The inability of Abia indigenes to return home for Christmas was basically because of insecurity rather than hardship, The Methodist Archbishop of Umuahia Archdiocese, Rt. Rev. Dr. Chibuzo Raphael Opoko, said.
He stated this in Umuahia Monday while interacting with newsmen stating that insecurity fueled hardship for the people.
The cleric said, “People did not come home because of hardship as such. If there is hardship and there is security, people would come. But there is insecurity, there is hardship and people are suffering, people are dying.
“Look at fuel in Umuahia, it is four hundred naira for a litre. How many people can buy this? People have not even seen food on their table for them to come. So, where is the governance when fuel is between N400.00 and N450.00 a litre?
“Look at a bag of rice, it is now N40, 000.00 for a bag when you heard that in the North, they are selling N28, 000.00 for a bag. So, what kind of a thing is this? Are we not in the same Nigeria?
“We should be able to make up our minds to say that Nigeria will be well.
“This is because we are all contributors to the problem that Nigeria is facing. We keep silent, even the press who can build or use their pen to destroy society. The clergymen have a lot to be blamed for because some of them have decided to keep silent because they align with the forces that want to keep this place in darkness.”
He, therefore, urged voters in the state in particular and Nigeria, in general, to enthrone credible leaders through their votes, stating, “What I am saying to the people is that they should arise, and just not look at any party, but should look at people that are credible and vote for those people. If you vote, we will now have a change.”
He further advised, “If people give you money, eat it, anoint it with anointing oil and eat the money. It belongs to you.
“Are we not seeing what is happening? Cartons and bags of money decayed, that have been scattered, people hoarded when poverty is ravaging the land”.
“So, my message to them (leaders) is that let them know that at the end of the day, you are answerable to God and requires of us what we did.”
He advised, “We are in a season where Jesus Christ came, where Prophet Isaiah prophesied that those who walked in darkness have seen a great light and those who are in the shallow of darkness, a light has come unto them, and that light is Jesus Christ.”
