No Nigerian Leader Has Made an Inspiring Speech Since 1960 – Kukah

No Nigerian president has ever been able to give a speech as memorable and impactful as the one she gave upon gaining independence in 1960, according to Matthew Hassan Kukah, the Catholic bishop of the Sokoto Diocese.

In response to inquiries on Thursday’s Prime Time show on Arise Television, Kukah stated that Nigeria has not succeeded in establishing a cohesive national dream.

The ferocious priest used the “American Dream” as an example to point out that nation-building depends on mythology and visions that pique people’s interest.

“By stifling intellectual engagement in governance, Nigeria’s military leaders prevented the growth of ideas that could have shaped a stronger nation,” Kukah continued.

“Mythology is the foundation of nation building,” he stated. It’s not about the real world. The American Dream is a myth that describes modern-day America.

But you know, Nigeria hasn’t had the capability or talent to dream.

“For instance, I’ve always told people to close their eyes and ask themselves, after the 1960 speech, if there was ever a Nigerian president’s speech that truly left them feeling amazed, or if there was ever a speech that was so memorable—like JF Kennedy’s 1963 speech—that they had to ask themselves, what was I doing at the time?

This raises another question: what is the intellectual basis of governance?

Because they are scaffolding once the warriors realize they cannot win the logical debate.

They prevented intelligence from being a determining factor. People were so teaching things for which they were not compensated, as they stated.