The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, on Saturday urged Nigerians to compel political officeholders to fulfil their campaign promises.

Mr Kukah gave the advice in a keynote address at the Catholic Herald’s centenary public lecture and awards ceremony at the Mother of Perpetual Help Church, Victoria Island, Lagos State.

Catholic Herald is Nigeria’s oldest surviving newspaper and weekly publication of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos.

The event had the theme, “The Nigerian State: Transcending Challenges, Attending True Nationhood.”

Mr Kukah said the quality of civil society, to a large extent, determines the extent of change in society.

The cleric and social crusader appealed to the leadership to be people-oriented in their policies and administration.

Mr Kukah said there was a need for governments to carry the citizens along in projects and programme implementation to meet the needs of the masses.

“Nigeria’s journey to nationhood should be of concern to the people and with eye on the desired destination.

“Nation-building is a long-distance race that needs patriotic zeal to sustain stardom,” he said.

He called on Nigerians to be committed to nation-building.

The Catholic Herald was one of the platforms used by nationalists to push for Nigeria’s independence.

The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Adewale Martins, said at the event that the newspaper played a major role in the pre-independence era.

He said the newspaper would, aside from its evangelism function, continue to stir public discourse to advance society.

(NAN)