 Monday 29 September, 2014    THE DESECRATION OF EKITI HOMOGENUITY When I listen to some statements … I feel sad for Nigeria – Jonathan CAN ORITSEJAFOR IMPORT ARMS FOR CHRISTIANS? 2015: Nigerians are happy with Jonathan, that’s Jonathan Does Not Deserve A Second Term – Okogie  Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie, former Archbishop of Lagos and first president of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), in this interview with MICHAEL UCHEBUAKU speaks about the politicisation of CAN, involvement of Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor in the $9.3 million cash-for-arm deal, among other issues. What were your saddest moments as Archbishop of Lagos? Well, there are a few things that really demoralised me. For example, when you talk to people and you advise them, they don’t take your advice. Then in later years they regret and say, ah, ‘this man said it and I should have done it.’ But it pains me. It pains me in the sense that they think you are a liar. I tried to make them understand this is the way I feel. I haven’t got the monopoly of wisdom, no, I am only telling you I try to address issues the way I see it, the way the good Lord wants me to say it. And I believe that when I open my mouth to talk, it is God that gives me the inspiration. For example, look at what is happening in the country today. When the Head of State (Goodluck Jonathan) was still the deputy, I have said it several times. Before he became the Head of State I had an audience with him. We were four in the room. I don’t want to give you the names of the other two people who were there besides me and Jonathan. So after the audience, Jonathan said to me, “Bishop, can you pray for me?” And I said, “Sorry, Your Excellency, what do you want, what do you want me to pray for?” He was shocked and said to me, “What? You’re the first pastor that has asked me this kind of question. All the other pastors, when I ask them for prayer they tell me to bow my head and bow my head and they pray. How can you ask me what do I want from God?” So I said, “Sorry o, your Excellency, don’t be annoyed, but this is the right way to pray. I want to be able to concentrate on what you are asking for; to let God open his hand and give this man this particular thing that he is asking for. I can say any kind of prayer for you, but to me, that is not enough.” So he said, “That is okay. Don’t you know I will be going in for the election?” And I said to him, “You have won, that is no problem, but you will not rule.” He said, “What? What do you mean that I will not rule?” And I said, “Yes sir, others will rule. Those around you will rule. They are the ones that will rule in your place.” What is happening now? This is the kind of thing that pains me. If you consider the example I have given you now, that is how my life is. I don’t want to tell anybody lies. I don’t want to fool anybody. Shakespeare said “flattery is the food of fools”. That is what is going on now with many of our religious leaders. They flatter people because they want money. They want to be in the Head of State’s good book. That is what is happening today. One with God is always a majority even if they are going to kill me tomorrow. When I was in the war front, I didn’t die, not a scratch on my body. It’s a pity Benjamin Adekunle is dead now. God bless his soul. He was my boss. The other one was Godwin Ali. We were all under him. They were real soldiers. I wasn’t a combatant officer, I was only a chaplain, and I did the little that God wanted me to do and came out without problem. As a former and founding president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), you fought against several perceived attempts to Islamise Nigeria, especially through membership of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC); how do you view Boko Haram and the threat it poses to the country? We sensed these things coming, especially during the OIC period. Those of us on the Christian side, that was one of the reasons we opposed it. Even though Babangida and all the others, and even some Catholics on the panel saw nothing wrong with it. I still remember telling (Jubril) Aminu and others to be careful, that this will not augur well for the nation. They said to me, “What do you mean?” Now, look at what we are having. It is not just a question of the Islamisation of Nigeria we are talking of? We are talking of the future of Nigeria. With these things we are bringing up, what will it lead us to in future? Politicians and so-called intellectuals get up and make statements that can destroy the nation. And what does the government do? Nothing. The government do nothing to them. They allow them to go scot-free. In a civilised nation, they will be called to answer for it. Once you make any careless statement, you must pay for it. You will be called to question. What must a Head of State, the father of the nation be afraid of? If he cannot die for the nation, why is he a Head of State? For example, if I cannot die for my faith, why am I an Archbishop? Why am I a Cardinal? These soldiers calling themselves Boko Haram are doing what they are doing because they believe in it. But it is there in the Quran and in the Bible that you shouldn’t shed blood. I read it in the paper that somebody said if I don’t win this election, it will be too hot for somebody. And those who are of that opinion are still around, and they are there laughing. So who is at fault? Who is the fool? And we are calling on God, when God gave us a peaceful nation. We want to destroy it. I just pray that sooner or later things will be settled. 2015 is coming. That is another one. So when you are talking of Boko Haram, and the threat it poses to this nation, we caused We caused it. Some years back, during the time of Maitatsine, it took us time before we stopped it. This is how it is. You don’t play with your armed forces anyhow. You don’t swing your sword anyhow, because it can cut you and cut your enemies. This is what is happening. Look at the number of people that are being killed. Now, if these Boko Haram people even succeeded, what would be the condition of the people in those areas in the north? Will Boko Haram be able to feed them or educate them? Now, look at the education. Everything is going down daily in the north. Tomorrow now, they would say the south is cheating the north. Can’t they open their eyes to see the future? Can’t they see? So this is the problem. This is what we were fighting for then, when I was president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). While I was president of CAN, I was the leader of the Christian team to the so-called conference. (Babagana) Kingibe was the intermediary then, begging the Christians and telling us that the Head of State (IBB) is worried. Then when he was knocking on our doors begging and saying the Head of State (IBB) is worried, I asked him, “Who caused it?” Remember that all of us have consciences. We all have a conscience and we are going to answer for it before God. Do you think the government should consider negotiating with Boko Haram? My own opinion is this: When you talk of Boko Haram, who are they? How can you say you are going to negotiate with a nebulous group? They have not declared their identity. Are you going to be talking to the air? The people you want to negotiate with, who are they? Have they even given you their own terms? You can’t know or see them because they are nebulous people. And if you’re bold enough they will come and kill you. And you yourself, you need to know what you are negotiating for? Did you offend them? You are just sitting down and somebody tells you to quit. Look at all the innocent people they have killed, and taken innocent people (Chibok girls) hostage, and there is supposed to be a governor in that place. What was the governor doing, if he has no hand in it? If I were the Head of State, he would be the first person I would arrest. Where do they (Boko Haram) get their arms from? How did they enter? There are many questions to be answered. And then you are now talking of negotiation. For what? What if they say for negotiation the Head of State should quit? Will he be ready to quit? Or what if they say government should give them so and so people in exchange for the Chibok girls, what kind of negotiation is that? To me, I don’t buy it at all. Do you think the current leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is actually acting like an arm of the federal government or an appendage of the PDP as some critics say? My brother, I must tell you this; CAN leadership today is zero. CAN has no leader. Thank God you are talking to one of the founders of CAN, and I was there as their leader for eight years. Then, the whole country knew that CAN had a leader, not by my own might, but by God. Because what we were doing then, we had only one voice. But the problem we have now is that people are struggling for power in unrighteous way. And because he is struggling for power, he can do little or nothing. Power doesn’t come like that. Look at David in the Scriptures. Look at Solomon. Even look at Herbert Macaulay and other early nationalists. You don’t force yourself to power. This is what is happening. Somebody is telling you that if you don’t allow him to rule, you will not rule well. So the person struggling for power is not going to do better. Now, election is coming in 2015 and some people are already saying they must be there. They will not allow the electorate to decide.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 01:13:57 +0000
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