Any African leader whose citizens migrate should resign – Cardinal Onaiyekan

Funke AzeezMay 5, 2019

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The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has said that he would not hesitate to resign if he were president of a country whose citizens are anxious of migration.

According to him, it is a sign that leaders have failed ‘If you live in a nation where your young people are telling you it is better living elsewhere”

Onaiyekan made the declaration at a press briefing in Abuja, in preparation for a two-day conference being organised by Catholic Church on the irregular migration of Nigerians scheduled for next week.

He said: “Authorities should make Nigeria home. Same should be applicable to other African countries. Nigerians and other Africans should travel out of their country freely with dignity and respect, and not otherwise.

“These days, you hear some young Nigerians insisting that the pastures are greener elsewhere even when it is obviously not. If you live in a nation where your young people are telling you it is better living elsewhere, then it is a sign of failure of leadership of such a nation.

“If I were to the president of such nation, I will not hesitate to resign if I continue to hear such a statement from my younger generation.

“I recall vividly as a young child in school some decades ago, I loved Nigeria and professed it openly because I was well taken care of by the government and I had a promising future. But the reverse is the case now.”