Nigeria may disintegrate, Onaiyekan warns

THE Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has expressed fears about the continued existence of Nigeria as an entity if Nigerians do not mend their ways.

According to the revered clergy,  it is possible for Nigeria to disintegrate if Nigerians continue with their reckless behaviours and allow impunity and selfish interests to supersede national interest.

Onaiyekan, who spoke on Friday in Abuja  while briefing journalists on the activities lined up to mark his 70th birthday, said that Nigeria and Nigerians had reasonable justified people who nurse fears about the country.

His words, “We do know we can disintegrate, yes, it is possible. There is famous prophesy of those who said Nigeria will disintegrate in 2015,  but we don’t have to be a prophet to know that if we continue to behave the way we are behaving, and recklessly allowing impunity to continue, and being so concerned about our own selfish interests that we don’t care about what concerns all of us, we cannot hold together that way. Since we know what it is that destroys a nation, it is up to us to decide whether we want to take that path or whether we want to take the path of good common sense”.

The cleric who observed that in Nigeria’s 100 years of corporate existence as a nation, aspirations and hopes have not been realized. He was however quick to add that staying together as one nation after 100 years is a thing to be proud of.

His words: “We are not yet there but he Centenary celebration provides us with the opportunity to ask ourselves why we have not reached where we ought to be; why is it that in the midst of so much wealth, there is abject poverty among the populace. We want to stay together as one indivisible nation, we need to arrange our affairs in such a way that we not only hang on together, but also build a nation that is united and work together to achieve our deserved greatness and also be a leader in Africa”.

The cleric praised President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Assembly for passing into law, the Bill banning same sex marriage.

“The Western world has no right to impose their belief on us. We have every right to order our social life according to the way we believe it should go, taking note of our own local situation.  I commended the National Assembly for resisting every influence and gratification to pass the Bill into law. We shouldn’t copy everything being done by the so- called civilized countries. We are against homosexuality and same sex marriage.

“There is nothing like same sex marriage, marriage is a union between husband and wife. When you start pretending to be what you are not, you are then playing with nature. Marriage must be between a man and a woman. Anything less than that is not recognized in Nigeria and therefore, unacceptable. It is the concept of marriage that our traditional culture, Christianity and Islam handed over to us,” he said.

On whether the 14-year jail term prescribed for those who engage in same sex marriage is enough to deter people from involving themselves in the act, Onaiyekan said: “ I don’t dwell on whether the jail term for any offence whatsoever is enough. I believe in the forgiveness of sin but a situation where a poor man who stole a piece of yam languishes in Kuje for four years while a politician who stole billions, after plea bargaining, ends up with just six months which he or she spends in a five-star hospital, certainly, there is something wrong with that.

“If the National Assembly has time to speed up the same sex law, they should also use that zeal to make laws on other issues very critical to this country. We need a special law on election rigging, rape and domestic violence among others”.

Onaiyekan, who stressed the need to sanitize the nation’s body polity for free,  fair and credible elections in the country, noted: “Our experience has been that since 1999 elections to the last one, every election seems to progress from bad to worse and if it continues that way, the result is that we will end up with no elections and if we continue with this bad habit, we will destroy this nation and no amount of prayers will save us if we decide to kill ourselves”

- See more at: http://www.theadvocatengr.com/index.php/component/k2/item/2698-nigeria-may-disintegrate-onaiyekan-warns#sthash.CE9jOFhE.dpuf

THE Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has expressed fears about the continued existence of Nigeria as an entity if Nigerians do not mend their ways.

According to revered clergy,  it is possible for Nigeria to disintegrate if Nigerians continue with their reckless behaviours and allow impunity and selfish interests to supersede national interest.

Onaiyekan, who spoke on Fridayin Abuja  while briefing journalists on the activities lined up to mark his 70th birthday, said that Nigeria and Nigerians had reasonable justified people who nurse fears about the country.

His words,  'We do know we can disintegrate, yes, it is possible. There is famous prophesy of those who said Nigeria will disintegrate in 2015,  but we don't have to be a prophet to know that if we continue to behave the way we are behaving, and recklessly allowing impunity to continue, and being so concerned about our own selfish interests that we don't care about what concerns all of us, we cannot hold together that way. Since we know what it is that destroys a nation, it is up to us to decide whether we want to take that path or whether we want to take the path of good common sense'.

 The cleric who observed that in Nigeria's 100 years of corporate existence as a nation, aspirations and hopes have not been realized. He was however quick to add that staying together as one nation after 100 years is a thing to be proud of. His words: 'We are not yet there but he Centenary celebration provides us with the opportunity to ask ourselves why we have not reached where we ought to be; why is it that in the midst of so much wealth, there is abject poverty among the populace.

 We want to stay together as one indivisible nation, we need to arrange our affairs in such a way that we not only hang on together, but also build a nation that is united and work together to achieve our deserved greatness and also be a leader in Africa'. The cleric praised President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Assembly for passing into law, the Bill banning same sex marriage.

 'The Western world has no right to impose their belief on us. We have every right to order our social life according to the way we believe it should go, taking note of our own local situation.

  I commended the National Assembly for resisting every influence and gratification to pass the Bill into law. We shouldn't copy everything being done by the so- called civilized countries. We are against homosexuality and same sex marriage.

 'There is nothing like same sex marriage, marriage is a union between husband and wife. When you start pretending to be what you are not, you are then playing with nature. Marriage must be between a man and a woman. Anything less than that is not recognized in Nigeria and therefore, unacceptable.

 It is the concept of marriage that our traditional culture, Christianity and Islam handed over to us,' he said. On whether the 14-year jail term prescribed for those who engage in same sex marriage is enough to deter people from involving themselves in the act, Onaiyekan said: ' I don't dwell on whether the jail term for any offence whatsoever is enough.

 I believe in the forgiveness of sin but a situation where a poor man who stole a piece of yam languishes in Kuje for four years while a politician who stole billions, after plea bargaining, ends up with just six months which he or she spends in a five-star hospital, certainly, there is something wrong with that. 'If the National Assembly has time to speed up the same sex law, they should also use that zeal to make laws on other issues very critical to this country.

 We need a special law on election rigging, rape and domestic violence among others'. Onaiyekan, who stressed the need to sanitize the nation's body polity for free,  fair and credible elections in the country, noted: 'Our experience has been that since 1999 elections to the last one, every election seems to progress from bad to worse and if it continues that way, the result is that we will end up with no elections and if we continue with this bad habit, we will destroy this nation and no amount of prayers will save us if we decide to kill ourselves'.

THE Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has expressed fears about the continued existence of Nigeria as an entity if Nigerians do not mend their ways.

According to the revered clergy,  it is possible for Nigeria to disintegrate if Nigerians continue with their reckless behaviours and allow impunity and selfish interests to supersede national interest.

Onaiyekan, who spoke on Friday in Abuja  while briefing journalists on the activities lined up to mark his 70th birthday, said that Nigeria and Nigerians had reasonable justified people who nurse fears about the country.

His words, “We do know we can disintegrate, yes, it is possible. There is famous prophesy of those who said Nigeria will disintegrate in 2015,  but we don’t have to be a prophet to know that if we continue to behave the way we are behaving, and recklessly allowing impunity to continue, and being so concerned about our own selfish interests that we don’t care about what concerns all of us, we cannot hold together that way. Since we know what it is that destroys a nation, it is up to us to decide whether we want to take that path or whether we want to take the path of good common sense”.

The cleric who observed that in Nigeria’s 100 years of corporate existence as a nation, aspirations and hopes have not been realized. He was however quick to add that staying together as one nation after 100 years is a thing to be proud of.

His words: “We are not yet there but he Centenary celebration provides us with the opportunity to ask ourselves why we have not reached where we ought to be; why is it that in the midst of so much wealth, there is abject poverty among the populace. We want to stay together as one indivisible nation, we need to arrange our affairs in such a way that we not only hang on together, but also build a nation that is united and work together to achieve our deserved greatness and also be a leader in Africa”.

The cleric praised President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Assembly for passing into law, the Bill banning same sex marriage.

“The Western world has no right to impose their belief on us. We have every right to order our social life according to the way we believe it should go, taking note of our own local situation.  I commended the National Assembly for resisting every influence and gratification to pass the Bill into law. We shouldn’t copy everything being done by the so- called civilized countries. We are against homosexuality and same sex marriage.

“There is nothing like same sex marriage, marriage is a union between husband and wife. When you start pretending to be what you are not, you are then playing with nature. Marriage must be between a man and a woman. Anything less than that is not recognized in Nigeria and therefore, unacceptable. It is the concept of marriage that our traditional culture, Christianity and Islam handed over to us,” he said.

On whether the 14-year jail term prescribed for those who engage in same sex marriage is enough to deter people from involving themselves in the act, Onaiyekan said: “ I don’t dwell on whether the jail term for any offence whatsoever is enough. I believe in the forgiveness of sin but a situation where a poor man who stole a piece of yam languishes in Kuje for four years while a politician who stole billions, after plea bargaining, ends up with just six months which he or she spends in a five-star hospital, certainly, there is something wrong with that.

“If the National Assembly has time to speed up the same sex law, they should also use that zeal to make laws on other issues very critical to this country. We need a special law on election rigging, rape and domestic violence among others”.

Onaiyekan, who stressed the need to sanitize the nation’s body polity for free,  fair and credible elections in the country, noted: “Our experience has been that since 1999 elections to the last one, every election seems to progress from bad to worse and if it continues that way, the result is that we will end up with no elections and if we continue with this bad habit, we will destroy this nation and no amount of prayers will save us if we decide to kill ourselves”

- See more at: http://www.theadvocatengr.com/index.php/component/k2/item/2698-nigeria-may-disintegrate-onaiyekan-warns#sthash.CE9jOFhE.dpuf

THE Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has expressed fears about the continued existence of Nigeria as an entity if Nigerians do not mend their ways.

According to the revered clergy,  it is possible for Nigeria to disintegrate if Nigerians continue with their reckless behaviours and allow impunity and selfish interests to supersede national interest.

Onaiyekan, who spoke on Friday in Abuja  while briefing journalists on the activities lined up to mark his 70th birthday, said that Nigeria and Nigerians had reasonable justified people who nurse fears about the country.

His words, “We do know we can disintegrate, yes, it is possible. There is famous prophesy of those who said Nigeria will disintegrate in 2015,  but we don’t have to be a prophet to know that if we continue to behave the way we are behaving, and recklessly allowing impunity to continue, and being so concerned about our own selfish interests that we don’t care about what concerns all of us, we cannot hold together that way. Since we know what it is that destroys a nation, it is up to us to decide whether we want to take that path or whether we want to take the path of good common sense”.

The cleric who observed that in Nigeria’s 100 years of corporate existence as a nation, aspirations and hopes have not been realized. He was however quick to add that staying together as one nation after 100 years is a thing to be proud of.

His words: “We are not yet there but he Centenary celebration provides us with the opportunity to ask ourselves why we have not reached where we ought to be; why is it that in the midst of so much wealth, there is abject poverty among the populace. We want to stay together as one indivisible nation, we need to arrange our affairs in such a way that we not only hang on together, but also build a nation that is united and work together to achieve our deserved greatness and also be a leader in Africa”.

The cleric praised President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Assembly for passing into law, the Bill banning same sex marriage.

“The Western world has no right to impose their belief on us. We have every right to order our social life according to the way we believe it should go, taking note of our own local situation.  I commended the National Assembly for resisting every influence and gratification to pass the Bill into law. We shouldn’t copy everything being done by the so- called civilized countries. We are against homosexuality and same sex marriage.

“There is nothing like same sex marriage, marriage is a union between husband and wife. When you start pretending to be what you are not, you are then playing with nature. Marriage must be between a man and a woman. Anything less than that is not recognized in Nigeria and therefore, unacceptable. It is the concept of marriage that our traditional culture, Christianity and Islam handed over to us,” he said.

On whether the 14-year jail term prescribed for those who engage in same sex marriage is enough to deter people from involving themselves in the act, Onaiyekan said: “ I don’t dwell on whether the jail term for any offence whatsoever is enough. I believe in the forgiveness of sin but a situation where a poor man who stole a piece of yam languishes in Kuje for four years while a politician who stole billions, after plea bargaining, ends up with just six months which he or she spends in a five-star hospital, certainly, there is something wrong with that.

“If the National Assembly has time to speed up the same sex law, they should also use that zeal to make laws on other issues very critical to this country. We need a special law on election rigging, rape and domestic violence among others”.

Onaiyekan, who stressed the need to sanitize the nation’s body polity for free,  fair and credible elections in the country, noted: “Our experience has been that since 1999 elections to the last one, every election seems to progress from bad to worse and if it continues that way, the result is that we will end up with no elections and if we continue with this bad habit, we will destroy this nation and no amount of prayers will save us if we decide to kill ourselves”

- See more at: http://www.theadvocatengr.com/index.php/component/k2/item/2698-nigeria-may-disintegrate-onaiyekan-warns#sthash.CE9jOFhE.dpuf