Kukah @ 70: Months After Accusing Bishop Of Hating Him, Buhari Admits His Contribution To National Discourse

President Muhammadu Buhari has acknowledged the contribution of Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah to national discourse, referring to the cleric as a ‘teacher’ and ‘scholar’.

Buhari, in a statement congratulating the Sokoto Catholic Diocese Bishop on his 70th birthday, said he shared in the joy of the milestone in the cleric’s life.

“The President notes the contributions of the priest, teacher, scholar and writer to national discourse.

“President Buhari prays that the Almighty God will grant Rev. Father Kukah longer life, good health and strength,” read the statement signed by Buhari’s senior media adviser, Femi Adesina.

The president’s acknowledgment of Kukah’s contribution to the country’s growth came barely four months after he accused the bishop of hating his government “in the most un-Christian terms”.

Kukah, in his 2022 Easter message, had accused President Buhari of causing breakdown in all aspects of the citizens’ lives due to incompetence and poor management of the country’s security challenges.

“With everything literally broken down, our country has become one big emergency national hospital with full occupancy,” the bishop had said.

“Our individual hearts are broken. Our family dreams are broken. Homes are broken. Churches, Mosques, and infrastructure are broken. Our educational system is broken. Our children’s lives and future are broken. Our politics is broken. Our economy is broken. Our energy system is broken. Our security system is broken. Our roads and rails are broken. Only corruption is alive and well,” he stated.

But reacting days after, the Presidency in a statement issued by Garba Shehu, accused Kukah of having hatred for the Buhari administration and using the pulpit to play 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.

“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,” said Shehu.