Most Rev. (Dr.) Matthew Hassan Kukah, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese has said that no one can plant rotten apples and expect to reap a good fruit during the harvest season. Bishop Kukah who made this statement during an interview on Channels Television on Monday, June 13, 2022, stated that for the political aspect of a country’s life to work out well, people need to take the promises the state has made and then confront the state. Addressing the issues of governance and policies in the country, the Bishop said unless the people have the capacity to agitate and say they do not want the things to continue the way they have been, even if it will take days and lives, Nigerians need to act fast and confront changes that will better their lots as citizens of the country.
The Bishop assured that he is not afraid of anybody, not even death, as he assured that he will continue to speak truth to power when the need arises When asked if he fears at any point in time for his safety, the Bishop stated that the only thing he fears is breaking the law, as he added that the other fear he nurses is that Nigeria may go under with the way things are going in terms of the economic and security situation of the country. Bishop Kukah, who had on many occasions criticised the policies of the current government in the country, insisted that he never one day woke up to the fear of death, adding that he only speaks the truth to the authorities and never abuses them.
He said: “When people talk about fear, I ask myself, ‘fear of what?’ I mean, truly, fear of what? The only thing I’m afraid of is to break the law and I live with it every day. “The only thing that can give me a sense of fear is that I have broken the law. Short of breaking the law, I will fear a human being or fear what? I’ve not abused anybody. Even my worst critics will concede that I’ve never insulted anybody. “When people talk to me about fear I don’t know what they’re talking about because to me, the only fear I have is that this country may go under and that fear is genuine. But we must do everything humanly possible to avert what is clearly a looming disaster.”
