We spend another Christmas with no hope of Chibok girls’ return – Bishop Kukah

Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Reverend
Father Matthew Kukah, in his Christmas
message released on Thursday, said the
engine of political change in the country is
not yet as effective as envisaged by
Nigerians.
Father Kukah called on Nigerians leaders to
use their power for service, and shun the
fight for power, which he says would only
lead to the loss of more lives.
The cleric also condemned the ’embarrassing
billions’ being pumped into the Church in
Nigeria. He described the situation as an ‘act
of outright criminiality’.
Read below, the Christmas message, in parts.
“The word of God and its living blessings are
free. Isaiah said that much when he said:
Come all of you who are thirsty, come to the
water and you who have no money, come
and eat. Buy wine and milk without money
and without cost (Is 55:1).
“St Paul reminded us: What is my profit? It is
this: that in preaching the word I might offer
it free of charge (1 Cor. 9:18). This is what
led Jesus to express His only visible show of
anger and violence when he whipped the
moneychangers and accused them of; turning
His Father’s house into a den of thieves
(Matt. 21:13).”
“It was one of the reasons for Fr Martin
Luther’s revolt. But, so much has changed
now. Prayer for our people is the duty of all
ordained ministers, but today, it has become
subject to abuse.
“Government can and must create conditions,
but we must all become instruments of
change. If we take our responsibilities
seriously, we can compel government to
serve us better.”