The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. Matthew Kukah, has attributed Nigeria’s persistent poverty and disunity to poor management of the country’s diversity.
Kukah said this on Wednesday in Lafia while delivering a keynote address at the Nasarawa @30 Colloquium, with the theme: “Unity in Diversity: Three Decades of Building a Cohesive Nasarawa State – Issues, Challenges and Prospects.”
He said that Nigeria had sufficient resources to meet the needs of its citizens, but not enough to satisfy greed, stressing that effective management of diversity was critical to achieving peace and development.
“Nasarawa State is a miniature Nigeria with over 30 diverse ethnic groups scattered across 13 Local Government Areas.
“The challenge is how to ensure that in the distribution of opportunities, your eyes are all-encompassing enough to sense the cry of those who cannot access the capital,” he said.
Kukah said that despite 66 years of independence and the challenges confronting the country, Nigerians remained committed to one nation and continued to demand justice.
“Mahatma Gandhi said, ‘There is enough in the world for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed’. In Nasarawa, in Nigeria, there is enough to feed all of us, but not enough to feed our greed. Only law can restrain greed,” he said.
The cleric described Nasarawa as strategically located, saying that if Nigeria were a human being, the state would be its heart, given its links to several parts of the country.
He identified the Farin Ruwa Waterfalls in Wamba, Peperuwa Lake in Doma, solid mineral deposits and the presence of major industries, including Dangote, as some of the state’s economic potentials.
Kukah urged the government to deliberately harness the state’s potentials to promote development and improve the living conditions of its people.
He also advised governments to provide infrastructure and distribute development opportunities equitably rather than waiting for citizens to demand them.
According to him, concentration of institutions and development in the hometown of a governor could fuel agitation for the creation of new states.
“The demand for new states continues because people don’t feel a sense of belonging. When we create belonging, the demand becomes redundant,” he said.
Kukah also paid tribute to the late Gen. Sani Abacha, who created Nasarawa State in 1996, and urged Nigerians to build on the achievements of previous leaders rather than continually starting afresh.
Also speaking, Prof. Attahiru Jega said Nasarawa had moved from foundation to transformation in 30 years, despite being among the least endowed states created in 1996.
Jega, in his presentation titled “From Foundation to Transformation,” said the state began with only one tarred road, no water board and no secretariat, while its internally generated revenue stood at about 3.7 per cent of the state’s budget in 1997.
He said the figure had risen to 11 per cent of the budget, reflecting progress in the state’s revenue generation capacity.
Jega traced the state’s history from Nasarawa Province in 1902 to Plateau Province in 1926 and Benue-Plateau in 1967, before its creation on Oct. 1, 1996, alongside Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Gombe and Zamfara states.
He commended Gov. Abdullahi Sule’s administration for what he described as transformational efforts in urban renewal, healthcare, agriculture, education, industrialisation and mining.
Jega called on future leaders to promote inclusive governance, balanced development, infrastructure, digital expansion, healthcare, mining and skills acquisition for women and youths.
In his remarks, Gov. Abdullahi Sule thanked Kukah and Jega for their presentations, saying their reflections provided valuable insights into the state’s journey over the past 30 years.
Sule said diversity remained one of Nasarawa’s greatest strengths, adding that the 30th anniversary provided an opportunity to reflect on the state’s journey with humility and gratitude.
Former Military Governor, retired Lt.-Col. Bala Mande, recalled that when he arrived in Lafia in 1998, the town was largely rural but had begun witnessing visible development, including the installation of street lights.
Mande attributed the relative peace in the state to discipline and respect for traditional institutions.
Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, the state’s first civilian governor, recalled that Nasarawa started with only the Keffi-Akwanga Road and monthly revenue of between N500,000 and N1 million.
He urged citizens to complement government efforts, stressing that government alone could not provide all the needs of the people.
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