fails when, instead of being a harbor of refuge for
its citizens, it turns out to be a conundrum of fire and sorrow
that consumes its citizens.

“A country fails when instead of reassuring its citizens by
actions and policies that the future is secure, it becomes a case
of most people planning to flee the country to other climes where
their governments are truly functioning. Such is practically our
case today.

“Well it is true that our problems did not start under this
administration, it seems to have worsened economically and
politically in these past six years. Insurgency in the northeast is
still ongoing and insecurity has spread nationwide in spite of the
military being deployed everywhere.

“The avalanche of banditry and kidnapping that has overwhelmed
parts of the northwest and central cannot be described as they
stroll casually into schools and cart away tens to hundreds of
students and mysteriously melt into nearby forests or bushes, the
entire security apparatus often seem clueless or helpless.

“The situation in some parts of the southeast also leaves much
to be desired, with the officers mobbed, soldiers butchered,
innocent citizens killed, properties destroyed, people are no
longer safe in the land.

“Unknown gunmen has become our favorite vocabulary in our
parlance as they come in and out, operate untraceable. The case of
the Fulani herdsmen has been badly handled so far. Cases of
unemployment, inflation, fear, poverty and misery are shooting from
the roof. The sad part is that there is no articulate coordinated
response from the government to curb these downward trends apart
from the usual playing the ostrich and throwing tantrums when they
are criticized like the rather harsh suspension of Twitter.”

The clergyman, however, called on the government at all levels
“to rise up to the situation and carry out their duties and save
this nation from drowning.”

“Let them listen to the cries of the people and do the needful.
The effects of the insecurity and anxiety in our lives are massive.
We need to join hands together to rescue this once favored land,”
he added.

Cardinal Anthony Okogie, Emeritus Archbishop of the Catholic
Archdiocese of Lagos, on Wednesday, lamented the state of the
nation, saying Nigeria has virtually become a failed state.

Speaking at his 85th birthday thanksgiving mass and 50th
Episcopal Ordination anniversary held at the Catholic Church of
Assumption, Lagos, he said while the problems confronting the
country did not start under the present administration, the
challenges have worsened in the last six years.

He said it was shocking for President Muhammadu Buhari to
declare during the sixth anniversary of his government that
Nigerians were better off compared to when he took over.

He stressed that the country is experiencing all indices of a
failed state, lamenting the high level of insecurity.

Okogie, a former President of the Christian Association of
Nigeria (CAN), lamented that every part of the country is battling
insecurity and insurgency.

According to him, there has been no “articulated and coordinated
response” to tackle the challenges apart from the usual “playing to
the ostrich.”

He also condemned the recent ban on the micro-blogging platform,
Twitter, by the Federal Government, describing it as too harsh.

He stated that what Nigeria needed was national restoration
which he observed is not entirely manmade but given by God.

“It seems that Nigeria has become a killing field as impunity
and terror reign from one end to the other and there seems to be no
end in sight at present,” he stated.

“As they say, the matter speaks for itself as it is evident that
Nigeria has practically become a failed state. A country fails when
it is no longer able to protect its citizens from harm and secure
their welfare.

“A country fails when, instead of being a harbor of refuge for
its citizens, it turns out to be a conundrum of fire and sorrow
that consumes its citizens.

“A country fails when instead of reassuring its citizens by
actions and policies that the future is secure, it becomes a case
of most people planning to flee the country to other climes where
their governments are truly functioning. Such is practically our
case today.

“Well it is true that our problems did not start under this
administration, it seems to have worsened economically and
politically in these past six years. Insurgency in the northeast is
still ongoing and insecurity has spread nationwide in spite of the
military being deployed everywhere.

“The avalanche of banditry and kidnapping that has overwhelmed
parts of the northwest and central cannot be described as they
stroll casually into schools and cart away tens to hundreds of
students and mysteriously melt into nearby forests or bushes, the
entire security apparatus often seem clueless or helpless.

“The situation in some parts of the southeast also leaves much
to be desired, with the officers mobbed, soldiers butchered,
innocent citizens killed, properties destroyed, people are no
longer safe in the land.

“Unknown gunmen has become our favorite vocabulary in our
parlance as they come in and out, operate untraceable. The case of
the Fulani herdsmen has been badly handled so far. Cases of
unemployment, inflation, fear, poverty and misery are shooting from
the roof. The sad part is that there is no articulate coordinated
response from the government to curb these downward trends apart
from the usual playing the ostrich and throwing tantrums when they
are criticized like the rather harsh suspension of Twitter.”

The clergyman, however, called on the government at all levels
“to rise up to the situation and carry out their duties and save
this nation from drowning.”

“Let them listen to the cries of the people and do the needful.
The effects of the insecurity and anxiety in our lives are massive.
We need to join hands together to rescue this once favored land,”
he added.