The Daily Crucible | Thursday, September 29, 2022
By Ayobami Ife, Abeokuta
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on religious leaders to always stand for truth, justice and equity lest the nation's politicians whom he reckoned as lacking in the fear of God, wrecked the country.
Obasanjo said the call became necessary as the country moves closer to another general elections, warning if care was not taken, it may make or break Nigeria.
The elder statesman who made the call on Wednesday when he received President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), His Eminence, Most Reverend Daniel Okoh in his Penthouse residence within the sprawling Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, however prayed that the 2023 polls would make Nigeria better.
Obasanjo commended the CAN President for his glowing remark on him, recalling that even the Sultan of Sokoto, Dr. Abubakar Sai'd, had also spoken about Okoh to him(Obasanjo) personally.
The ex - president expressed the confidence that having both Sultan of Sokoto and the CAN leader already on same page, it may make politicians in the country to give heed to good counsel.
"I must say, I am impressed. With you and Sultan (who is already singing your praises) you can both make a turn-around. You can work together.
"If you stand on the truth, you stand for justice and equity, it is then the politicians will not be able to mess us around and I will say it with all sense of responsibility now, if we do not watch it, the politicians will wreck this country and we all regret it.
"And where can we look for salvation, that is where you religious leaders have a significant role to play. I think its the mistake of the past (particularly in the Christendom), that we say politics is not for the righteous. Now, if we take the righteous away from politics, and we leave politics to the unrighteous, the unrighteous will smear the righteous with the unrighteousness that they will carry into politics and will have no where to go.
"And in the next election, if we do not watch it, it may make or break Nigeria. And I pray that it will make Nigeria," Obasanjo said.
Earlier, the visiting religious leader had commended the former President for his roles in turning around the Christian faith in the country, asserting that he had made valid contributions to Christianity in Nigeria.
"In 1976, he supported the establishment of this association, the CAN and in September 1999, he formed the Inter Religious Faith Council 1999. On the political sector, you set up the National Political Reform Conference, which I am privilege to be a delegate, representing the Christian faith. These were the few I could remember as I was planning for this visit.
"Baba, you have played important roles in the political history of Nigeria and Africa, particularly your current role in the Horn of Africa, where the task is to ensure peace in the region. These are no doubt, valid contributions to Christianity," Okoh said.
On Obasanjo's task, Okoh hinted that it was among the resolutions reached at the Inter Religious Council meeting held in Lagos recently.
He said the Council had resolved "not to leave the political space to the politicians, that the religious leaders must get involved, not to be partisan, but, must give leadership to make sure that the values of our religion are brought to the space to help us to live in peace and work for the unity of the nation, including fighting for justice. We are committed to the call Baba made.
The CAN President said he was excited by the visit, "and I can see it, that it is coming from his heart. He has the passion and definitely we are not going to take it for granted," Okoh said in an interview.
And in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, he stated that the CAN President was accompanied by the association's Asstant General Secretary, Apostle Abiodun Sanyaolu, South West Chairman, His Grace, Elder Adeaga, Lagos and Ogun States CAN Chairmen, Bishop Tunde Akin-Akinsanya (who also represented Bishop Francis Wale Oke) and Bishop S.T Adegbite.
Also included in the entourage were Ven. Emmanuel Alamajo, Ven. Emmanuel Nnana, Ven. Joseph and Personal Assistant Dr. Victor Isoke.
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