Prominent clerics Pastor Tunde Bakare and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah have delivered scathing rebukes of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, warning that Nigeria is on the verge of a popular uprising if urgent reforms are not made to address the worsening economic hardship and insecurity.
In separate Easter messages, the two respected religious leaders criticised Tinubu’s handling of key national issues, including the economy, security, and governance, urging the President to take decisive action to prevent social unrest.
Speaking during his Easter State-of-the-Nation broadcast in Ikeja, Pastor Tunde Bakare, former APC presidential aspirant and presiding overseer of the Global Community Citadel Church, described Nigeria as being driven toward collapse. He cited recent killings in Plateau, Benue, and Enugu states and accused the administration of running a “motor park brand of politics.”
Bakare slammed the government’s economic reforms, including fuel subsidy removal and naira devaluation, which he said had plunged millions into poverty and food insecurity. He referenced fatal stampedes in late 2024 during food charity events, likening the desperation to biblical famine.
“The heartbreaking reports of parents throwing their children over a fence in Ibadan to ensure access to charity food distribution, leading to the deaths of over 35 children, were tragically reminiscent of the biblical famine in Samaria,” he said.
Bakare also criticised the National Assembly, describing it as the “48th member of the President’s cabinet,” and called for the dismissal of underperforming aides. He proposed a five-point rescue plan, including diaspora investment mobilisation, a reform cushioning scheme, decentralised security, and national reconciliation.
In Sokoto, Bishop Kukah likened Nigeria’s condition to the crucifixion of Christ, stating that citizens are “bleeding on a cross of pain, brutality, and hopelessness.” He acknowledged that Tinubu inherited many of the nation’s problems but stressed that it was now his responsibility to lead the country toward healing.
“Mr. President, please bring us down from this painful cross of hunger,” Kukah pleaded, urging the government to prioritise food security and combat entrenched violence.
The Presidency responded to Bakare’s message through Presidential aide Daniel Bwala, who said while the administration disagrees with parts of the pastor’s critique, it respects his right to speak and remains committed to delivering on its promises.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives noted it would respond in due course, while a member of the Rivers Oversight Committee dismissed the issue as “high-level home politics.”
In reaction to Bakare’s comments on the political crisis in Rivers State, the media aide to Rivers Sole Administrator Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas, Hector Igbikiowubo, dismissed the remarks as “vituperations,” accusing the pastor of seeking relevance and sowing discord during a season meant for peace.
Despite the criticism, Bakare acknowledged improvements in foreign reserves, which rose from $35bn in May 2023 to $40bn in November 2024, but warned that isolated gains cannot obscure deeper national challenges.
Both clerics called on the Tinubu administration to act swiftly to avoid further national deterioration and restore hope among suffering Nigerians.
