Fearless Nigerian Bishop Blasts Buhari’s Administration, Decries Current State of Nation

AHEAD of the presidential inauguration and handover ceremony of President Muhammadu Buhari to the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, the Bishop, Diocese of Ijebu South-West, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. Dr. Babatunde Ogunbanwo has said that the national life of the country under the outgoing regime had gone from “being a failed state to a nation that is sleeping, dormant, lethargic and almost dead.”

The Anglican Bishop also noted that the nation is on the brink of collapse under the regime of Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

Ogunbanwo in a Bishop’s charge delivered to the first session of the Fifth Synod of the Diocese, at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Aiyepe-Ijebu, with the theme, “Turn Your Battles to Crosses,” noted that Nigerians were full of hopes by voting for Buhari in 2015.

He, however, said the president dashed the people’s hope by not fulfilling the promises made to Nigerians.

He charged the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, to keep to all his electoral promises to Nigerians.

Ogunbanwo advised Tinubu to address the challenges of untold hardship meted on Nigerians by successive administrations, stressing that many things have fallen apart in the country.

He added, “Virtually everything that could go wrong had gone wrong. Many things have fallen apart, and the center cannot hold anymore.

“Our nation is really on the brink of collapse and like it happened in 2015 when Nigerians expected that the new leadership of the country will bring the needed change to us.

“Many people had thought that most of the challenges confronting our country such as insecurity, insurgency, unemployment, lack of justice and equity, economic downturn, lack of stable electricity, poverty, incessant strikes, lack of infrastructure, poor health care system among others will soon become a thing of the past.

“As we congratulate the President-elect, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and others newly elected, we hope and believe they will fulfill all their promises to the masses as they take over governance come May 29, 2023. We look forward to the renewed Hope promised!”

The Anglican Bishop appealed to Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State to pay all outstanding deductions, gratuities, and salaries owed to workers both serving and retired.

He stressed, “The situation of pensioners who have retired for long and have not received their entitlements is a cause for worry.

“Many people have died without receiving their entitlements. This is painful for many families and there is even no hope in sight for them.

“Government is cognizance of the fact that with the economic depression in town, many workers are not able to feed, and many of our people are suffering.

“We appeal that our government look into the agitations of our people promptly without delay, and look for a way of bringing smiles to the faces of our pensioners as a matter of urgency.”

PUNCH