The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Most Reverend Ignatius Kaigama, has called on Nigerian leaders to become more humane by putting God first above greed
The cleric from Jukun tribe, also raised concern over the deplorable condition of roads in his home state, Taraba where, according to him, a major bridge in Namnai, Gassol Local Government Council, linking Benue, Adamawa, and Southern Nigeria, collapsed and has stood abandoned for over a year, “leaving behind a trail of lost lives, destroyed property, and crippled livelihoods.”
The Archbishop raised the concerns on Sunday during the national convention of the Confraternity of Mary Queen of All Hearts at Veritas University, Bwari in Abuja with the theme, “The Cost of Discipleship.”
Kaigama also slammed those politicians who are already frantically and desperately struggling for 2027 elective positions and forgetting to live in the present with all honesty and dedication.
He said, “Are leaders ready as Jesus teaches, to lose their lives for the people they struggle so hard using all kinds of maneuvers to win elections? Are they willing to resist the temptation to selfishly acquire money that belongs to the people, to prioritize their comfort over the suffering poor, or to follow their own will instead of God’s, to choose God over their “possessions” of Dollars and properties they acquire and keep abroad when the citizens are suffocating with poverty?
“Each person has a specific task in life, and to each is assigned a particular way of contributing to humanity. We have religious leaders, traditional leaders, political leaders, professionals, such as doctors, lawyers, security officials, etc. God desires that all people of all times should count exclusively on Him and be totally available for others.
“From my own home State in Taraba, a major bridge in Namnai, Gassol Local Government Council, linking to Benue, Adamawa, and Southern Nigeria, collapsed and has stood abandoned for over a year, leaving behind a trail of lost lives, destroyed property, and crippled livelihoods.
“The Federal Government, via the North East Development Commission (NEDC), pledged reconstruction in early 2025, and still, nothing has been done.
“Where is the sensitivity of leadership? It is typical in Nigeria to dillydally until several more lives are lost in addition to the many already lost! One sees and experiences very horrible roads in Taraba State, such as the Jalingo-Numan road, neglected for more than three decades, and others, such as Zing road, Gembu road, Wukari road, Ibi road, Bali road, Karim Lamido road, etc. There are other similar deplorable conditions of roads in some other States of the Federation.
“Good leadership will prioritize alleviating the suffering of the poor. I understand that the United States has approved $32.5 million in assistance to Nigeria to help address hunger, to provide food assistance and nutritional support to internally displaced people in conflict-affected areas.”
While thanking the United States, he queried whether the hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people affected would really benefit from the emergency aid.
“The funds will naturally evaporate in administrative and bureaucratic misgovernance; swallowed up greedily in corruption by those who already have more than enough. We can only hope and pray that the money is used for the purpose for which it was meant.
“Our politics, our leadership, our strategies, our ambitions, if not rooted in God, become houses built on sand.
“Nigerian leaders can become more humane if they put God above greed; they can become more just when they place God’s wisdom above political calculations; and when they truly bring God into governance, they can narrow the gap between the “first-class citizens” and “second-class citizens”, the “big Nigerian men/women” and the ordinary Nigerians”, Kaigama emphasized.
