In the wake of activities heralding the 2023 general election, Poju Oyemade, Senior Pastor of The Covenant Nation and Convener of The Platform Nigeria, has faulted prevailing sentiments about the participation of honest citizens in corrupt political systems.
Speaking at The Covenant Place, Iganmu, Lagos, on Sunday, he maintained that prayers being offered for Nigeria will only be answered through angelic activity and the direct involvement of highly skilled and honest people in the practical affairs of governance.
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Citing the Biblical account of Daniel who interpreted King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in the Babylonian empire, the cleric reiterated the need for upright men and women who can understand and accurately interpret divine omens.
He averred that such people must insist on remaining in governance even when pressured by situations that contradict their personal values or the faith they profess.
“We are too emotional when it comes to matters of governance and politics. Once they say anything we don’t like, we resign. If you are not inside the system when things are dropping, how will you know what is dropping?”
He added that God respects authority structure and will therefore give certain kinds of dreams and ideas only to people in authority even if they are corrupt politicians. And if the right kind of advisers are not available to interpret and execute those ideas, the ‘magicians’ will take over.
“How many Christians can be in an office where there is an idol? In fact, they will tell you in church never to enter that place.
“What Daniel and his friends said was, ‘We are not bowing, but you cannot cause us to resign from this work. We will be here together.”
“The problem is we don’t have Christians in the inner court. They are too angry. But even thieves need an honest person.”
In an earlier statement, he had condemned the agenda of secessionists who are covertly working to divide the nation along ethnic and religious lines to advance their political ambitions.
“There are many people that are shouting, ‘Destroy! Destroy!’ and using ethnicity to divide this country. Let me tell you, in this same country, from 1969 to 1975, the Head of State, General Gowon, was a Christian. The Number Two man, Admiral Wey, was a Christian. The Chief of Army Staff was a Christian. Nobody shouted.”
“Nigeria was not always like this. The freest and fairest democratic election to date in Nigeria was won by a Muslim presidential candidate and a Muslim vice presidential candidate, and they won Christian states. What suddenly happened to Nigeria? Some political leaders felt the best way to control people, to access money and power was to put wedges between people. So they began to play up the differences between people. It is a political strategy to control the people.”
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