My thought on the criticism against Bishop Hassan kukah -By Emmanuel Bulus Jr.

Ever since Bishop Hassan kukah gave a Christmas message titled, *”A nation in search of vindication”* ; where he accused president Buhari of nepotism noting that Buhari was deliberately sacrificing the dreams of Nigerians to institutionalise northern hegemony. His message has raise alot of criticism, insult and abuses.

The Arewa group had even demanded that Bishop Hassan kukah should be arrested over unguarded comment. It called on the Federal government to place Bishop kukah on special watchlist for his open attempt to set the South against the North in order to destablize Nigeria and further complicate matters.

As if that was not enough, since the release of the message, I have read abusive comments made by some so called educated people from the North against Bishop Hassan kukah for criticising President Buhari.

What had kukah said to deserve all sorts of insults and abuses rained on him? They abuses compelled me to go read up the full message given by Bishop Hassan kukah on Christmas day.

To my greatest dismay, the context of what Kukah said was very straight forward and clear. He didn’t call for a coup, He only said if a non northerner did half of what president Buhari is doing (lack of capacity, nepotism and clanishness) there might have been a coup or a war, which is a projection of possibility or impossibility *(see paragraph 6 and 7 of Bishop Hassan kukah Christmas message “A nation in search of vindication”).* *Prof Yusuf Dankofa* said “it’s an allusion to the unwholesome support some ( Northerners) are giving to president Buhari when they would never have given such to other president”

I must say that Bishop Hassan kukah been a citizen of Nigeria has right to freedom of expression including freedom to holds opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference as been provided under S.39(1) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with amendments 2011 and doesn’t in any way violate S.45 of the CFRN which provides for the restriction and derogation of such right.

In conclusion, I must say that I am highly disappointed by some people I thought were educated in the North for raining curses, abuses and criticism against against Bishop Hassan kukah for misconstruing the context of his message.

I feel our education sector still have alot of work to do. The training that our universities, polytechnics and colleges provides must prepare our people for a multi-ethnic, multi-religious society where everybody is considered first as human before North, south, East, or west or Christian or Muslim.