For making comments many people have considered as insensitive, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Mathew Kukah, had to contend with the wrath of a fast-growing army of online anti-corruption crusaders on Thursday.
The outspoken cleric, who is also the spokesperson of the National Peace Committee, had reportedly called on President Muhammadu Buhari to focus on governance instead of wasting time probing the past administration.
The remarks generated a social media backlash with many Internet users urging Kukah to be contented with his spiritual calling and stop making “insensitive” remarks on national issues.
In its response, a group known as the United Kingdom chapter of the All Progressives Congress described the anti-corruption war as a positive “distraction”, if it would lead to the recovery of billions of dollars that had been stolen from government’s coffers.
Its coordinator, Ade Omole, had identified corruption as the first issue the Buhari administration must address to position the country for sustainable economic growth.
On social media, Kukah’s remark raised question on whether probing could be, indeed, separated from governance.
On Twitter, an online activist, Omo Gbajabiamila, wrote, “Someone should please tell Kukah that probing those who stole our commonwealth is an integral part of governance.”
Gbajabiamila wondered where the cleric expected the government to raise money to fund critical infrastructure if corrupt public officials were allowed to walk away with their loots.
From another tweeter, who simply identified himself as Tweety, came this, “Somebody had better call Kukah to order because the country’s mood is charged. We do not need insensitive comments now.
“Why should anybody pretend we can do without the billions of dollars that are kept in private bank accounts? We need to recover the money, and if probing is the only thing that can force those who stole the money to cooperate, we have to probe them.”
Also on Facebook, the report on Kukah’s position has been received with condemnations.
Reacting on the platform, one Alhaji Abdullahi said Buhari could only ignore the corrupt practices of the previous administrations at his own political disadvantage. He noted that if he did not probe past leaders, the President would give a signal that he would condole corruption.
“If he does not probe them, the message it would send is that he has accepted corruption. That would encourage more people to steal, which would be bad for the country,” he noted.
He warned that Nigerians might not see the promised change unless religious, traditional and past political leaders distanced themselves from the President.
However, a few people who made a case for the bishop said it was obvious that the administration was selective in its anti-corruption campaign. On this side of the controversy was Onyinye Chime, who described Kukah’s critics as “blind followers of Buhari.”
“The Senate members have rejected pay cut while everybody keeps quiet about it. But everybody is against Kukah because he spoke his mind. It is obvious that Nigerians do not know their enemies,” she tweeted.
Similarly, Kayode Ogundamisi, a social media influencer, noted, “I do not agree with Kukah’s position on Buhari’s method of fighting corruption but I think demonising him is unacceptable.”
In a media chat, Kukah had observed, “There is no such thing as probe in a democratic setting like ours. What obtains is investigation. Once people lead and things are not right, investigation becomes necessary.
“However, in doing that, we must never be distracted from the spectacular actions undertaken by former President Goodluck Jonathan. I think this whole thing about probe can be ascertained once investigations are concluded.
“But we are saying that a lot of talk about probe is a distraction nobody needs. So, the most important thing is that we need a stable country first before we can talk about these things.”
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