Bishop of the Catholic Dioceses of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan Kukah, has warned the Nigeria’s democracy is further weakened by poor value and fragile principles, despite surviving years of political contradictions and public discontent.
Kukah spoke at the 10th convocation ceremony of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), where he was honoured with an honorary degree.
He said democracy remains the most viable system for societal stability but stressed that Nigeria has yet to fully internalise its core ideals.
“Democracy is not perfect, but it is preferable to the alternatives,” Kukah said, echoing the famous words of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
The cleric noted that while democracy thrives on accountability and equal opportunity, Nigeria’s political culture often allows governance to continue unchecked, even in the face of protests, court actions and civic resistance.
“There are people who protest, people who go to court, people who are imprisoned, and even people who lose their lives, yet everything continues as usual,” Kukah said.
Bishop Kukah lamented that questionable electoral outcomes are frequently normalised, adding that meaningful change remains elusive despite widespread dissatisfaction.
Kukah urged Nigerians to defend democratic principles by demanding accountability from political leaders, warning that repeated empty promises have slowed genuine national progress.
At the ceremony, President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, congratulated FUOYE on its growth and described it as one of the country’s fastest-rising universities.
Ribadu encouraged graduates to channel their education toward national development and highlighted the Federal Government’s efforts to tackle banditry, kidnapping and terrorism through international partnerships.
Also speaking, the outgoing Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Abayomi Fasina, praised staff and students for their support throughout his tenure and urged graduates to remain competitive and innovative in the labour market.
A total of 7,684 students graduated at the ceremony, including 7,396 undergraduates and 288 postgraduate students. One hundred and thirty-one students graduated with first-class honours across various faculties.
Kukah’s remarks, alongside the convocation proceedings, underscored the need for ethical leadership, civic responsibility and education as pillars for strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.