The Catholic Bishops of Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province has called  on  the  federal government to urgently tackle the hardships faced by millions of Nigerians and desist from giving excuses  as elected leaders on the worsening insecurity and economic hardship to save the ship of the nation from sinking.
According to the bishops, the  pervasive insecurity, economic hardship, corruption, lackadaisical governance that the country is currently facing  is a big treat to the nation which is in desperate need of restoration .
The Bishops   in statement  which   was contained  in  a communique issued  after their meeting held at the Jubilee Conference Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State. The communique which was signed by His Grace  Most Rev  Dr.‘Leke Gabriel Abegunrin, the Chairman of the Episcopal body and Most Rev John Akin Oyejola, the secretary was titled "Nigeria: In Desperate Need for Restoration," addresses crucial issues affecting the Church and the country. Most Rev John Akin Oyejola, said, “Any country run on corruption and falsehood will crumble under the weight of self-inflicted evil.”
“Our dear country Nigeria is fast becoming a hostile, killing field. The ship of the nation is foundering under the weight of pervasive insecurity, economic hardship due to hyperinflation and the collapse of the naira, cybercrime, high cost of food, lackadaisical governance and widespread corruption. Day-to-day living is fast becoming an ordeal for millions of Nigerians because pervasive poverty, driven by the harsh environment has driven many to desperation and even suicide.
“It would be nothing short of hypocritical to put all the misery being suffered by Nigerians today down to change in world economy. The truth is that often Nigerians are simply left to their own devices and left at the mercy of the most cruel and aggressive criminals by inept and selfish political and civil leaders. In all this, governments often seem weak or altogether absent. Any remedy now is even already too late for many Nigerians who have lost their lives to terrorists, hunger, kidnapping and sundry disasters. We plead for urgent action from all our leaders to save the Nigeria ship from sinking. The much-vaunted renewed hope is turning to utter desperation in many places and there is not much time left.”
Condemning the killings of traditional rulers in Ekiti State recently, the bishops stated, “We declare that the time to stop this spiralling violence and bloodshed is now, before it becomes irreversible, by repositioning our security agencies to make them more pre-emptive and proactive.”
They added, “We admonish majority of our leaders who talk and behave as if all is well to have a change of heart. There is cause for alarm when corruption runs riot in every sector with scant effort from government to arrest and prosecute its perpetrators. Things are not under control when continuously, Nigerians get maimed, kidnapped and killed daily on our roads and even in their homes.”
Preferring solutions, the bishops said, “There is need to restructure our security apparatus and remove saboteurs where necessary so that they can collaborate and perform optimally. Disaster is imminent when people die of hunger and the living have to steal or scrounge for food in order to survive. Elected officers are elected not to make excuses about problems but to change things for better. Away with insensitive aides who furnish the public with lies and inuendoes in order to mitigate government failure in the face of the recurring disasters.
“Nigerians deserve to know the truth about their leaders’ programmes, activities and whereabouts. Any country run on corruption and falsehood will crumble under the weight of self-inflicted evil. Time for positive change is running out. “Uprightness makes a nation great, by sin whole races are disgraced”. (Proverbs 14:34).”