Abuja: The President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, has sounded an alarm over what he described as an existential crisis facing the country, marked by widespread fear, displacement, and rising death tolls.
Speaking during the second plenary assembly of the CBCN in Abuja, Archbishop Ugorji lamented that Nigeria has become “full of fear, flight, and funerals,” with citizens living under constant insecurity while national institutions continue to falter.
He singled out the healthcare sector as one of the most pressing concerns, pointing to the growing trend of medical tourism among political elites and the exodus of skilled medical professionals. The recent death of former President Muhammadu Buhari in London, after years of seeking treatment abroad, was cited as a stark reminder of the collapse of Nigeria’s health infrastructure.
The Archbishop also criticized the state of the education system, highlighting deteriorating facilities, underfunded institutions, and a shortage of qualified teachers. He warned that the falling standards risked producing generations ill-equipped to meet national and global challenges.
Unemployment, especially among the youth, was described as another source of instability. According to Ugorji, many young Nigerians are either forced into crime or compelled to migrate abroad, resulting in a serious “brain drain” that further undermines the country’s development prospects.
Corruption, he said, continues to erode governance, weaken public trust, and exacerbate poverty. He accused politicians of prioritizing preparations for the 2027 general elections over addressing urgent national problems. “Our leaders are more concerned with their political future than with the survival of the people,” he stated.
The Archbishop’s warning comes amid ongoing violence in several regions, including Benue State, where hundreds of people were killed earlier this year in attacks on villages, markets, and churches. Such incidents have forced thousands into displacement camps, compounding the humanitarian crisis.
Archbishop Ugorji urged Nigerians, particularly lay members of the Catholic Church, to take a more active role in pushing for reforms and holding leaders accountable. He called for renewed efforts to restore dignity to healthcare, education, and governance while appealing for solidarity with victims of violence and displacement.
“The survival of our nation is at stake,” he cautioned. “Unless we take urgent steps to correct these failures, we risk watching our country collapse before our very eyes.”