Buhari’s spokesmen avoid issues, do poorest quality writings ― Bishop Kukah

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, has accused the Special Adviser of the President (Media & Publicity), Femi Adesina, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity), Garba Shehu, of avoiding talking about issues but engaging in what he called poorest quality writings in the course of their jobs.

This followed the latest attack on the clergyman by the presidential spokesmen after he used his Easter Homily to highlight the government’s shortcomings.

Fielding questions in a television interview on Tuesday morning, Bishop Kukah challenged the presidential image-makers and the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, to a debate on national issues at the time and place of their choosing.

Asked whether he was guilty of hatred against President Buhari as suggested by Shehu, he said: “I don’t know whether any of them has the ability or the capacity to speak about guilt or no guilt.

“But let me first of all set that records straight. I delivered my sermon to my congregation in the cathedral. So, the bearer of the message are primarily the good people of the diocese of Sokoto.

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“Of course, am not unaware of the state of mind of my two friends, Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu, when it comes to talking about Bishop Kukah. They seem to suspend reason and go into overdrive.

“Unless of course Garba Shehu has plans to convert to Christianity or he is a closet Christian or he is an anonymous Christian, I appreciate the fact that when it comes to talking, he has not quoted the holy Quran. All he does is end up with some convoluted interpretations of the Bible and embarrassing in their contexts.

“And I’m surprised that Femi Adesina who I believe is a reverend of a sort in the Foursquare Gospel Church, I’m surprised that he’s unable to help his friend who they sat together.

“But let me simply say that I have made an offer to them and still make the offer that they can choose the venue, choose the time and just let me know. I would like to sit down with the three of them beginning with their honourable minister and both of them. Let us sit down together and talk about Nigeria. I’m ready, I will pay my way, I still repeat that offer to them.

“These are the only spokesmen that have spent a lot of time buying, photocopying paper and simply typing away texts. They have been involved in all kinds of writing of the poorest quality, never talking to the issues.

“So, the first thing is to show you their inefficiency. It is that they are used to writing statements as opposed to talking to Nigerians about policies.

“What this tells you is that 99.99% of what they write are imply second-guessing what the president’s mind is. They have no contact with the president, they have no contact with government policies and all they are doing is writing on behalf of the president.

“There is nowhere in the world where the job of this nature is being done and has been done so poorly.”

While noting that he has served under different governments, including in the Oputa Panel and getting both former President Goodluck Jonathan and then Major General Buhari to sign a peace accord over 2015, elections, he added: “The reason I am saying so, I’m just saying that I’m no stranger to the process to the process we are in.

“While we’re doing all these things, Femi Adesina was being paid salary by Orji Kalu and he was doing a good job in the Sun as a journalist. Garba Shehu was working for Atiku. Lai Mohammed was working for Tinubu. So, I think everybody should be able to answer his father’s name.

“And I can say that the reason why I am emotional and passionate about the things of this country and about where we are today, I have paid my dues. Let each and every of my critic tell me where they were at the most critical moment in Nigeria’s history.

“It’s not that now people’s bank accounts are swollen that they an probably try to preach the gospel to us that they themselves don’t believe.”

Following the critical Homily, Shehu, in a statement on Monday night, called on Bishop Kukah to leave the president alone or resign and join politics.

In the Biblical quote-laden statement, Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President alleged that the clergyman has been spreading hate for decades.

The statement accused the Catholic Bishop of using his sermon to dissension and quarrel while revealing his hatred through his accusatory list.

It reads: “As the nomination congress approaches, rumblings within the party rise to an acrimonious crescendo and the troubleshooting market blossoming in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP, which is in desperate yearning for his tested skills, we are surprised- so too are many others- that the Bishop of Sokoto Province, the Most Rev Mathew Matthew Hassan could still find the time for a lengthy homily on his usual target, Muhammadu Buhari, the President of Nigeria.

“For a man who has been spreading hate for decades, nothing new in the homily, except for the fact that while millions of Christians were remembering the Lord’s crucifixion on Friday, His descent on Saturday, His resurrection on Sunday, and subsequent appearance to his disciples, Bishop Matthew Kukah was playing politics.

“From his pulpit, he devoted his Easter message not to Christ’s death and rebirth so Man might be saved – but to damning the government in the most un-Christian terms.

“Bishop Kukah neglects the Bible’s teachings in James 1:26: “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.”

“Easter should be a time for renewal, and for hope. For those in authority – both temporal and spiritual – to come together in word and deed so those who look to them for example can be inspired by their grace.

“This is not a time for religious leaders to play politics, or politicians to play religion. It is a time, as in Titus 3:9 to “avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.”

“Yet Bishop Kukah used his sermon purposefully to make dissensions and quarrels about the law. His accusatory list against the government revealed only his hatred for them.

“Still, when he accused them of division, he gave no examples: merely assertions emanating from his own mouth. His allegation of the ethnic and regional divide was innuendo without proof, and he gave none.

“His list of things he claims as broken – from churches to mosques to schools and motorways – belie all those that have been built, and others built anew during this government’s time in office.

“Should he feel compelled for whatever reason to criticize the government for what he views as their mistakes the Bible makes clear how it should be done: “Brothers if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness”, Galatians 6:1-2.

“If Bishops or religious leaders believe they have a willing audience for tales of government error or fragility, they do an injustice to their flock by filling their ears with talk of division and hateful thoughts.

“Nigeria knows too well Bishop Kukah’s views of the government. He has made quite clear how much he dislikes them from the day they were elected.

“Whether expressing his political views is a good use or abuse of religious office is for others to decide. But the people of Nigeria have spoken – twice: They support this government at the ballot box. They have not been swayed by hateful talk from any bully pulpit.

“We respectfully ask Bishop Kukah to leave government to the voters and the politicians they elect, while he concentrates on his job, as it is expressed in James 1:27: “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”

“Or else, he should put away his clerical garb, join partisan politics and see how far he can go.”