It takes a Cleric to point the way forward to national development...

The Bishop of Oyo Catholic Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo, has said that for the re-branding project to be meaningful, government at all levels must first accept that it has become a worrisome phenomenon that needs urgent solution.

Speaking with Newsextra in Oyo town, Bishop Badejo stated that this should not be misconstrued as a damning or pessimistic attack on a hated social formation, but the reality that patriotic Nigerians and friends of the country must first of all accept; that there is a problem with Nigeria, before thinking up ways of solving the situation.

He further pointed out that Nigeria, being so much blessed with abundant human and natural resources should not be under-developed as it currently is; insisting that it is a country of great potential. He regretted that the country is pervaded by numberless problems which, according to him, could have been effectively addressed, if sincere and committed leaders are allowed to govern it.

"It is unfortunate that the country is confronted with vicious networks of criminality and violence. In a period of unprecedented wealth and invention, Nigerians have continued to be locked into lives of misery without a stake in their country, or any certainty or control over their future."

The clergyman lamented that corruption has completely enveloped the country.

"Within the possibilities that liberal democracy has to offer, and based on the principles of "another development," it would be a strong social democratic direction that could introduce capital punishment for corruption, for example, and set about to legislate against the vices that are distorting the country’s development."

On poverty, Bishop Badejo posited that it is the most dreadful single problem confronting the country.

While noting that despite the fact that Nigeria is second largest economy in Africa after South Africa, he stated that 96 million Nigerians live on less than 1.25 U.S dollars a day, while one out of every six children die before the age of five.

He said: "20 per cent of poor people in Africa are Nigerians. Closely related to the issue of poverty are disease and other health challenges. Nigeria has the highest malaria burden in Africa. Water and sanitation underpin all the Millennium Development Goals (MDGS), especially those concerning health, education and economic growth."

On religious violence, Bishop Badejo asserted that the Catholics believe in the dialogue of life, truth, as well as promoting action on justice, equity, and rights which enhance openness and mutual understanding.

"It is against this background that the Diocese organises seminars on ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue annually, in order to provide spiritual framework for the birth and growth of Nigeria in the last 50 years of her existence. If we focus on our vision of God as our Creator, we shall have no difficulty respecting one another that are His creatures. We must take every opportunity possible to reflect together, know one another’s religion better and emphasise more on what unites us and see what we can do to make our environment and country a better place for all to live in."

On the way forward, the Catholic Bishop suggested that for the country to be among the 20 economies in the world, Nigeria must be seen to be making progress towards realising the MDGS as captured in their 2005 report, and as more or less confirmed by recent tracking of MDGs performance in the country.

He said: "It will be better that instead of achieving the 21.4 per cent poverty reduction by 2015; it would be 43 per cent. Within the 15-24 years age bracket, literacy rate would be declining rather than increasing. Gender equality in terms of primary schools enrolment has been consistently higher for boys.

"In fact, mortality rate has been increasing, and there is no indication of significant improvement in the maternal mortality rate. Happily, HIV/AIDS prevalence has been decreasing. Environmental challenges persist, causing social conflicts. There is the need to enhance global partnership."

By: Bode Durojaiye, Oyo 21/02/2011
http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/newsextra/28573.html