Traditional leaders who can’t advise politicians fearlessly, honestly should resign – says ex-Waziri, Prof Lugga

The former Wazirin Katsina, Professor Abubakar Sani Lugga has called on traditional and religious leaders who cannot give fearless and honest advice to political leaders in Nigeria to tender their resignation or be removed.

Lugga made the call while playing host to a team of journalists at his Katsina residence on Friday.

The erstwhile Waziri explained that the perpetual prayers of the citizenry have not been answered because the country is under what he termed ‘divine curse’, blaming bad leadership for the country’s woes.

In the same vein, he advised political leaders who cannot perform their functions effectively to resign.

Lugga said, “In Nigeria, we have the following group of leaders:

“The first set is made up of Political Leaders: These are the Executive, the Legislature, and the Judiciary. They are the only group of persons who can ensure and enforce the performance of good actions, enjoin people to do what is right, and forbid people from engaging in what is evil. They have the Power and the Authority to uphold the Religious Commandments of peace, harmony, justice, and fairness. They can ensure that Muslims adhere to the Tenets of Islam and Christians adhere to the Tenets of Christianity; since all the Christian and Islamic Do’s and Don’ts in Worldly Affairs are the same; with slight differences only in the modes of worships!

“Political Leaders have the powers, the authority, and the responsibility to ensure a peaceful, secure and prosperous society, community, or nation. They can enforce justice and fairness and they can punish injustice and all other evil acts and actions

“The second set is made up of traditional and religious leaders; who only have advisory roles. They have no powers and they have no authority to enforce anything. They are respected by the people for what they are; but not for what they can do or undo. No traditional or religious leader can enforce justice or punish crime. They are only advisers to political leaders.

“It is therefore glaringly clear that the responsibility of peace, security, harmony, development and all other peoples’ welfare rest with the political leaders. In addition, Section 14 (2) (b) of the Nigerian Constitution clearly states that, “The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.

“For decades, Nigeria has led the World as the Centre for Prayer Warriors. Many Christian and Muslim clerics claim to be so close to Allah/God that He communes with them.

“They say that Allah/God tells them when this or that shall happen. They even tell who shall die and who shall live; as and when and where! But the same Allah/God has never told them that the evil acts of political leaders and those of some of the religious leaders themselves have led Nigerians into similar evil acts.

“Have the Nigerian political, religious, and traditional leaders ever asked themselves if a Nation like Nigeria can expect peace, security, stability, and development under the following circumstances?

“Where poverty, unemployment, corruption, pen robbery, injustice, etc, have upset the socio-economic order?

“Where a few political, business, religious, and traditional leaders boast of billions of Naira, while the vast majority of the citizens labour or beg just to get one meal a day?

“Where Political Leaders build mansions and buy private jets with bribery and corruption? Where religious leaders build mansions and buy private jets with un-religious tithes of the improvised masses? Where traditional leaders have thrown away customs and traditions as “turbans” and “crowns” are now for sale in naira and dollars and not under traditional inheritance and competence?

“Where a few Leaders’ children are in private schools at home and abroad, while the Citizens’ children are in the streets begging or in non-functioning public schools?

“Where a few leaders fly to overseas for medical care and the citizens have no basic healthcare?

“Where justice is for the rich and the powerful, while injustice is for the poor?

“Where saying the truth to those in authority is a crime and praise-singing them is a virtue?

“Where a plethora of other evils are increasingly being committed?

“These evils by the Nigerian leadership have led to the citizens taking arms to seize what they foresee as their own share of the national cake.

“Any Nigerian Political Leader who cannot perform his/her functions effectively; and any Nigerian traditional ruler and religious leader who cannot give fearless, honest and sincere advice to the political leaders, should resign or be removed so as to allow those who can effectively perform to take over. Allah/God does not place a burden on any person beyond his/her ability.

“The Glorious Qur’an states that Allah does not place a burden on any soul greater than it can bear. It gets every good that it earns, and it suffers every evil that it earns. (Qur’an 2:286)

“The Holy Bible states that, But God is Merciful; He will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you are able to bear (1 Corinthians 10:13)

“Leaders, in particular, should take note of these Qur’an and Bible provisions, as they shall account to posterity in this World and to Allah/God in the Hereafter for every brutal citizen’s death, every injury, every kidnapping, every armed robbery, every rape, every child abuse, every hunger, every property destruction or theft, every economic sabotage, etc!

“No Leader (or any other person for that matter) shall have an excuse to posterity or to Allah/God for failing to credibly perform his/her duties and still cling to power. Even in Worship for example, Allah/God has removed the burden of fasting on those who are sick and cannot fast. Therefore, any person who cannot perform anything, should leave that to those who can perform. This is the fundamental command of Allah/God.