The Ink Dried Up: Open Letter Questions Bishop Kukah’s Silence on Insecurity Under Tinubu
An open letter addressed to Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan Kukah has sparked fresh debate after questioning what the writer described as the cleric’s silence over insecurity and governance challenges under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The letter, titled “The Ink Dried Up: An Open Letter to Matthew Hassan Kukah,” was written by Prince Daniel, who identified himself as “a concerned citizen.”
In the strongly worded message, the author recalled Bishop Kukah’s series of outspoken Christmas messages during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, where he repeatedly criticised insecurity, bloodshed, poor governance and national division.
The writer described those messages as more than ordinary commentaries, saying, “These interventions were not just letters. They were moral signposts. They reminded leadership of its duty and the nation of its conscience.”
The author respectfully wrote that “From Zamfara State to Sokoto State, Katsina State, Benue State, Plateau State, Kwara State, and indeed across several troubled parts of our nation, one might be tempted to conclude that the killings have suddenly come to an end. The silence is striking. The headlines have softened. The urgency has waned.”
Prince Daniel argued that Kukah’s present silence had become difficult to ignore, writing, “It is against this backdrop that your current silence, or perhaps restraint, becomes more noticeable.”
He then posed a series of questions: “Has the situation improved so dramatically that the urgency of those words is no longer required? Have the forests suddenly emptied? Have the highways become safe? Have the cries of victims ceased?”
The letter further challenged whether public criticism in Nigeria had become dependent on who holds power, asking, “Or is it that the burden of national admonition must shift depending on who occupies the seat of power?”
Praising Kukah’s moral influence, the writer stated, “Your voice has always carried weight not because it was loud, but because it was consistent. Not because it was critical, but because it was principled.”
He added that Nigeria still needs such leadership, declaring, “Nigeria still needs that voice. Not selectively. Not occasionally. But steadfastly.”
The author also questioned whether principle had been replaced by convenience, writing, “Could it be a case of ‘Tinubu I love, Buhari I hate’? Or should we begin to wonder whether conviction has given way to convenience?”
In closing, Prince Daniel said the letter was not meant as an attack, but as a call for consistency from influential voices in the country. “I write not in condemnation, but in expectation,” the letter concluded.
