- Says “We cannot move on without justice”
The Federal Government’s resolve to inaugurate the president-elect on May 29, prior to the conclusion of all petitions emanating from the February 25 presidential elections has continued to elicit diverse reactions with the majority advocating for justice and fairness for all contestants. Rt. Rev. Msgr. John Aniagwu, Vicar General, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos has said we cannot continue to move on without addressing the alleged injustices that marred the 2023 presidential, governorship and assembly polls. The renowned Catholic priest spoke recently while fielding questions at a Media Briefing organised by the Directorate of Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, in commemoration of the 2023 World Communications Day held at the Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos. Rt. Rev. Msgr. Aniagwu who raised concern about swearing in people whose elections are being challenged, coupled with the fact that the court is yet to dispose of such cases, called on Nigerians to voice their dissatisfaction. Warning that Nigeria is bleeding, he urged the incoming government to prove its legitimacy. He took a swipe at the incoming government, “The legitimacy of what you call an incoming government is very seriously in doubt. They should convince Nigerians of their legitimacy and that they truly deserve to be where they are. Until they do that, everything else that they do will be illegitimate.” The Vicar General said, ”.
Events of the past months have shown many that we, Nigerians are very unserious people, we are a nation of clowns and comedians, proven mostly by the kind of leaders we have steering the affairs of our nation. A very unserious people; we toy with everything; we toy with security; we toy with the economy; we joke with peoples’ lives and we toy with a serious matter of succession. How some people should be elected, to run the affairs of the nation; we make a big joke of it unlike other countries. “In this country we have engaged in another kind of charade over the years of swearing in people into office whose so-called electoral victory was in serious doubt. It has been done in this country in the past. This is not the first time, that doesn’t make it right. It only happens in Nigeria. “It’s only in Nigeria that a case is still pending and we are going ahead with so-called swearing in. In fact, like I said earlier, we are a nation of clowns and comedians, so what is going to happen in few days time is what has happened in the past. But that doesn’t make it right. Some people are saying well, let’s accept what has happened and move on. We cannot move on because something has not gone right, it must be corrected. We cannot move on without justice, without fairness; peace without justice is the peace of the graveyard.” He related Turkey’s election experience where neither President Tayyip Erdogan nor his opposition rival, Kamal Kilicdaroglu achieved the 50 percent threshold and the country headed for a rerun. “Recently, there were elections in Turkey and the requirement was that the person to become President should score at least 50% of the votes cast by the electorate.
The 50% threshold was not reached by any candidate, so they had to go for a run off. Here in Nigeria, someone can be declared President with less than 10% of the votes of the electorate. Tell me, where is the legitimacy? ” The top ranking cleric demanded that the justice of what happened over the past few months must be established, stressing “without which there cannot be any healing of any wounds that have been created.” “We cannot continue to sweep everything under the carpet while the nation continues to suffer and slide down the scale of development,” Rt. Rev. Msgr. Aniagwu added. The Vicar General urged Nigerians to voice out their displeasure. “So let those who think that they own Nigeria continue to do what they think they can do. They can toy with the souls of Nigerians and get away with it. But those of us who want a better country, who want a nation that we can be proud of, should not just sit back and let them get away with it. “Even though we can do nothing else let us continue to voice our dissatisfaction with the status quo. I’m one of the people who are not happy with Nigeria as we have it now. We have had a far better country than what we have now. We know what used to happen to us in the past when we ventured outside this country as Nigerians, we know what happens now when we go to other countries. “I read somewhere that it seems that some people have invested in the failure of Nigeria. And such people are just happy that Nigeria should fail and Nigeria should not rise. That is what we are facing in this country. I think all right thinking Nigerians and those who mean well for this nation should stand up and continue to say that we do not accept the status quo. “Things have to change; there must be justice, fairness, equity in this country. Nobody should be treated as a second class citizen in any part of Nigeria.
“These are the days we must stand up and communicators should be at the forefront.” Regretting that the media vibrancy witnessed years ago has whittled in the face of a drifting country, he noted that the media shares a huge chunk of the blame as well, because it has lately fell short of its watchdog responsibility and objective criticism in order to right the wrong and enforce change. He said’ “Unfortunately, some communicators have not done much credit to the media profession; they have been spreading lies, falsehood, hatred, enmity in our country. So it is important that communicators who have a conscience should stand up to them and say enough is enough of that kind of rubbish. It has been said that some communicators are for sale. If you pay them the right amount, they can tell any story you want them to tell, but I don’t know how true this is. “Well, maybe everybody else is for sale in this country if electoral officials can be bought.” He however admonished the media and everyone to tell the truth with love. Hear him, “Let’s tell the truth, yes, we will tell the truth with love, we would not insult anyone, we wouldn’t abuse anyone but let’s say it as it is.” Reacting to likely outcome of election tribunal, acceptance of the verdict and distrust of Nigerians in the judiciary, Rt. Rev. Msgr. Aniagwu responded, “ Everything depends on how the court goes about this business, how the court arrives at its decision. Even the decisions of the court can be queried, I don’t want to say that the Nigerian judicial system cannot be trusted, but I will tell you that some of the decisions of the courts in Nigeria in recent times have been mystifying. “I don’t understand how the court comes about such decisions. I don’t want to mention the specifics, but you know them already.
Some are saying that the judiciary cannot be trusted; I hope this is not true. I hope that the judiciary can prove itself that it can be trusted by the way it goes about these cases, not just the one having to do with the person declared as president but other elections’ petitions in court. “Let the court go about these decisions in a way that is transparent; in a way that it is clearly seen to be just and fair, even by the ordinary person. I don’t have to be a SAN to be able to understand the court’s decision. Every fair-minded Nigerian should be able to see that what the court has decided is the right thing. “When they decide and what they decide, I guess we just have to go with it. But if the court’s processes bring serious doubts in peoples’ minds; then the people are going to be dissatisfied. The courts are not free to do what they like and toy with the lives of Nigerians. The judges must realise that they have a higher court to answer to, God’s court. So let them do the right thing, if it is clear enough that they have done the right thing then let’s go with it. “I want to believe that the Nigerian judicial system still has honour and will do the right thing.
… Families groom children, youths to listen, speak the truth – Bishop Badejo
- Enjoins media to promote family cohesion, harmony
Most Rev. Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo, Catholic Bishop of Oyo Diocese has enjoined parents to teach their children and youths to listen to others, appreciate their perspectives and speak the truth with love. He made this assertion while reflecting on Pope Francis Message for the 2023 World Communications Day entitled “Speaking with the heart: The truth in love”, at Our Lady of Assumption Cathedral in Oyo on Sunday, May 21, 2023. Describing the family as the first training ground where children are taught important lessons in life and qualities such as telling the truth, relating with others, amid a host of peaceful and charitable communication values, Badejo stated, “The family in Africa is the nursery of all good virtues; truthfulness, charity, courage, compassion, and selflessness. The family is also the formation workshop for our hearts and the first cradle of synodality. “This is why in Oyo Diocese, we have involved many families and schools in the celebration of this week on the importance and role of the family and school in engendering truthful and charitable communication. “No generation is lost if it uses the pains of the present to secure its future. Despite numerous challenges of the present, we call on families to do more to create the “synodal” atmosphere where people, especially the children and youth are groomed to listen to others more and to see through the eyes of others.
“It is within the family we begin to learn the language with which to communicate the truth in a non-threatening, charitable and peaceful way and thus help to develop mutual trust and harmony in the larger society.” Bishop Badejo urged media practitioners to promote family unity and accord, consequent upon the fact that the values of the family are being reflected in the society at large. “Today, I call on journalists and all who work with the media of communications to promote family cohesion and harmony, even more so that the family can continue to provide the essential service for a better society and a better world,” the prelate said. Reflecting further on His Holiness’ message, Bishop Badejo noted that speaking the truth in love will always require the help of the Holy Spirit. “All who engage with communication, to be authentic and truthful must learn to invoke the Holy Spirit for assistance and strength in their work. “We cannot achieve the delicate balance of speaking the truth and fostering peace, reconciliation, and unity by ourselves. Left alone, we cannot always manage to put relationship with God and the neighbour at the centre of all our relationships. Enter the Holy Spirit!” Continuing, he stated, “Pope Francis urges us to harmonise communication, one of the most powerful gifts which God gave to humanity, with the truth which liberates and to do so with love. “It would be a most powerful gift if we do, for love conquers all, and will endure as the greatest of all virtues. “Speaking the truth in love will often come at a cost because we must do so to a world of appearances, disinformation, distortions, fake news and even falsehood. It might bring rejection, insults and even persecution, but we must be reminded that this is all foreseen. “If speaking the truth in love is so exacting, it is natural to be afraid and anxious at times when the truth portends suffering. We are all familiar with the phrase “truth is bitter” but we all know as well that truth is a liberating force. Therefore, we need help.” Bishop Badejo further noted, “Our Christian duties to speak truth from the heart will therefore be enhanced if we make the Holy Spirit our constant ally. We need him to help us create a new language which can speak the truth authentically, but lovingly and insistently.”