The Bishop of the Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, has called on Nigerian leaders to urgently address the hardship confronting citizens, while urging Nigerians not to lose faith despite the country’s mounting challenges.
Bishop Kukah made the appeal in his 2025 Christmas message issued on Thursday, saying the prevailing difficulties should spur leaders to act decisively to reduce the suffering of the people.
“In the midst of the darkness of our circumstances, we strongly urge our leaders to strengthen their resolve towards ameliorating the sufferings that challenge our faith,” he said. “We may not have enough to feed the greed of our elite, but there is enough to feed our people.”
The cleric lamented the continued mass abduction of students from schools in parts of the country, describing the victims as Nigeria’s future. Reflecting on the birth of Jesus Christ, he said, “As we think of the child Jesus at Christmas, we can only continue in steadfast prayer and hope that our redeemer liveth (Job 9:25).”
Kukah also decried the persistence of banditry, armed robbery and kidnapping across the country, calling on Nigerians to remember in prayer the families affected by such crimes. He said citizens equally have a responsibility to work collectively for a better future.
“Secondly, we owe them our commitment to work for a better tomorrow that God’s Kingdom of Peace and Justice will reign among us,” he said.
While acknowledging the gravity of Nigeria’s challenges, the bishop cautioned against despair, stressing that the country cannot outsource solutions to its problems but must confront them with unity and shared resolve.
“In this holy season of Christmas, let us remember that the Lord heals our wounds and mends our broken hearts (Ps. 147:3). Like the shepherds in the fields, we pray that millions of our brethren stranded in refugee camps or forests may hear the good news that joy has come into the world,” he said.
Kukah added that Christmas should not be seen merely as a date or festivity, but as a calling to live out the values of love, peace and reconciliation.
“We do not celebrate Christmas as a feast or a date on our calendar. We celebrate it as a vocation. Our duty is to let the world see and experience the face of Jesus. Let us do that by our lives of love,” he said.
He maintained that Christ remains the cornerstone of the Christian faith, urging believers to persevere despite the temptation to grow weary or despondent in the face of present realities.
The Bishop further noted that those perpetrating violence in the country are “among us,” arguing that regardless of the labels given to them, they are ultimately products of Nigeria’s low level of development.
