Southern Nigeria and Middle Belt Forum (SMBLF), on Monday, condemned the outbursts of the Presidency and the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) over the Christmas Day sermon of Bishop Mathew Kukah, declaring that the cleric remained a national icon and a hero of the masses, whose voice of truth and reason can never be suppressed successfully while demanding an immediate apology to him for the baseless attacks.
SMBLF expressed this concern in a statement jointly signed by Mr Yinka Odumakin for South-West, Chief Guy Ikoku (South-East), Senator Bassey Henshaw (South-South) and Dr Isuwa Dogo (Middle-Belt), and further declaring that the outspoken cleric, who had been a beacon of truthfulness over the years, remained a foremost defender of the aspirations of millions of Nigerians across ethnic and religious lines.
This was just as the Forum noted that Bishop Kukah’s comments on this particular occasion had been applauded by the majority of Nigerians, adding: “And we all stand with him.”
“The leadership of the Southern Nigeria and Middle Belt Forum, notes with very serious concern and condemnation the outbursts of the Presidency and the Northern Elders Forum over the Christmas Day Message of the revered Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Hassan Kukah.
“The outspoken cleric who has been a beacon of truthfulness over the years remains a foremost defender of the aspirations of millions of Nigerians across ethnic and religious lines. On this occasion, his comments have been applauded by the majority of Nigerians and we all stand with him,” SMBLF said.
The group, while reminding those that had been pouring venoms on Kukah over his Christmas sermon that the voice of truth and reason can never be suppressed successfully, further reminded the Federal Government and it’s attack dogs that they had in the past, equally welcomed the cleric’s forthright views when it favoured them, querying: “So why attack him now when he cautions them on their divisive policies?”
SMBLF, while noting that the country had today become terribly divided along with all kinds of lines, said it was shameful and indefensible that suddenly the Federal Government was dominated by one small ethnic group and still expected all the citizens to keep quiet like slaves.
According to SMBLF, this is happening amid worrisome insecurity, which it said had become a tsunami of a kind “and even up to Mr President’s doorstep in Katsina when he was home recently on holiday.”
The Forum said what it expected from those concerned was to retrace their very unhelpful steps and get back to rekindling oneness in the country, adding: “We once more can call on the Federal Government to take urgent steps to restructure the country.”
“Finally, we remind those concerned that the voice of truth and reason can never be suppressed successfully. Bishop Kukah remains a national icon, a hero of the masses. We, therefore, demand an immediate apology to him for the baseless attacks,” the group demanded.
SMBLF decries presidency’s attack on Kukah, demands immediate apology
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