By acknowledging the harsh realities of Nigeria’s security crisis, the nation can begin the path to healing, the Methodist Church’s Archbishop of Special Duties, Most Rev. Dr. Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha, has said.
Speaking on Sunday in Abuja at a thanksgiving service marking his investiture, Onuoha warned that the country’s worsening insecurity will not improve if Nigerians continue to ignore the scale of the problem. “Nigeria is facing a serious security crisis. Wherever we come from, it is time to stand up and say: enough,” he said.
The cleric stressed that denial and pretense were only deepening the crisis. “We cannot keep saying peace when there is no peace. Our young people are being kidnapped; our women are assaulted. If someone has the ability to help, they must step forward now — not tomorrow,” he urged.
Onuoha observed that public officials often struggle to speak candidly due to diplomatic constraints, leaving citizens with a responsibility to confront the truth. “On behalf of the government, the church, and every ordinary worker, let help come immediately,” he said.
The Archbishop also emphasized that unresolved violence would have long-term consequences for future generations. He called on Nigerians to rise above ethnic, religious, and social divides, noting, “Hunger, sickness, sunshine and rainfall have no tribe or religion. We are one family under God.”
Highlighting the role of integrity in national progress, Onuoha said: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but wrongdoing breaks it.” He encouraged Nigerians to set aside bitterness and pursue a fresh start, reminding them that safety and development benefit all citizens equally. “When children play football, no one asks about tribe. When you board an aircraft, you don’t check the pilot’s religion,” he said.
Onuoha cautioned leaders against pride and the fleeting nature of power, noting how influence and authority vanish if not exercised with responsibility. He concluded with a call for repentance, accountability, and unity, insisting that God had not abandoned the country but was calling on its people to rebuild with honesty.
“Something is wrong. Something is not right. As a country, we are hiding wounds instead of healing them,” he said, urging Nigerians to confront reality and act decisively to restore peace and security.