‘Spiritual leaders should preach sound word of God to restore Nigeria’s dignity’

Rev. Dr. Stephen O. Ogundipe, theologian at the Baptist Seminary, Lagos, in this interview with SEYI JOHN SALAU, speaks on issues around the state of the nation – corruption, money politics, and the need for Nigerians to take a collective stand against corruption. He also touches on the role of religious leaders in restoring the dignity of the nation.

The President Muhammadu Buhari administration came into office in 2015 with a promise to fight corruption. As a religious leader, do you think the war on corruption is being won by the government?

It is unfortunate that this wealthy nation fell into the hands of corrupt leaders who claim to be fighting corruption. An analogy that would be of help to the leadership of Nigeria is drawn from the history of Israel in the Old Testament. Anytime a bad king is enthroned, terrible things will drench the lives of the people through the administration, but when a reasonable and god-fearing king is enthroned, the story of the nation changes for good. The question now is, what type of people does Nigeria have at the helm of affairs? Are all those who are in leadership clean and innocent in matters of corruption? How then could heavily-infected people treat people with mild ailment without complicating their condition?

To the best of my knowledge from biblical perspective, the starting point is entrenching the fear of God into the life of every citizen of the nation. Let us draw inference from Hosea 4:1-11, we all need to be faithful and have steadfast love; we all need to have the true knowledge of God in this land, and we all need to do away with all vices in our hands and lives. Factually, the land of our nation Nigeria is mourning, that is the reason why we the dwellers languish. We are destroyed for lack of true knowledge of God; that is why the glory of the nation is changed to shame. If we all change drastically from the aforementioned, our story will change for good.

What, in your view, is the way forward for Nigeria?

I think we need general reorientation in Nigeria. You are aware that corruption has become part of us in this country; it has permeated every sector. From the people in leadership position to the man on the street, corruption has been entrenched in this nation.

Let me start my counsel with the church leaders. Spiritual leaders should go back to the Bible and preach the sound word of God. The true word of God should come forth from the pulpit. If the church preaches uncompromising word of God, it will go a long way in restoring the dignity of our nation. The church leaders should preach the truth. Religious leaders should teach the truth and show the people how to imbibe the fear of God in whatever they do. If one has the fear of God, there are certain things such a person cannot indulge in.

The political class should be exemplars of integrity. Let’s stop celebrating ill-gotten wealth. People embezzle public money and before long they are being celebrated as heroes with various chieftaincy titles. Formerly, title holders were honourable people but today, the reverse is the case. Notorious people are now chiefs because they throw money around in various communities.

Our people should begin to ask questions, they should demand accountability from leaders. The era of sharing money and rice whenever election is around the corner should stop. How can a political office seeker offer a few cups of rice to some people with the intention of persuading them to vote for him? By so doing, he has bought the people’s conscience. If the politician eventually gets to the seat of power and begins to misbehave, he cannot be held accountable because the people have compromised their conscience by collecting inducement from him.

But the hardship in Nigeria seems to justify money politics, or what is now known in the country as stomach infrastructure, which has rendered most people voiceless. What is your take?

Money politics should be discouraged in Nigeria if we are ready to fight corruption. 2019 is around the corner; soon you will see people sharing different things to the electorate. Though the level of poverty in the country is high, that is not enough reason for people to sell their conscience. If the people accept those gifts from the office seekers, there is no way they can hold such politicians accountable.

Money politics has not helped this country, and it should be discouraged. Let’s encourage politics of ideology, let the office seekers present their manifestoes and let the voters see what they have for them. If it is ok, we can vote for them. Also, politicians should keep their promises to the electorate. Unfortunately, the politicians are capitalising on Nigerians’ weakness to promise them what they can’t fulfil. For instance, a councillorship aspirant that is promising to give people water, electricity and good roads is making a promise he cannot fulfil.

The promise of steady power supply has been on for a long time, yet we do not have stable power supply today. There have been promises of good roads but driving on Nigerian roads today is like going to the gym. We have witnessed the advent and exit of governments, yet the same unfulfilled promises. The roads in different parts of the country are in different stages of disrepair.

I think it is time to have a government with a human face. Nigerians are not asking for too much: they want the opportunity and the platform to survive. If there is steady power supply, artisans will be busy, there will be job and employment for the citizens. But you know how much you spend in buying fuel to power your generator. If there is electricity, people will be busy and crime rate will reduce because an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. If people are given the opportunity and enabling environment to fend for themselves, they can’t go into crime. If government can make loans available to the elderly and youth in the society without collateral, it will go a long way in empowering the citizens.

What is your wish for Nigeria as we navigate through this trying moment of our national life?

History revealed that the nations that have advanced were once like us but at an appointed time, the citizenry stood to challenge acts of deviance and unrighteousness. They all waged war against the known ills of their land and developed a dictum of making their nation great through hard work and sincerity in living. Without any iota of doubt in my mind, I am cocksure that this nation will change for better. To achieve this, however, there will be a serious revolution against corruption and corrupt practices which have eaten deep into the fabrics of the nation’s system. A young man said in a recent telecast programme that our leaders are our problem in this nation and asked for mass burial for them so that our problem would cease. Definitely, our country Nigeria would be transformed attitudinally, psychologically, mentally and behaviourally while a new song of glorious Nigeria will be sung by us all. Amen.