Since the signing into law of CAMA 2020 by President Muhammadu Buhari, some sections of the country, including the church have spoken against it. Bishop Jide Orire, founder and general overseer of Save and Serve Family Church, Abanla, Ologuneru, Ibadan, speaks on the law and other national issues as they affect the church. Excerpts by SEYI JOHN SALAU
Recently, the Federal Government signed the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020 into law, and it this has been trailed by all manner of reactions. What is your take on this?
If they say we should pay tax, there is no problem because the scripture says when Peter met Jesus while he was alone and Jesus asked him ‘From whom do the king of the earth take tribute or tax; from others or from their own children?’ Peter replied by saying from others. Jesus now said, the children are free. Give to Caesar what is Caesar and to God what is God’s; so, if they say we should pay tax I don’t see any problem in that, so far the money collected will not be embezzled; so far the tax collected will be used for developing the nation.
What then is your advice to the Federal Government on the CAMA issue?
The Federal Government should stop this CAMA of a thing. They must reverse the reversible. Since 1960, out of all the ministries, which one have they handled successfully? Is it the Ministry of health, transport, industry, education, etc? Our leaders travel abroad whenever they have any health problem for treatment just because they did not take care of the health sector. Roads are in a sorry state. When last did the Nigeria Airways fly? What about the railway? What have they been able to do concerning the killings in Southern Kaduna? They said they will suspend Church trustees and others, who are the people that endorse the law, the National Assembly? They don’t have the moral right to say that. They should withdraw the CAMA law. Were they the one that sourced the money to establish the church? And I know maybe it’s because they know some churches have money they too want to come to the church again so that they can embezzle the church money. We are talking about corruption and they said they want to control the church. The church they did not establish; the church they did not build, they want to control it because some of our fathers have private jets. If not because churches are praying for them, what do you think would have happened? If the churches were not praying for the nation, what happened in Somalia, Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq would have happened in Nigeria. We pray for these people so they should leave the church alone. The Special Adviser on Social Media to President Muhammadu Buhari does not speak politely. It’s not everyone that hates Buhari. Personally, I love Buhari because in 1983, I would have become a bad boy but when he took over the government, he implemented War Against Indiscipline (WAI) and that made me to be disciplined, but the way his Special Advisers on Media go about things is not good. When you advise the government, the next thing they do is to abuse the person. One day, President Buhari will leave because he cannot be there permanently. The way the social media people defend the government makes people to hate the government more. It’s not as if am fighting them, but I want to advise them to speak softly and politely in the course of defending the government and not just abusing the pastors that are old enough to be their father. Even, this CAMA of a thing, if they had come out to say it politely, people would have reasoned with them.
Do you think it’s possible to do away with corruption as a country?
Corruption is everywhere. Corruption is also in the church. Corruption has eaten deep into every sector of the economy. The only thing we can do is to continue praying and prosecute anyone found wanting. Our judiciary wastes time in prosecuting people in Nigeria. The court should not prolong the time of executing their judgment.
Edo State gubernatorial election is by the corner and the chairman of the state’s chapter of CAN was alleged to have endorsed a particular candidate. What is your view about this?
Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion. That is his own personal opinion and I don’t have the prerogative order to say whether he is wrong or right. But is he going to follow the pastors to the polling booth? Politics is more than that. You don’t know your friend until the election result comes out.
Reports about defilement of minors by some so-called pastors have been spreading; what really do you think is responsible for such act?
All I know is that, among twelve disciples there would always be a Judas. It does not concern the pastors alone because there are some clerics that are not pastors that do such thing. For instance, when one of my daughters in the Lord was kidnapped by ritual killers, we prayed and they did not succeed in using her. Out of the four of them that were kidnapped, she was the only one that escaped. Those people you said are pastors are not. They are ritualists. They want game; they want money. Who is a pastor? A pastor is someone who is born again; who is heavenly-minded; who is having the fear of God and that has the central desire to make heaven on the last day. The Bible says ‘among my people, I found wicked people’. They are wicked people. They are not pastors.
So, tell us; how has the journey into ministry been?
It has been good but there are so many challenges. There are two sides to it. The Bible says ‘He daily loaded us with benefits’. There are benefits on the right hand side. The Bible again said ‘Redeeming the day because the days are full of evil’. So, challenges from one side to the other side. But the Lord has been so good to me.
