2027: Why Nigerian leaders should tackle insecurity, hunger, shun betraying trust to earn them re-election – Arch-bishop, Igwe 

The Most Reverend Dr. Chikwendu Ogan Igwe is the Arch-bishop of Ebonyi state Archdiocese, has in this exclusive interview with The Nations News Nigeria, Uchenna Okeh, in Abakaliki tasked Nigerian leaders to tackle insecurity, hunger and should shun the attitude of betraying the trust reposed in them by Nigerians, among others issues, Excerpt:

State of the nation:

Nigeria is passing through a process. The process of being great, and just like any organization, when you are passing through a process it may not be easy. Anybody who denies the fact that we have critical situations in Nigeria is not being honest. The reality is there, I don’t want to cast blame on the past leaders or those leading us. We are passing through a process that needs everyone of us to deal with and to match to nationhood.

Being a great nation makes a demand from the citizens and those who are leading us. And I think, the way we will handle this process will determine the outcome whether we will achieve this greatness or not. And it is on that platform that I want to say that, our leaders would need to realize the fact that they are there because we believe that they have the capacity. One of the greatest disservice you can do to yourself and to a people is to betray trust.

People have trusted the leaders by casting their votes, let’s believe that the votes were genuinely countered. Let’s equally believe that they all emerged through a transparent electoral process.

The leaders have been giving the position of trust, and it was given with an expectation that they will deliver. And so, if at the end of the day, they failed to deliver, they have betrayed the trust of the people and themselves.

Nigerians facing harsh policy: 

Whatever challenges we have in Nigeria, is a challenge that can be surmounted. That’s requires that whatever the leaders should do, should be things that will make Nigeria great and better, not things that will favour them both in terms of policy, development and you know that leaders can be involved in development and those development can’t be relevant to the reality of things facing the people in the country.

One would expect the projects and programs that the leaders are pursuing to be relevant to the reality of the needs of ordinary Nigerian. Isn’t a projects that is being pursued so that, either the political party will have more funds to run for 2027 general election or projects and programs that will address the basic needs and expectations of the people, that is one. Now, when we recognize that we are building a nation, you cannot build a nation where the welfare of the people is not taken into consideration.

Hunger in Nigeria:

Good as technology, good as infrastructure but those infrastructure are made for the good of the citizens, how is the welfare of the people. I read in some of the national papers and it breaks my heart, if you see the level of hunger in the nation, is not what anybody can play politics with. How can someone account the situation were people will go to get food and they were trampled to death. 

If they had food, will they die? I mean, that is to show you the level of hunger in Nigeria, and I think that this 2025, one of the issues that our leaders should focus among others is the welfare of the people.  Focus on social programs that will benefit the people and not a social programs that will be used for campaigns. Social programs that is realistic and will be driven in such a way that the ordinary Nigerian citizens will benefit from it.

Praying for the Nigerian leaders to succeed:

So, I think that these are critical issues, and if these are done by those in leadership, then like i said, everyone of us, that are being lead have a responsibility, and what is that responsibility, I will speak from the point of view of being a clergy. I have the responsibility to pray for those in authority, is not easy. They need our prayer. They need our encouragements. They need our supports. And so, we owe that responsibility to them. 

As a clergy, I have the responsibility of telling the leaders the truths. When I speak, I speak in such a way that it reflects the reality of the people’s experiences. I don’t want to tell the leaders what they want to hear, I need to tell them the truth because when they get to know the truth, that will help them in knowing how they can respond to the truth. And that’s where, I feel that some of us who are religious leaders are not also helping matters. 

We should make the leadership of Nigeria to know the truth and as well hold them to account. And when we make them know that they are accountable to the people and to God who gave them such opportunities to serve. 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, asking for more time:

I’m expecting that 2025 will be a  better year. The political class, and leaders both in the national and states made a commitment. And one thing I’m glad about is that the president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu acknowledged that we are passing through challenges, and have not denied that, but he is asking for some little time and patience. And I want to encourage Nigerians to give the leaders some little time, but if we do not see anything realistic in that time, then when it is time for election, we will speak through our votes. 

State of affairs, peace in Ebonyi 

I also want to use this opportunity to appreciate the leadership of Ebonyi State, I’m just new in the state, I was in Abuja for 8yrs and coming down to the east here, I was a little bit apprehensive. I must tell you that I was pleasantly surprised to see the level of development in Abakaliki capital of Ebonyi State. 

I must commend those who have provided leadership in the state. The current state government in Ebonyi State is doing well. I moved to the rural areas and I saw the great road network that is ongoing in various areas, and I must tell you, it’s massive and it is commendable.

The level of peace, and I know that there maybe little issue in the hinterland, but the measure of peace within the state is commendable. There is a genuine efforts of the leadership of Ebonyi State to do something. I heard that the governor, Francis Nwifuru gave one hundred and fifty thousand naria to civil servants in the state as Christmas bonus. It is highly commendable and it justified on what I said that the leaders should prioritize the welfare of the people.

Probably that account to why there is relative peace in the state, because there is a proverb that said ‘a hunger man is angry man’. And so, if workers will receive one hundred and fifty thousand naria and you know that that worker who receive such amounts of money has so many dependent, and such, that money has made a lot of impacts in the lives of so many people. 

That gives an idea of how social welfare can have  a multiplayer effects both in terms of security and effectiveness in the wider society. And I think that those in authority should look into that. So, I expect that people should be hopeful that this 2025 is going to be a year of new possibilities. 

Infrastructural development in Ebonyi:

My new year message to Nigerians is that this 2025 is a year of new possibilities in terms of service delivery,  infrastructural development at the national and state levels. In Ebonyi state, we are going to experience more social warfare related programs and the level of development should be sustained. 

I encourage Christians in Nigeria to pray for our leaders to enable them succeed and I believe that they will succeed. I always say that as a leader, when you lead very well, you don’t need to spend money to campaign for another election. Your works will always speak volumes for you. Those of our leaders who have done well will not have much problems while seeking for re-election, because they have something that will be speak for them, not political infrastructure but a realistic infrastructure that people can testify to.

I can say that Ebonyi is blessed that the past leaders and the current administration led by governor Francis Nwifuru have shown a sense of vision and responsibility and they are highly commended and by God’s Grace, we will contribute to further developing the state of affairs in the state.

Tackling insecurity in Nigeria:

The insecurity in Nigeria is one of those issues that I think the leadership needs to address. And why I’m a little bit concerned, is that if you look into the state of insecurity and some of the things you read in the papers, the money that have been spent, one would expect that a lot supposed to been achieved.

If you match the money spent on insecurity, you see that it’s too much. And I feel that some people are benefiting from the money spent on insecurity in the country. This insecurity has lasted for years, and every day you hear that the military has been ambushed, it raises the concern that the security apparatus needs to look at itself.

For one to be ambushed, that means there must be a mole within the system. There must be a sabotage. If we are going to address insecurity, it has to be holistic. The security agencies in the country needs to checkmate themselves and their handling of information. You know that in Nigeria, people find out difficult to volunteer information because they don’t feel safe.

The police or the military can’t work without the military intelligence, and so, security agencies needs to build a kind of strong synergy both between the citizens and the security apparatus. The security agencies needs to trust themselves and build up a good relationship with the citizens to enable them get a credible information from them.

Welfare of the security operatives 

When we talk about the welfare of the Nigerian citizens, we should as well, talk about the welfare of the security people, because it is very critical. 

The security people has signed to lay down their lives for the safety of the nation. But then, we should as well show some level of care, by ensuring that the welfare and the welfare of their family members are guaranteed. If one is the war front, and you are not sure that your family is taking care of, both while in the war front or should any thing happen to you, what will happen to your family, you can’t do much.

And so, the welfare of the Nigerian citizens is very critical in guaranteeing security, but the welfare of the military is is very very critical in ensuring security. Assuming someone has access to weapons/ arms and he or she is not well feed and well paid, he or she can sell those weapons in order to make money. You can’t guarantee the security of the country.