Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has advised religious leaders not to allow politicians who do not have the fear of God to rule the country. He made this statement during a courtesy visit by the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Most Rev. Daniel Okoh, and some other members of the body at his residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
According to Obasanjo, if the religious leaders allow politicians without the fear of God to rule, the nation may be heading for destruction.
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, the former President said that the religious leaders have the power to make political leaders responsible. He noted that he has heard some good stories about Okoh from the Sultan of Sokoto.
Obasanjo was quoted to have said, “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 it is the mistake of the past, particularly in 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 which they will carry into politics, and they will have nowhere to go.
“In the next election, if we do not watch it, it may make or break Nigeria. And I pray that it will make Nigeria.”
On his part, Okoh hailed Obasanjo for his effort in maintaining the Christian faith in the country.
Okoh said, “In 1976, you started with the establishment of this association, the CAN and in September 1999, he formed the Inter Religious Faith Council 1999. In the political sector, you set up the National Political Reform Conference, which I am privileged 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.”
The CAN President’s entourage had the CAN Assistant General Secretary, Apostle Abiodun Sanyaolu; the 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.
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