Presidency Refers Bishop Kukah To James 1:26 In Bible, Accuses Cleric Of Hating Buhari 

Following Bishop Matthew Kukah’s Easter message where he accused President Muhammadu Buhari of destroying Nigeria, the presidency has chided the cleric and accused him of unrelentingly hating the current administration. 

Part of Kukah’s Easter sermon read: “With everything literally broken down, our country has become one big emergency national hospital with full occupancy,” he said.

“Our individual hearts are broken. Our family dreams are broken. Homes are broken. Churches, Mosques, 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.”

But President Buhari’s senior media assistant, Garba Shehu, in a response issued late Monday, said religious leaders should not be using religion for cheap political goals.

Shehu said rather than preach about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Kukah devoted his Easter message to criticism of Buhari’s the government “in the most un-Christian terms.” 

The president’s aide referred Bishop Kukah to 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.” 

Shehu noted, ”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 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 an 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.”

Shehu further advised Kukah to concentrate on his spiritual assignments and leave the government to the voters and the politicians.

”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,” he advised.