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Selling nomination forms at N100 million is unhealthy –Odesola

Pastor Funso Odesola is the Assistant General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) on Administration and Personnel. He is also the Continental Overseer of Africa 3 and Middle East. He speaks in this interview on why Nigeria should seek expert advice in surmounting its economic challenges, and how hugely the church spends on improving lives and sundry matters. CHINYERE ABIAZIEM reports

 

There has been a decline in the living standard of many Nigerians. What do you think the government can do differently?

 

If you go downstairs you will see the number of people around the corridor asking for one thing or the other and we have done what we needed to do. We pay house rents and do other things. Someone is there who said he has not eaten since yesterday, would you allow that person to go on empty stomach?

 

You will first get him something to eat with his child. Nigeria is not producing anything and we are consuming. Not many of the factories are working, they promised heaven and earth yet we don’t have power. I don’t think this government has a plan for Nigerians, they just want to hang on to power, judging from the years they have spent in power. Personally, I have not seen anything they have done on security it is getting worse. I have not seen anything they have done for the economy.

 

When they took over we knew the dollar exchange rate and we know what it is now, it is still going up. In fact, one of them is predicting that dollar rate will get to N1000. This present government, if at all has any plan has run out of ideas. My take is for them to seek help, not security help but expert advice. How did they do it in Singapore? How did they do it in Malaysia?

 

For me the welfare of Nigeria doesn’t seem to bother them as holding to power because there is plenty of easy money to spend. It is not about sharing N5000 or N10,000 which some will spend for two meals, it is about empowering people for small scale industries.

 

Churches, faith-based organisations and other nongovernmental organisations are doing that. Someone who sort out with N50,000 is doing well now, he is paying his own house rent and encouraging others.

 

Someone asked  for money, I think he had N150, 000 and we added N50,000 he bought a ‘Keke Marwa’ (tricycle) and he has four now. The government should empower youths and monitor them. Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina of Africa Development Bank can help because he has done that in many Africa countries. If there is anything they have done is take Nigerians as fools.

 

Are you saying failure of government to take care of the citizenry is somehow overburdening the church?

Of course. You check any church. On a monthly basis the chunk of what we receive we spend. There is no month we spend less than a billion naira on CSR. We have the records.

 

When you say CSR, does it have to do with people’s everyday welfare or things like digging of boreholes in communities?

 

Both. When you talk about Christian Social Responsibility (CSR) it has something to do with daily welfare, school fees, hospital bills, house rents, empowerment and many basic things. What we have done in CSR is the aspect of social justice is on every other aspect.

They accuse us that we have a university and it is not free. We show them what the salaries are, we show them how many people are on scholarships and bursary. Then the professors who are going to teach and the facilities on ground. The accusers turn to apologize and say they never knew all these. So, if you say education is expensive then  try ignorance.

Do you think the citizenry have placed themselves in positions to be taken for a ride by the leaders? I

think so. Look, when the church said we want to help our people interested in politics it came up in the news that the church has nothing to do with politics. Maybe such people are not thinking. We are free citizens and Nigeria is a secular state irrespective of your religion or religious affinity, yet some people say the church should stay away from politics.

 

Should churches show interest in who governs them and is it okay for churches to endorse political candidates?

 

Definitely we should be interested in who governs us because you don’t joke with the issue of policy. The church should be in the front, we have no reason not to be involved in politics. Adam was an entrepreneur; Abraham was a business person. Joseph was a prime minister in Egypt, Daniel was a president and Esther was the first lady. So Christians must be involved. That’s why we started that department (Directorate of Christian Politics and Governance). See Ogun State where our camp is situated, check the economy before the camp started growing and the economy now. Over five million come there yearly. During the Holy Ghost Congress alone about two to three million people come around.

 

These people come with their money which they spend and you are saying we should not  have a say. The area of staying aloof is forever gone. If anybody says he or she wants to run for an office, the church will do our best to support it. As a matter of fact it is sinful to be in Nigeria and not to vote because the Bible commands us to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and be good citizens. One of the things that makes you a good citizen is to vote.

What should Nigerians do differently as preparation towards the next general elections is accelerating?

 

If they give you money, take it but don’t vote for people who do not have your interest at heart. Vote for those who you can hold to account. Some are only interested in sharing free money they did not work for. You can see what Baba Ayo Adebanjo and Bishop Hassan Kukah said.

How do you see the sales of forms at an exorbitant rate in the country?

 

It is a very unhealthy thing. It is a way of monopolising power for a certain section of people. In America the presidential form is 500 dollars. In Nigeria where someone buys form for N100 million, what do you think he will target? If the money was borrowed that’s what he will take first to return to the lender(s) upon getting into office.

 

The youths should be able to rise and tell them ‘you are mortgaging our future. Where do we get the money from? We are on N35,000 per month and you want us to buy the expensive form?’

 

Recently an interim government was proposed by Chief Afe Babalola. What is your take?

 

My take is that these sets of politicians are not the ones to lead us to where we are going. I cannot lay my hands on any of them that have something for this nation other than their pockets. They already have deep pockets. I don’t know what they still want. The man is talking from its own view. He is a lawyer. Maybe there is something he knows that I don’t know. The politicians we have now can’t lead us to the promised land because their hands are not pure.

 

I think we got it wrong somewhere and the youths of today have to get it right if they don’t get it right in 2023, I’m afraid. It appears divine elevation is what the country needs as hope seems dim for some Nigerians considering the present challenges…

 

By faith we expect divine elevation for our nation. I have asked Daddy Adeboye severally what he thinks about Nigeria and the next elections and he said God has not said anything, as it will be anti-progress to say what God has not said, but he knows that God knows that we are here

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