NATIONAL: Wounds of the civil war have not been healed – Kukah

THE Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, despite the deluge of criticisms his Christmas homily has been attracting from certain quarters in the country, has remained undeterred in airing his views on national matters.

The irrepressible Bishop today said the wounds inflicted by the civil war on the national psyche has yet to heal even 51 years after reaching a truce.

Kukah disclosed this at a zoom meeting organised by Dele Momodu of the Ovation Magazine and Mazi Ezeoke.

Speaking on the theme: ‘The Second never again conference: 51 years after Nigerian-Biafran Civil war,’ the outspoken Bishop advised Nigerians to compile a history of the country, noting that knowing the history will calm/qualm the taste for violence.

Proffering solutions to the problems bedeviling the country, Kukah said it would take collective and concerted efforts to salvage Nigeria from its current state.

The bishop noted that apportioning blame would not get the problems solved as both the leadership and followership are accomplices by default in bringing the country to where it is.

He highlighted, poor economic policies, insecurity and poor education/health systems as issues bedeviling the country and advised the Nigerians to find a means of finding permanent solutions to the problems.

“We are failing in almost all the sectors. We must stand up and fix them”. Speaking further, Kukah said that there is enough blame to go round, noting that everyone should be blamed for the current situation of the country.

“If we are saying NEVER AGAIN, we must identify some fundamental issues. We must have our history written down or acted as a movie. We must understand the role of religion in Nigeria. The issue of consequentiality should also be of great essence. There should be consequences for good and bad behavior.”

The Nigerian civil war started in 1967 and ended in January 1970. Among other reasons, it was caused by the determination by Nigerians in the Eastern part of the country to secede from the country after series of events that happened in the country which the Easterners considered as an injustice targeted at them.

The war happened under the administration of General Yakubu Gowon(Retd.) and at the end of the war the military Head of States declared ” No victor, no vanquished “