The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, stated on Friday that Nigeria is receiving what it sowed as a result of bandit and terrorist attacks across the country, particularly in the North.
He blamed the insurgency on the government’s failure to prioritize education for the younger population, warning that the situation could worsen.
The Catholic Bishop spoke in Abeokuta , Ogun State, while delivering a lecture at the 42nd Actualisation conference of Rotary International, District 9110.
The four-day conference attracted thousands of Rotarians from Lagos and Abeokuta.
The clergyman in his lecture described rising security challenges in Nigeria as the consequences of the young generation not having proper education.
He said “We are facing the challenges that are the consequences of our children not having education. Now everybody is fearing bandits, everybody is fearing Boko Haram, we are reaping today what we sowed yesterday and it will actually grow worse.
“We have millions of children, at least between 10 and 12 or 15 million children that are on the streets who are begging, each of these children are growing by the day, the Almajiri that is 10 now, in 10 years time he will be 20 years so unless we quickly do something the situation may go worse.”
He called on philanthropists, religious bodies and other humanitarian organisations to channel their efforts towards combating illiteracy.
Kukah said Nigeria “must try to combat illiteracy because there is no substitute for education and if we who are educated believe that we are secured then we must think again.”
In his goodwill message, former President Olusegun Obasanjo charged the Rotary club to redouble their efforts in creating a better world.
Obasanjo who spoke in a pre-recorded video, called on the club to continue to put service to humanity above every other thing.
The former President urged participants to use the opportunity of the conference to reignite the passion for helping the less privileged and impacting the society positively.
The District Governor, Ifeyinwa Ejezie, noted Rotary Club under her watch has done a lot in the area of its focus including basic education and literacy, maternal and child health as well as economic empowerment.
She said the District has taken the issue of mental health to another level by educating alot of people, adding that drug abuse among the youths was equally addressed by the club.
Ejezie reiterated the Rotary Club’s commitment to humanitarian activities within the district and across the world.