ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – The Federal Government must ensure the prompt payment of benefits to families of fallen heroes and pay close attention to the welfare of the veterans still alive, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Most Rev Ignatius Kaigama, has said.
He said such measures will motivate others who are serving presently in the armed forces to give their all, by serving selflessly.
According to him, the government must ensure the provision of good and functional weapons and resources to acquire transparently and accountably modern technology to lessen casualties and defeat terrorism and banditry.
“The authorities must ensure that good and functional weapons are available, provide the resources to acquire transparently and accountably modern technology, to lessen casualties as they engage in a multidimensional fight with bandits, terrorists, criminals, kidnappers, etc.
“With arms and strength of the will, our armed forces men and women can decimate the enemies who don’t wish Nigeria and Nigerians well”, he said.
While describing the situation presently being experienced in Nigeria as the “peace of the graveyard”, the cleric said so long as there are no consequences for wrongdoing, the system will never outgrow corruption.
Kaigama emphasised these in his message delivered in Abuja during Armed Forces Inter-Denominational Service as part of activities marking the Armed Forces Remembrance Day.
He said, “We owe a lot to our fallen heroes of the armed forces, for the supreme price paid and sacrifice made to unite this country and to represent it abroad excellently. Their loyalty, commitment, dedication to service have culminated in the freedom, democracy, and some progress we are enjoying today in Nigeria.
“The leaders of the nation at the end of the Civil War thought the Armed Forces Remembrance Day would help heal the wounds of the War. I recall how my uncle left home when I was a child to join the army during the Civil War. We never saw him again. Joining the military is a call to a very serious patriotic service. You know the outcome could be that by God’s grace, you could serve out your years and retire gloriously – officers are pulled out in a special ceremony.
“We owe it a duty to pray for those who risked their lives to defend us and our territorial integrity. By this honour we give them, we are saying that Military service is not just socially a useful job but a good and honorable vocation which is also a very risky one. We must never forget those who died gallantly in active service and the families they left behind. We doff our hats to veterans still alive.
“A good tribute would be to help their families by donating to them either personally or collectively. The political authorities must ensure the prompt payment of benefits to families of fallen heroes and pay close attention to the welfare of the veterans still alive. This will motivate others who are serving presently in the armed forces to give their all, by serving selflessly.
“Increased insecurity has continued to haunt our nation. All hope is not lost however; we are still optimistic that Nigeria can come back from the brink. We continue to insist that the government has a constitutional and statutory duty to protect human rights and secure basic justice for all. The role of government is to guarantee the minimum conditions that make human rights and justice possible. We thank God for the measure of peace we presently enjoy in this country, but our situation seems to be the peace of “the graveyard.”
“One reason we have conflicts all over the world, but especially in Nigeria is because there is a disparity in material well-being. The gap between the rich and the poor has continued to widen. The “haves” gather their harvest into the barn and the “have nots,” the dispossessed, wait eagerly with all resentments in their hearts to burn the barns and destroy the owners. This, certainly, is a breeding ground for conflict.
“We also have ethnic division, the son of the soil syndrome versus the stranger tussle; sad to say that, even in the Church, this ugly monster is beginning to rear its head. We also have the unnecessary distinction between the Alhaji and the commoner; the Muslim and the Christian; and the Protestant and the Catholic. These are all veritable grounds for breeding conflict.
“But most importantly, conflicts are rooted in the violation of rights. We all have a number of rights and freedom and in exercising them, we tend to forget other peoples’ equal rights and freedom. We forget that our rights end, when and where our neighbor’s rights begin. We therefore owe each other a duty to respect each other’s rights and freedom.
“The first step to rebuilding Nigeria is justice; not economic growth, not job growth, not any growth. As long as there are no consequences for wrongdoing, the system will never outgrow the mire of corruption. Since it is justice that brings peace and since peace will avoid or at least minimise conflicts, we must ensure that the peace we advocate is founded on justice and not on other weaker foundations like power, violence, wealth, suppression, rights of minorities and what have you.”
Archbishop Kaigama advised security agencies not to allow political, racial, regional, and religious interests undermine their cohesion.
The cleric said, “The various arms of our security agents must collaborate; working together like the ants. Ants are known for their teamwork and ability to achieve greater goals when working together.
“They have the Queen ant, the worker or soldier ants, the drone ants, etc. They work together for the survival, growth, and reproduction of the ant colony.
“We strongly call for compassionate and service-oriented leadership. Let this year be one of renewing our resolutions to become better persons, more patriotic Nigerians, men and women of firm commitment to our religious values, not fanatically though; to live and work with others in harmony and in peace.
“We need a new attitude, a new mentality that is centred on national interests.
My prayer is that one day Nigeria will rise up from its knees and come to terms with its hopes, aspirations, and destiny as a nation.
“I wish to vigorously repeat my call for a renewed politics that focuses on moral principles, the promotion of human life and dignity, and the pursuit of the common good.”
Kaigama said if Nigerians “sweep the dirt, the dishonesty, the corruption”, from their hearts, the country shall be clean.
