A politician dressed in clerical robes?

of prejudice and hate. We have a country to build and I am thankful to God that I have made my own contributions. I am not a stranger in Nigeria and from my installation as the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, I have been humbled by the warmth and the large heartedness of the people of the state, the successive governors, His Eminence, senators to the people on the street. As for my relationship with His Eminence the Sultan, let me caution you: ‘Komi gwanintansa, makaho ba ya rawa a bakin rijiya!’

I will never forget a day at the Protocol Lounge at Abuja Airport where I was waiting to catch a flight. I was being introduced to someone in the lounge by a friend as the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto. A gentleman whom I did not even know barged in, literally took over the conversation and said: Stop introducing him as the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto because by saying so you are excluding us. He is our bishop! We all laughed but it was a touching experience. As I travel around, I meet people who worry about our safety in Sokoto but I say quite honestly, I have never felt safer. Our lives are in the hands of God not mortals and not based on the apparatus of security that we weave around us. People like Alhaji Ladan are the threat to our search for a common ground beyond religion. Or else, what law did Catholics or Christians break by organising a prayer procession? Did Alhaji Ladan approach the security agencies to know whether we were authorised to have a prayer procession?

Before we started our procession, I counselled our people in the Cathedral and told them of the sacredness of our procession and the need to be prayerful. Our placards said as much. I watched as ordinary Muslims on the streets looked on with surprise but not a single sign of animosity. I watched as Muslims took photos with their phones. I watched as some waved at us in solidarity of sorts. So, where has Alhaji Ladan dreamt up this scarecrow of lies and falsehood about the prayer procession?

When I paid Governor Wammako (as he then was), my first courtesy visit, he told me: We have no distinction between indigenes and settlers in Sokoto. Everyone is an indigene. I am not aware that this offer has been withdrawn.

You did not need to waste almost six hundred thousand naira (N600,000), just to embarrass yourself because I could have explained all of this to you. Wasting such a huge amount of money is akin to the elephant going into labour only to deliver a sick rat. My brother, appreciate that truth is not difficult to find by those who are honest. Lies exist in the market of darkness while truth lives in the light. I have addressed you as Alhaji out of courtesy because I do not know which ordinary citizen can opt for advertorial to make a point. Take my offer, my house is open and you are more than welcome.

However, as to whether I am a politician dressed in clerical robes, I consider this an honour. I repeat my response to all of this: I am politically very conscious of the events around me, but not a politician. I like to sing and I love music, but no one has ever called me a musician.

My dear brother, Alhaji Ladan, Ramadan is close. If indeed you represent he Concerned Indigenes of Sokoto Caliphate I believe this money could have helped quite a good number of young people to get to school or ameliorated the problems of the poor as they face Ramadan.

Matthew Hassan Kukah is the current Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sokoto.