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not ready to match words with action or to the political space in such a way that life would
integrate our faith with our daily life. If we say become reasonable and meaningful for all.
that we believe in God, this assertion should The primary duty of the government is that of
be verifiable through our character and it protecting lives and securing property of the
should play out in our relationship with one citizens but much more than that, their duty is
another and even with our environment itself. that of developing their citizens to an extent
If the majority of the citizenry are either the that they become useful resources for
adherents of Christianity or Islam, why is it that national development and for international
their presence in government is not engagements. In fact, for any reasonable
impacting positively on our national life. Why government worth its onion, its population is
have we allowed endemic insecurity to take its wealth which when properly harnessed,
up our physical and psychological space to an can become an economic tool that can
extent that we can no longer move about compete favourably at the level of global
freely in our so-called sovereign state. If we economy. When your citizens are highly
observe critically, we would discover that even educated and developed, they can become an
some of these persons who kidnap Nigerians economic hub and a juicy market for the
for ransom are members of one religion or the global economy. What we have in Nigeria
other. In fact, some of the places where they however is that nobody values any other
take their victims to are the same places person or appreciates the concept of
where they perform their prayers and citizenship as it is the case with most of the
ablutions, so who is fooling who in this developed countries and economies. Here in
country? For the reason that as long as the Nigeria, it is presumed that have a
impact of our religious tenets is not being government in place, yet people are picked
felt by common Nigerians, it means that up at random across the country -
we are not reasonable in the way in including children and women - into
which we practise our religions and the bush for torture and slaughter
accordingly, we have to go back to as if we are not a sovereign nation;
the drawing board and reassess as if we are not capable of
our concept of religion and try securing or protecting the lives
to see how we can balance our of our citizens. It means
religious beliefs with positive therefore that something is
action for the good of this seriously wrong with our
country and if not, these might understanding of nationhood
end up becoming an ideology of as far as the welfare of citizens is
a sort. concerned. It is even quite
unfortunate that sometimes the
Gadfly: Your Lordship, you would government is complicit in some of
agree with me, to a large extent, that the insecurity woes that have befallen our
the spate of insecurity in Nigeria is dear nation. One of the presidents of this
extremely alarming. Many have continued country once observed that anytime any
to lose their lives and valuables in security issue lasts for more than 48 hours, it
unprecedented degrees and virtually, no means that the government itself is involved
one seems to care. In this case, my Lord, do which is very sad indeed.
you think it would be justifiable if Nigerians
are allowed to take up personal arms for Regarding self-defense, as a clergy, I would
self-defense since the government has not like anybody to take up arms against
failed in one of her cardinal duties of another citizen but I would like us to
providing security? If yes or no, kindly let us collectively look for the best solution to this
know your position. persistent challenge that continues to rob us
of our lives and livelihoods. Let us find out the
Bishop: Actually, security is everybody's root causes of insecurity in our land and why it
business but it is more of a statutory continues to thrive despite the huge resources
obligation of the government because it is set committed to it. In actual sense, when it
up as a structure for maintaining justice and comes to the issue of self-defense, you do not
order in the society; a structure for managing expect the Bishop to take up arms or even
diversity and promoting meaningful encourage others to do so however, every
relationship among people; a structure for citizen has a sacred responsibility of securing
managing the resources, the economy and his or her life as one who has been created in
