The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Reverend Matthew Kukah on Saturday, October 5, 2024, urged Nigerians to compel political officeholders to fulfil their campaign promises to the people.
Mr Kukah gave this advice in a keynote address at a centenary public lecture and awards ceremony by the Catholic Herald.
Catholic Herald is Nigeria’s oldest surviving newspaper and weekly publication of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos.
The event took place in Lagos at the Mother of Perpetual Help Church, Victoria Island.
The event themed, “The Nigerian State: Transcending Challenges, Attending True Nationhood” was aimed at celebrating the centenary anniversary of Herald.
The cleric spoke on nation-building.
Mr Kukah said that the quality of the civil society, to a large extent, determines the extent of change in a society.
The cleric and social crusader appealed to Nigerian leaders to be people-oriented in their policies and administration.
Mr Kukah said that there was a need for governments to carry the citizens along in the projects and the programmes’ implementation to meet the needs of the masses.
“Nigeria’s journey to nationhood should be of concern to the people and with the eye on the desired destination.
“Pray that God renews our strength to champion just causes.
“Nation-building is a long-distance race that needs patriotic zeal to sustain to stardom,” he said.
He called on Nigerians to be committed to nation-building.
The Catholic Herald was one of the platforms used by nationalists to push for Nigeria’s independence.
The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Reverend Adewale Martins said at the event that the newspaper played a major role in the pre independence era.
He said that the newspaper would, aside from its evangelism function, continue to stir public discourse to advance the society.
He called on the newspaper’s editorial board to do more to expand its scope of enlightenment.
