Bishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon, the founder and director of the Kaduna Center for the Study of Christian-Muslim Relations and a former secretary-general of the Anglican Communion worldwide, has questioned the Federal Government’s assessment of the Nigerian economy, claiming that millions of people are suffering from poverty and rising living expenses.
Idowu-Fearon, an Anglican bishop and former chairman of the Kaduna State Peace Commission, urged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to provide a clear explanation of what it is doing to address the crisis and stated that the government should recognize rather than deny the difficulties facing Nigerians.
Speaking to reporters in Kaduna on Monday about the economy and President Tinubu’s recent meeting with Catholic Archbishops,
He said;
“To say people are not suffering as a result of what is going on in our country, I think we are being economical with the truth.”
“You can see suffering. There is no doubt about that,” he said. “A good number of people just have one meal a day. They can hardly even have a balanced meal.”
“It’s not that the people themselves can afford to take either taxis or buses to the church. So, there is poverty.”
“I also heard the Minister of Finance talking about trillions coming in, trillions going to the state governors, going to the local government chairmen. And I ask, where is the money? Where is this money?”
“Something that we were paying about 500 Naira for, 5,000! Tomatoes, anything you ask, they tell you thousand, thousand. What do we do?”
“Since Friday, we have not had electricity. Since Friday.”
“Instead of denying, government should say, ‘We are aware. This is what we are doing, this is what we are doing.”
“As religious leaders—whether an Imam or a priest, a Sheikh or a Bishop, whatever—when you begin to frequent politicians, you get corrupted.”
“If I give you money, if I make sure that you are very comfortable, you cannot challenge me,” he said. “You’d rather become economical with the truth, and that is the problem we are facing.”
“Nigeria, honestly, this country does not need a Muslim or a Christian president.
“What we need is a president who is Christian or Muslim. There is a difference.”
“We don’t need card-carrying religious leaders, no. We want religious leaders that will take their faith with them,” he said.
He argued that neither Christianity nor Islam promotes corruption, tribalism, dishonesty or exploitation.
“Neither Islam nor Christianity encourages tribalism, stealing, telling lies, exploiting people.”
“As a student of Christian-Muslim relations, I object to that,” he said of claims about which religious group has a larger population.
“However, the political terrain in Kaduna supports what Governor Uba Sani has done. The terrain supports it,” he said.
The bishop, who said his PhD research focused extensively on Kaduna State’s religious and social composition, urged residents to view the arrangement as an opportunity to improve cooperation among the state’s three senatorial zones.
“We should pray that this decision will bring better understanding and cooperation between the three senatorial zones in Kaduna State,” he said.
“I don’t subscribe to a traditional ruler, a Bishop, or whoever telling members what to do,” he said.
He urged religious leaders to educate their followers about candidates, government performance and the responsibilities of elected officials.
“We should have debates. We should encourage debates!” he said, urging religious leaders to help voters assess their leaders at every level of government.”
“It is wrong… for any religious leader to say, you should vote for this person.”
“For this 2027 election, with all we’re going through, every vote, God is going to ask you, ‘How did you use your franchise?”
“The government is trying, but… they should not relent. They should keep the pressure on those who are committed to creating problems.”
“Birnin Gwari today, as far as I’m concerned, is a part of the state we can flag, because things have really gone down a bit.”
“We had stayed for more than five years. I think we were driving into our sixth or seventh year.”
“Life is not just money, it’s not just money. It’s not material possession.”
“We have a lot in common. We are created by the same God, we are endowed by the same God.”
“You have honour, you have dignity, and I should see it in you,” he said. “When you look at me, don’t say ‘this is an infidel’; don’t say ‘this is a Christian’; say this is a human being with honour from God… and with dignity,”
“Don’t look at me as a Kaduna Christian; look at me as a human being,” he said. “The Bible confirms it; the Quran confirms it.”
It is undeniably clear that Nigerians are enduring significant hardship and suffering. The widespread challenges facing the nation—from economic struggles to social unrest—highlight the urgent need for honesty, accountability, and decisive action from our leaders. Only by acknowledging the truth can meaningful change be achieved and hope restored for the future of Nigeria
Live with Purpose, Love with Passion. Remember to be happy
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Rose Ajieh
