Jude Arogundade, the Catholic Bishop of Ondo Diocese, has called on President Bola Tinubu to initiate a national dialogue to address the country’s security challenges.

“Well, dialogue is not a one-time thing. Dialogue is an ongoing thing. And dialogue is very educative. You don’t know the state of mind of somebody if you do not dialogue with him. We need a lot of dialogue in this country,“ he said during a church service to mark the 59th World Communications Day held at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Akure, the state capital, on Sunday.

Mr Arogundade said he was convinced that the security crisis ravaging the country was due to the failure of political leaders in power to address the grievances of some groups who have decided to make the country ungovernable.

“If a section of the country or a group of people decides to make the country ungovernable, we have to ask them what is their purpose, what is their goal, what do they hope to accomplish or achieve.”

He lamented that the people of the country now live in fear, while farmers have abandoned their farmland due to the activities of the armed groups who have taken over rural communities to perpetrate their criminal activities.

“Our people can no longer go to farm here. Our people can no longer fend for themselves. We travel on the road with our hearts almost in our mouth. Everybody is tensed up. This is not the country we want to build together,” he said.

Mr Arogundade also lamentedthe costly socio-economic impact of the security challenges on the nation, even at a time people are facing hardship as a result of the policies introduced by the Tinubu-led administration.

According to him, Nigerians need to come together and build a nation bonded by love and the spirit of unity to end the security challenges that have torn the country and its citizens apart.

“It’s better we come together and build a befitting country that we can all enjoy together. That is the reason I said dialogue. Because I’m not going to sit down for somebody to come and drive me away from my home.

“Everybody should get some sense and just try to behave and let us work together instead of trying to sabotage the entire system. This country is so beautiful. We have the obligation to make it even more beautiful,” the Catholic Bishop added.

While urging media practitioners and professionals to speak truth by holding the government accountable with their reportage, Mr Arogundade further advocated for a meaningful dialogue between the state and non-state actors to help promote peace and harmony.

He said, “I call on you, pressmen and journalists, to initiate and sustain the dialogue. Let us sustain a meaningful dialogue in this country. People will begin to appreciate you better when you call people to themselves.

“What I advocate for is civilisation of love, civilization of dialogue, of integrity. Unfortunately, many people are not civilized in this country.”