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Amid the growing controversy over the Federal government’s plan to establish Ruga settlements across the country, the Metropolitan Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has told the government to listen to the complaints of the people.
            This was even as Onaiyekan counselled the government to come up with a different proposal to deal with the recurring farmers-herders clashes across the country. Speaking with our correspondent in Abuja, Onaiyekan added that the government should listen to the complaints of the people and allow Nigerians to have peace in the country. While noting that everybody will have their explanation and justification for whatever positions they hold, Onaiyekan further said the issue of Ruga settlement had generated a lot of protest and disagreement. Onaiyekan stated that it was not wise for the government to ignore the protests and disagreements and simply consider them as the political agitation of opponents. The government should do more than that. It should look at it more carefully and go back on its plans to see how they can come out with a different proposal for the problems we are facing. The basic problem is peace between farmers and herders. This is not the only solution to it. They should look for another solution,” Onaiyekan said.
            The former president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) further said the government cannot pretend not to hear the views expressed by people across the country. My view is that they should listen to the complaints of people. They should listen to the complaints of the people and please allow us to have peace in this country. As far as many people are concerned, they have expressed their views very, very extensively that the government cannot pretend that they are not hearing what is being said,” Onaiyekan added. Onaiyekan also called on the government not to do anything that the people don’t want. My own opinion is that from what I am hearing, it is the kind of thing that Nigerians are not ready for. We have a situation of serious breakdown of our peaceful coexistence and I think the first job of the government is to ensure peace and stability in the nation,” Onaiyekan also said.