Economy
Nigerians On The Cross Of Insecurity, Suffering Urges Tinubu For Rescue – Kukah
Nigerians On The Cross Of Insecurity, Suffering Urges Tinubu For Rescue – Kukah
Nigerians on the cross of insecurity, suffering urges Tinubu for rescue – Kukah. Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, Catholic Diocese of Sokoto
Easter Message 2025
1: A very happy Easter to you and millions of our countrymen and women. For us Christians, this is the most important event in the history of our faith. It is the season of the Cross, the season of Christ’s triumph over death.
This triumph was marked by the blind passion of those who crucified innocence. I am therefore using the metaphor of the cross to draw attention to the sufferings and afflictions that have befallen our country in the last years. These sufferings have been marked by a culture of brutality and savagery never witnessed in the history of our dear country. Taken together, they have placed our country outside the purveyor of human civilization. Across the entire country, every day, innocent citizens are kidnapped and held under the most inhuman conditions.
A dark pall of death hangs languidly from north to south. It is impossible to find a home, a family, or a community that has not been caught in the cusp of this savagery. Now, Mr. President, Nigeria is reaching a breaking point. The nation is gradually becoming a huge national morgue. Mr. President, with a greater sense of urgency, hasten to bring us down from this cross of evil.
2: Mr. President, we all admit that you neither erected this cross nor did you effect our collective crucifixion. Notwithstanding, Nigerians have been dangling and bleeding on this cross of pain and mindless suffering for too long.
A culture of cynicism and self-doubt over our capacity to secure peace for ourselves pervades our land. Indeed, a majority of our citizens feel that there is no hope in sight. However, for us as Christians, Hope is the anchor on which we hang all our hopes (Heb. 6:19). Now is the time to re-enkindle and renew that hope.
3: With broken navigational aids, our journey to greatness is threatened. Yet, amidst all of this, we Christians are compelled to look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2). In times of deep moral and physical crises, we are often tempted, like the scribes and the elders to ask Jesus to prove himself by coming down from the cross (Matt. 27:40). Yet, we must learn to look up to the cross as the source of our boast (Gal: 14).
Therefore, these times of great suffering should be times of hope, hope beyond human imagination, a hope which, as St. Paul assures us, does not disappoint (Rom. 5:5). Mr. President, renew our hope by bringing us down from this cross of brutality and suffering.
4: We believe that all is not lost. Our hope has an allay in the holy father, Pope Francis, who last year declared this year, 2025, the Year of Hope with the theme, Pilgrims of Hope. The Pope appreciates that pilgrims are often sailing against the harsh currents of a broken world characterized by violence, pain, suffering, tribulation and death.
The Pope said: Uncertainty about the future may at times give rise to conflicting feelings, ranging from confident trust to apprehensiveness, from serenity to anxiety, from firm conviction to hesitation and doubt. Often we come across people who are discouraged, pessimistic and cynical about the future as if nothing could bring them happiness.
The road to our collective discouragement in Nigeria has been laid by marauders, murderers, savages and ravenous predators who threaten to overrun our nation. Mr. President, immediately rid our dear country of these forces of darkness and bring us down from this cross of cynicism.
5: Mr. President, hunger, sickness and desolation stalk the land. We still believe removing the subsidies was the right decision. We note that the country now has a huge volume of resources in its domestic reserves.
For over ten years now, farming has become one of the most hazardous pre-occupations in our country. I restate the obvious by warning that mere palliative distribution diminishes the dignity of citizens.
We have remained between the rock of self-doubt and the hard place of hopelessness. Make food security a fundamental human right to all citizens. Mr. President, please bring us down from this painful cross of hunger.
6: Some years back, some of our public officers confessed that they brought our current killers into our country as a strategy for upstaging the government of the day and to gain power. Strange as it may sound, today we have watched as the cancer of insecurity and violence have metastasized. Now, this cancer threatens the very foundation of our common humanity.
The bandits have not only become embedded in every sphere of our lives, they threaten to destroy all that holds our communities together.
This self-destructive cancer has invaded our communities and kidnapping a now a dog whistle for undermining the very structure and foundation of our country. We now hang on the cross at the mercy of these forces of darkness. Mr. President, please, bring us down from this cross of insecurity.
7: Finally, we are confident that a majority of the citizens of our country want to live in peace with one another. However, allowing this insecurity to persists will undermine all forms of goodwill that this or any government in Nigeria espouses.
We have all the ingredients to create a toxic mix of violence that can spin out of control. Right now, frustration has penetrated every spectrum of our society especially as the government and its security agencies seem to have largely become spectators in the dance of death that has overtaken our country.
We are in a dilemma now and the question is simple: is the persistence of the insecurity a statement of the lack of capacity of our men and women in uniform, or is it evidence that those at the top are reaping the fruits of funding their own war machine? In other words, are Nigerians lambs being sacrificed to an unknown god? Mr. President, step up, get to the finishing line and bring us down from this cross of shame.
Nigerians On The Cross Of Insecurity
8: The resurrection of Jesus equips Christians to face life’s challenges with confidence. At Easter, we must remember that the law of the Lord is written in our hearts (Rom2:15).
The structural deformities, the iniquities and corruption of our country are not an excuse for us to let down our guard. We are the light of the world, a city set on a hill.
We are equipped with the light of Christ to drive out the darkness that threatens to engulf our country.
Let us collectively renew our commitment and hope for building a society after the mind of our creator.
I wish you, Mr. President, a happy Easter. Blessings and a happy Easter to all Nigerians.
Eid-el-Fitr: NRC Sets To Run Three Lagos–Ibadan Train Trips Monday
Eid-el-Fitr: NRC sets to run three Lagos–Ibadan train trips Monday. He assured passengers of NRC’s continued commitment to safe, reliable, and efficient rail services.
This was contained in a statement issued on Friday in Lagos by NRC chief public relations officer, Callistus Unyimadu.
He said the additional trip was in response to high passenger turnout during the Eid-el-Fitr travel period.
“The extra trip is aimed at easing passenger movement and providing more travel options for commuters returning after the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations.
“Under the schedule, departures from Lagos (Mobolaji Johnson Station, Ebute Metta) will be at 7.45 a.m., 1.40 p.m., and 4.00 p.m.
“From Ibadan (Obafemi Awolowo Station, Moniya), trains will depart at 8.00 a.m., 10.50 a.m., and 4.30 p.m.,” he said.
Mr Unyimadu assured passengers of NRC’s continued commitment to safe, reliable, and efficient rail services.
NRC Sets To Run Three Lagos–Ibadan Train Trips Monday
He advised travellers to arrive early, comply with ticketing and security procedures, and plan their journeys.
“The corporation appreciates the continued patronage of its services and wishes all passengers a safe and pleasant journey,” he added.
UBA, BII Sign Letter Of Intent To Explore Trade Finance Collaboration Across Africa
United Bank for Africa (UK) Limited (“UBA UK”) and British International Investment plc (“BII”), the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor, announced that they have signed a letter of intent to develop trade finance collaboration opportunities.
The proposed initiative aims to expand access to trade and working capital facilities for businesses operating across Africa.
Access to trade finance remains one of the most significant structural constraints on African trade. Businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, are frequently unable to secure letters of credit, guarantees, and supply chain finance on commercially viable terms, limiting their capacity to export and import competitively. This trade finance gap is estimated by the African Development Bank to be over USD 80 billion annually.
To help close this gap, UBA UK, the London subsidiary of UBA Group, Africa’s Global Bank, will leverage its deep relationships across the Group’s 20-country African network to originate and structure trade finance transactions. While BII, with a mandate to support productive, sustainable, and inclusive growth across Africa, can support transactions that might otherwise fall outside conventional commercial appetite.
“The signing of this letter with BII represents a landmark moment for UBA UK and for the UBA Group’s global ambitions. As the Group’s hub for Trade Operations, UBA UK is uniquely positioned to connect African businesses with the international financial system. Working alongside BII, we can extend that capability further — mobilising capital where it matters most and helping to close the trade finance gap that holds back so much African potential,” said Lok Mishra, Chief Executive Officer, UBA UK
“British International Investment is committed to catalysing private sector growth across Africa, and trade finance is a critical enabler of that growth. We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with UBA Group, whose pan-African network and deep institutional relationships can help advance our ambition to expand access to trade and working capital finance, particularly in frontier markets,” Chris Chijiuitomi, Managing Director and Head of Africa
The announcement builds on growing momentum around intra-African trade facilitated by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which entered into force in 2021 and represents one of the world’s most significant trade integration initiatives. Both institutions have identified the operationalisation of AfCFTA as a priority catalyst for a trade finance facility, with UBA UK’s network across major AfCFTA economies offering a basis for supporting businesses navigating the emerging continental market.
This also complements the UK Government’s broader engagement with African economic development, including commitments made at the UK-Africa Investment Summit, and reinforces the City of London’s role as a leading international finance centre for Africa-focused capital mobilisation.
Future cooperation remains subject to further assessment, due diligence and the completion of internal approvals by both parties.
ABOUT UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA (UK) LIMITED
UBA UK is the London-based subsidiary of United Bank for Africa Plc, one of Africa’s leading financial institutions with operations across 20 African countries, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France, and the United Arab Emirates. UBA UK serves as the Group’s hub for Trade Operations, providing a comprehensive suite of trade finance, treasury, and correspondent banking services to institutional and corporate clients worldwide.
UBA
ABOUT UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA GROUP
United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group-wide and serving over 45 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African countries, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting-edge technology.
ABOUT BRITISH INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT
British International Investment is the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor. The organisation invests in businesses in developing countries to improve people’s lives and help protect the planet. BII’s work targets the underlying causes of poverty and the climate crisis, helping countries break free from aid dependency for good.
Between 2022-2026, at least 30 per cent of BII’s total new commitments by value will be in climate finance. BII is also a founding member of the 2X Challenge which has raised over $33.6 billion to empower women’s economic development.
The company has investments in over 1,600 businesses across 66 countries and total net assets of £9.87 billion. For more information, visit: www.bii.co.uk | watch here. Follow British International Investment on LinkedIn, Bluesky and X.
Eid-el-Fitr: President Tinubu Felicitates Muslims, Urges Renewed Unity, Patriotism
Eid-el-Fitr: President Tinubu felicitates Muslims, urges renewed unity, patriotism. Mr Tinubu called on Muslims to reflect on the spiritual lessons of Ramadan.
The president urged them to renew commitment to national unity, peaceful coexistence, and service to humanity as they celebrate the festival across the country on Friday.
This is contained in a statement issued by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, on Thursday in Abuja.
Mr Tinubu called on Muslims to reflect on the spiritual lessons of Ramadan, noting that the holy month teaches discipline, sacrifice, compassion, and devotion to God and humanity.
He said: “We have a lot to draw from the noble lessons of Ramadan, especially at a time like this.
“We must continue to abide by the virtues of piety, selflessness, perseverance, kindness and compassion beyond this period.”
The president emphasised the need for Nigerians to remain united across religious and ethnic lines, stressing that national cohesion remains vital for sustainable peace and development.
He urged Muslims to extend acts of kindness and charity to the less privileged, irrespective of religious or ethnic background, in line with the enduring values of Islam.
Mr Tinubu noted that such gestures would strengthen social bonds, promote inclusiveness, and reinforce the spirit of brotherhood that defines the Nigerian society.
The president also called on religious leaders to use the occasion to offer prayers for peace, stability, and economic prosperity across the country.
Tinubu
He expressed optimism that with collective efforts, Nigeria would overcome its challenges and achieve lasting progress for the benefit of all citizens.
Mr Tinubu wished Muslims a joyous celebration, praying that the blessings of Ramadan would bring renewed hope, strength, and guidance to individuals, families, and the nation.
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