Northern Reform Organisation (NRO) Backs Catholic Bishops’ Call For National Reflection, Urgent Action
By Abdullahi Yusuf
The Northern Reform Organisation (NRO) has applauded the Catholic Bishops of
Nigeria for what it termed as their courageous, forthright “and deeply patriotic assessment of the nation’s worsening condition across virtually every sector of our national life,particularly the severe hardships confronting ordinary Nigerians.”
This is contained in a statement signed by the Chairman of the organization,Mallam Gidado Mukhtar.
“By choosing to speak publicly and candidly on these critical issues, rather than
confining them to private engagements with government officials, the Bishops
have demonstrated exemplary moral leadership and a profound sense of national responsibility.
“Their intervention transcends partisan or sectional interests and
reflects a sincere comnitment to the welfare of the Nigerian people, the
preservation of national unity, and the long-term success and stability of the
present administration,” Muktar said.
He said the NRO fully associates itself with the concerns expressed by the Catholic Bishops and endorses their call for urgent national introspection and corrective action.
“We believe that the challenges they
highlighted -including widespread economic hardships, growing insecurity,
governance deficits, and the erosion of public confidence in state institutions-
are realities experienced daily by millions of Nigerians and deserve serious
attention rather than dismissal or political interpretation and the sophistic
arguments of the political voice of government and its high minions,” the Chairman said.
The group,therefore, called on all well-meaning Nigerians, civil society organisations,professional bodies, and other patriotic stakeholders to lend their voices to the important clarion call .
It said the task of rescuing Nigeria from its present challenges is a collective responsibility that demands honesty, courage, and constructive
engagement.
“The NRO also respectfully urges the Federal Government to reflect deeply on
the issues raised by the Catholic Bishops and to appreciate the true depth of the
country’s current survival problem beyond the reassuring narratives often
presented through official channels.
“Genuine leadership requires not only
acknowledging inconvenient truth of uncomfortable realities, but also
responding to them with sincerity, transparency, urgency, and decisive policy
action.
“Nigeria stands at a critical moment in its history. The concerns exxpressed by the
Catholic Bishops should not be viewed as criticism for its own sake but as a
timely and patriotic contribution to the national conversation in pursuit of
effective solutions.
“We hope this intervention will serve as a catalyst for meaningful reforms that will restore public trust and confidence for the resilient democratic governance, equity and justice, placing the country firmly on the
path to recovery, national renewal, and shared prosperity as promised by the
President when he was bidding for the office,” the statement added.