The Emrys Ijaola Commentaries



 

“What in the world could be wrong with Dr. Tunde Bakare? Is there no end to his new-found political ambition?”. Those were just a few of the incredulous remarks from some sectors in the country. First, he convened a national pressure group called Save Nigeria Group (SNG), then he grabbed at the Vice Presidential seat, becoming General Muhammadu Buhari’s running mate. This latter decision, reminiscent of the near-chaos caused by his “Obasanjo is not our messiah” sermon, back in 1999, has become the major focus of political street-talk. Interestingly, the most vilification has come from his own people – the so-called Christian fold, who also turned out en-masse to vote against him.

Various arguments raised by his detractors are:

• Why did he deceive the people into following him to SNG when his end-game is to ultimately become partisan? Should a Pastor not be straight-forward?
• Why did he settle for Vice presidency? Does that not make him unequally yoked with an unbeliever? Is he approving the mindset that Christianity is subservient to Islam?
• How can he claim he is a pastor, and still involve himself in earthly pursuits? Has God (whom he claimed called him initially) withdrawn the pastorial calling?
• Buhari has been known for religious fanatism, as a fundamental Muslim. If indeed, Bakare is a true Christian, how could he align himself with someone whose mission appears to bring an end to Christianity in Nigeria?
• What does Bakare hope to achieve by going into politics, and soiling the uncompromising image he had already cut for himself?

In providing my answers to these questions, I hold no brief for Dr. Bakare, especially as I do not belong to his camp. I only wish to expose the fallacious and unbiblical reasoning of the average Nigerian Christian, and how they (more than any other religious group) are at the forefront of the rape of our land.

• Tunde Bakare did not start SNG to fuel a political ambition. He did it to rescue the nation from imminent disaster the cronies of the late President Yar’adua was bringing upon us due to their sinister handling of transition in the wake of his terminal illness. SNG should be credited above any other pressure group for instigating the necessary change. Perhaps, without SNG’s involvement, Democracy as we know it in Nigeria today would have been replaced with an emergency rule. He convened the SNG, but did not aspire to lead it. Other members accorded him the leadership role.
• He did not take it upon himself to run for any elective post. At the time Buhari asked him to fill the gap, he was busy scrutinizing candidates for integrity. His initial response to Buhari was a big NO. However, always being true to himself, he re-evaluated and accepted the challenge. What right would he have to criticize those in government if he let the opportunity to correct the polity of Nigeria slip by him? What was he afraid of? That he would not remain incorruptible in government? That he wouldn’t be able to practise what he preaches? If these were his reasons to reject the challenge, then he would be a hypocrite. In accepting the challenge, he first convinced himself that Buhari was someone he could work with. He also proved that nation-building is not about always being the first or the best, but about willing to make sacrifices, about serving and selflessness. A Bible believing Christian would not be so shallow as to adduce to Bakare’s contentment at playing “second fiddle” to Buhari. Was Joseph not Prime Minister in Egypt in Pharaoh’s days? Was Pharaoh a Christian, or a believer in Jehovah? Yet, God used Joseph to save a nation and the rest of the world, and years later, Joseph could authoritatively say: “God has made me… a father to Pharaoh”. Indeed, Pharaoh could not take any decisions without counsel from Joseph. I wonder if Christians read this part of their Bible with good understanding. Another point worthy of mention is not that Christianity is subservient to Islam in Nigeria, but Christians already appear to be subservient to Muslims. Otherwise, can you explain why over 90% of elected officials, from the Local Governments to Aso Rock, are Muslims, and the others, though bearing Christian or Jewish names are avowed occultists who neither serve nor worship Jehovah exclusively, while Christians shy away from politics and the opportunity to make the country right? Yet, they claim to be endowed with the Spirit of Excellence. Wake up and smell the coffee, Muslims are already in charge of decisions that affect your daily life!
• Does pastoral ministry preclude a man from involvement in politics, business, or other worldly endeavours? God has never fashioned Pastor, Bishop or Deacon to be a career. Instead, lazy and egoistic men, who wished to lord over others and eat off them, made it so. The pastoral ministry is a calling to serve God and minister to his people. If it was not meant to be so, why did God approve of Luke to be a doctor, Peter to be a fisherman, Paul to be a lawyer and a tanner, and Matthew a tax collector? In our generation, men now go into the ministry (just like the Police College!) because they cannot find admission into higher institutions, or find good employment, or do profitable business. Are we then surprised that mediocrity and watered-down doctrines flow from pulpits down to the pews and into the streets of the country? Bakare stands shoulder-high as a Pastor of a congregation, a Businessman, and a Lawyer of outstanding repute. This discipline he had inculcated in all his children and his sphere of influence. How many pastors can boast of the same, while their children philander all over town. Instead, they are busy encouraging their flocks to expect manna from heaven long after God has brought them to the promised land, where they must work to get good things. This lazy mentality has crippled Christians in Nigeria to the extent that nobody aspires to great heights anymore.
• If there is anything I credit Buhari (or any other Muslim for) it is that they, unlike Christians, are not ashamed of their god, or association with that god. They would observe their prayer times even in the open irrespective of who sees them. They recognize that favourable governance on earth ensures their freedom to worship their god, thus play active roles in politics. From one street to another, you see them taking active interest in issues. They unite to achieve their goals, no matter how mundane such goal is. They understand better than any other religion the concept of leader-follower synergy. Can the Christians boast of same? If so, how come they are so divided in spirit and thought, and have no sensible system of identifying leadership roles, changes and directions? If the missionaries that brought Christianity to Africa had been more interested in self preservation, and public opinion, would anyone even call himself a Christian in Nigeria today? Is it any wonder then that since Muslims picked up from where Christian missionaries stopped (using differing methods though) Islam is now declared to be the fastest growing religion in the world? Now, Bakare seeks to step into government with the mindset of one that would live and die for the progress of Christianity, his “brethren” pull him down.
• Bakare, by going into politics, has only shown good example of how and what a Christian should be and do, to be a change agent in his environment. He is willing to show to the world that he is not just full of talks, but he is a man of action also. One who walks his talk, and is fearless in the face of adversity, because he has gone beyond the mediocre mentality of self preservation. He has learnt that self preservation can only be secured in collective preservation. If he has not been soiled until now, why do we fear for his uprightness when he reaches Aso Rock? This fear is only a reflection of the ungodly and corruptible mindsets of the so-called Christians. “We know we would FAIL to remain upright, given the same opportunity, so we expect everyone else called a Christian to fail!”

A brood of never-seek-right, involving themselves in rituals and rites, claiming to be followers of the only true God, but themselves never true to God, to any man, or cause. They treat their God as a dog, expecting loyalty from Him always without willingness to reciprocate in like terms. Complainers and murmurers, who have never been known to stand for righteousness. People called to be bold as lions, but most cowardly and timid as Opossums. Shifty as Chameleons, they never stand out as they are masters at conforming with their environment. Highly religious for what they can get, yet forgetting what God called true religion (James 1: 27). The only thing wrong with Tunde Bakare is his “people” the Christians.

Pastor Tunde Bakare has been a man with few apologies. This is not due to pride, but due to diligent application of his senses to thinking through his actions, thus reducing possibility of errors. He is the kind of leader I would follow. A man who applies his mind to the rigour of thought (unlike our highly celebrated thoughtless rulers), and who seeks the mind of his God. If the Spirit of Jehovah God is not a Spirit of confusion, one wonders how His followers in Nigeria are so confused.