… Says state of the nation frightening, but redeemable

Former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has, again, raised the alarm over the worsening state of the nation characterised by wanton destruction of lives and property, warning that the nation was fast falling apart and burning to death.

Ekweremadu, however, said that while the state of the nation was frightening, it was still redeemable.

He spoke on Thursday at the 10th Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Umuahia themed “Let us Rebuild and End this Reproach”.

Delivering the Synod lecture entitled “The Role of the Christian Politician in Nation-building”, the Senator, who was represented by the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Hon. Alex Chiedozie Ogbonnia, said the country was at crossroads and it was high time leaders and citizens urgently rescued the nation.

“Nigeria is burning, literally and figuratively. Put even more appropriately, we are at that juncture where we must rebuild or risk perishing. But God forbids that we perish”.

Senator Ekweremadu regretted that reports of bloodletting, mass killing, and kidnap for ransom had become the daily realities of Nigerians, adding hunger was on the increase because insecurity had dislodged Nigerians from their legitimate businesses and farms.

“Hunger has enveloped our land because farmers cannot go to their farms. They are either killed or raped by arm-bearing militias or have their throats slit like rams as we witnessed in Zabarmari village in Borno state.

“The schools are no longer safe as they have turned to sports ground by bandits, who kidnap, rape, and kill, while the lucky ones get ransomed”.

Ekweremadu equally observed that only socio-economic and political justice could effectively address the frustrations and separatist tendencies and rhetoric across the nation.

“The country is as divided and disjointed as never in our history. Ethno-religious conflagrations and killings at the slightest provocations have become a norm rather than an exception. Agitations fuelled by palpable social and political injustice pervade the land, as many parts now want out of the union than be slaves and second class citizens in a place that is supposed to be their fatherland.

“We cannot build or rebuild a nation in the absence of social, political, and economic justice. How do you describe a situation where the South East, a part of Nigeria, has a palpable double standard raised against them, while open marginalisation of the region has been raised to a state policy?

“We must show every part of the country a sense of justice because the truth is that a man, who is unjustly treated, will never be genuinely interested in peace. The shortest path to peace is justice”, he stated.

The lawmaker, however, said the situation was not irredeemable, urging the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to listen to voices of reason, decentralise the nation’s policing system, and seek help from more experienced and resourced nations to arrest the slide.

“This is not a time to apportion blames, but a time for sober reflections. We must as a country take urgent steps to reclaim our land. The Church and the Christian politicians should rise and stand in the gap. Every Nigerian must rise to defend our inheritance because no nation in the world can contain Nigeria.

“This administration must begin to listen, beginning by taking urgent steps to decentralise policing to enable every constituent part take charge of the security of lives and property in its jurisdictions. That is the least and most immediate step we can do at the moment.

In his charge, the Anglican Bishop of Umuahia Diocese, Rt. Rev. Geoffrey Obijuru Ibeabuchi, called on the Christian faithful and all Nigerians to join hands to rebuild the nation through prayers and good work.