Ven. Kolawole Ariire, the Vicar of AllSaints Anglican Church, Ikosi, Ketu, Lagos in this interview with SEYI JOHN SALAU speaks on Leah Sharibu, sharing his vision for AllSaints Anglican Church, Ikosi, Keju, Lagos. Excerpts:
Leah Sharibu has been with her captors over a year now; what does this say about our security architecture and the government?
It is unfortunate – it just tells us what this country is turning into. Unfortunately, last Tuesday I heard about the issue of one ‘agbero guy’ who was stabbed at a political campaign ground; am told about the kind of security he enjoys – it is even armoured tank that is mounted at the hospital where this man is kept. Am also told that even those that matters in the country have been coming and the political party has sent everyone that matters in Nigeria to see just an ‘agbero man’, and you see the kind of concern to the extent that government will fly him out of the country for treatment. And, again here is somebody – a child, with more than 200 children in hostage and yet Nigeria doesn’t know what to do. If we have shown the kind of spirit that we used and showed in other things; if we have shown that concern with the lives of these children especially Leah something would have been done. It is telling so much about our country; Nigeria to me today is more bothered about mineral resources than human lives, and it is unfortunate. Then again, to the Christians I think we have not done enough about Leah Sharibu – I hope we can still do more, like mounting more pressure even on government; international organisations and nations about this matter. I think Christians should have shouted even more, because we are relaxed the government itself did not see the urgency to get her released.
Closely related to national security is the appointment of acting IG. If you are to set an agenda for the new acting IG of police as we go into the elections; what would that be?
I think the new IG has a lot to do; if I were him I will not even be happy about the position. But, unfortunately this is the only part of the world where people do not see appointment into an office as a responsibility but just as an opportunity to be known and enrich self. But as far as am concerned he has a lot to do, especially coming at a time that is considered to be rougher and demanding. Looking at the political situation in Nigeria there is a lot for him to do, and what he has met on ground – I think his agenda now should be about security – how to do more and work on his own men to be able to meet up with the standard.
What is the significant difference you noticed since your arrival here at AllSaints Anglican Church, Ikosi?
Like the general saying, the higher you go in life the more responsibilities; and our adage says the bigger the head, the bigger the headache. So, more responsibilities, more demands, more challenges and of course, more competitive; competitive because you cannot afford to do less; because we are now in the eyes of everybody. In those days, you are only known to those closer to you but now, even non-Anglicans now put so much expectations on you. A lot of people drive on the express and have their stopover around here, and you cannot afford to let the standard down or do less. But, the good thing is that it is a well organised church compares to where one is coming from – you have more people to assist you, who understands more and are well exposed. As much as the work is, you are working in a more conducive environment and you have the resources to do more and you have the facilities to make the work easier – only for you to make yourself available for the job and plan with a vision to have a new taste.
Looking at AllSaints Anglican church, the first thought that might come to mind is that it is a furnished church – but, a church not growing is a dead church. What will be your vision for the church?
It is how to invest on the people spiritually. When we talk about church, it is not all about structure – we are talking about the people. Even when you have a gigantic structure and there is no one inside; it is like a failure. So, my vision now is how to grow this church spiritually; how to keep the members and it is not all about gathering crowd but the substance that is the spiritual substance. When we talk about church, one thing is to have a big church and another thing is for that church to be alive – that is to be a living church. How do I mean: we have to be more spiritual because we can be growing crowd. It happens in the bible; but there is a difference between gathering the crowd and making disciples. The mission of our Diocese is to make our members developed and be candidate of heaven. So, my vision and plans for the church is how to grow spiritually and make every member of the church grow as spiritual Christians not just nominal Christians – Christians that have what it takes to make heaven.
We cannot grow the church spiritually without evangelism – what will be your approach to evangelism?
We plan to go more into teaching – because there is difference between sermon and teachings. Sermons have to do with emotions; emotionally it triggers you but teachings will establish you in the faith the more: Teachings about spiritual matters, and spiritual issues. Again we have some programmes that will be taking us out for one-on-one, street evangelism, preaching, crusade, and house fellowships in smaller groups in different locations where our people are, because most of the time some of the members here live as far as Ibeju Lekki, which at times hinder them from attending evening programmes. In order to nurture them the more, we are taking the church closer to them. We are also investing on the youth because they are the once to take over from us. So, once the hearts of the people are one, definitely everything about them are going to be one. So, evangelism in terms of reaching out to the unreached and winning more souls – we are not yet satisfied making more members, preaching the gospel, outside crusade and revival programmes and more internal programmes as we continue to invest in the people and the youth that are going to take over from us.
Finally, as we go into the elections in some weeks from now; what would be your expectations, first for politicians and then the electorate?
Well, they should have the fear of God, because even after they might have done all they think they could – it is not by election; it is the one that God has chosen. So, getting it right is not even the issue, they should still have it at the back of their mind that God still have control over the issues of their life. Even when somebody has won – it has happen in this country; somebody won the election and never got there. He was only waiting for swearing in, and still never makes it. They should also have it in the back of their mind so that whatever they are going there to do – they have been talking about buying vote; selling vote, using hooligans; they should just have the fear of God. If they can work in accordance with the plan of God, I think everything will work out fine for them.
