One undeniable fact is that the state of the Nigerian situation is of serious concern to many Nigerians, both to the young and the old, one of those who believe that Nigerians, leaders and the led must take a decisive action now that the country is preparing for another choice of a new set of leaders is the octogenarian Bishop Felix Green Oluyemi Alawode, the President of African Association of Christian Counsellors, Rector Bible Canon Seminary and the convener of Altar Above Altars Prayer Ministry Camp, Owode Yewa, Ogun State.
Bishop Alawode, in unmistakable terms is of the view that before Nigeria goes on the 2023 elections, the country needs to address the issue of its current structure. He pitches his tent with those who are of the opinion that Nigeria should be restructured, saying if Nigeria is not ready to hear or take to restructuring, let them consider rearrangement for once and take the much expected action. This he shares with PTL News in a chat in his Lagos office recently. He spoke with PTL News on the state of the nation, and the situation of the Nigerian Church.
The esteemed Bishop, is of the view that it’s high time Nigerians began to speak about the state of the nation.
He said, “I have a burden for this nation even though I am not a politician that I have to ask of what is going on. We have been praying, and we are still praying for the nation, yet it seems there have been no answers. We have been wandering what is next to be done? Our role as counsellors is not to enforce our idea on people, but to counsel and exalt them.”
Counselling, he said, otherwise is encouragement. He explained that “the whole bible from the beginning to the end is a book of counsel, and God never forced anything on anybody. He counsels us. So in the same spirit the Lord has impressed me to speak on behalf of this our organisation, African Association of Christian Counsellors to counsel Nigerians.
“Our resolve at this critical time of this nation is to counsel, to encourage and to exalt people to think about restructuring or rearrangement. Let us use the word rearrangement because the word restructuring has become a word those in authority don’t want to hear again in this country. Our mission is to counsel people in distress, solve problems and pray for everyone including nations. We are formal and informal counsellors as professionals.”
“My heartcry as a counsellor about the state of our nation is to see its problems solved, to lead us into a peaceful, progressive and prosperous country. God is answering prayers but it’s like He is not answering the prayers for Nigeria.”
He likened Nigeria’s situation to the wedding charge which is always asked before joining couples. It tells any one that has anything against joining new couples to ‘speak now or be silent forever’.
He said, “This is the best time to talk on the state of the nation or we keep silent till another four or eight years. If we don’t talk now we will not be able to talk later. The burden is coming too much on me. We are praying for the nation and we are in the process of asking what next to be done.
“As a counsellor, our role is to counsel, to encourage, using the bible to counsel. We don’t force people to do things. Our resolve at this critical time is to counsel, to encourage and exalt people to think about rearrangement, as restructuring has become a word the people in authority don’t want to hear in this country.
“When I look into the dictionary, I simply saw that restructuring means to rearrange. Restructuring is simply to rearrange something or it is to rearrange a system or an organisation. What can we do in this country without trying to arrange things politically, socially and economically? Everything about this country needs rearrangement. Rearrangement has been thrown to the background of the thinking of politicians.
“They promised rearrangement during their campaign in 2015 and 2019. But today the rearrangement of the country is no more in their manifesto. They have jettisoned it. It is no more in their manifesto. None of the politicians speak about it now. What they are after is 2023, just to grab power in 2023. The Yorubas say, ‘Bi omode ba subu, a wo waju, bi agba ba subu a wo eyin wo,’ meaning ‘If a child falls he will look forward, and if an elderly falls he would look backward.’ That is what is known as rearrangement.
“We need to look into what has brought us to this state as a country, we need to know why are we at this point since 2015 to this time. Nothing can be said to be good since then.
“Apart from politicians, all our living past heads of state too have concluded and made up their mind to go with 2023 election with their choice candidates even without mentioning them yet, without thinking of rearrangement, but want us to continue like that. They still want us to build on the same faulty foundation.
“This appeal, exaltation and counsel is for all Nigerians, organisations, and churches especially to see the importance of the structure. Every building stands on structure. That is why the Bible says ‘If the foundation is destroyed, what can the righteous do? We need to talk for them to act so that 2023 will not be an exercise in futility. Let us speak now and revisit our system, the foundation of this country. It has not been easy for the system with the people staying together.
Using the story of the creation as an example, Bishop Alawode explained further, “If you look at the example of God, in Genesis chapter 1.1, in verse 2, it said, the earth was without form with darkness all over, God saw there was no order before creation, God did not continue like that, He did not continue to manage the earth without form. It was not in the order of God that the earth remained without form, and so in verse 3, He took an action, a very decisive one, He declared, ‘Let there be light’, and there was light. That is rearrangement.”
As a theologian, Bishop Alawode, citing the story of the creation of the earth by God said, “in Genesis 1. 1, “there was the creation, in verse 2, there was degeneration and in verse 3, regeneration came in, that is God and rearrangement. He rearranged everything.
“If we don’t follow the plan of God, Nigeria would continue to sink into degeneration. Genesis 1-3 to Revelation 22 is all about regeneration and renewal, and that is what God with the Holy Spirit is doing; regeneration, to renew the system. To renew the system Jesus Christ came to the earth, to renew the system Jesus sent the Holy Spirit. These are the basic things we need to address, or else people’s efforts will be in futility, wasting people’s efforts, time and resources. Everything is based on structure. If the structure is not there nothing will stand. Without foundation no system can stand.”
Bishop Alawode who acknowledged the efforts of various Nigerian leaders, past and the present, but underscored them because their efforts are not yielding expected results that can stabilise the country.
“All the past politicians are trying their best, all the past presidents are also trying their best, but they are working on faulty foundation, and that is why when they leave they become our enemy, and when they are there they become our enemies. The governors are trying their best but there is nothing to show for it because we need to rearrange, and that is why nothing works. Americans are rearranging their system day by day and that is why their presidential system works, and it will continue to work, and that is the way to improve. We need to just go back and do just that. If we fail to do that it means we are not ready for anything.
“The rearrangement is to look into what some people have been talking about. To allow the major groups or the geo political divisions, or the federating states to grow at their own pace with no one drawing the other back. It will bring about healthy rivalry, competition and growth like it was in the first republic. The present arrangement which glues all the states together has not helped in facilitating the required development the people need, and that is why it is difficult for Nigeria to move forward.”
The Church
Bishop Alawode did not spare the church as part of the problem of the country.
He said, “Now let me come back to Church. The church needs to take its own stand on this issue as some church leaders are trying to politicise the issue. I will not mention names of those people clamouring for the youth to take over. No youth can handle the current situation. If angels come to the politics of this nation to run it, in a short time they will become devil. No youth can change what is here. Those saying the future of Nigerian politics belongs to the youth, I ask, which youth? Are the youths ready to come in? God has not put anybody there.
“For those who are saying God has not told them the next president of Nigeria, God will not like to mislead the people. God has not chosen anybody there. Church leaders cannot continue to talk like politicians, raising and dashing people’s hope. Is it mandatory that God must tell them?
“This is not the time anybody can confuse us with prophecy. Let us look into the word of God. Every statement must be confirmed by the word of God. God is not an author of confusion. God will not tell you something and do otherwise. The book of Isaiah Isa 60.1 says Arise Shine, another translation says ‘Stand up, and stand out.’ Church needs to stand up now and stand out, it says for your light has come. The Church as light of God should come to this nation.”
Throwing more light on what is expected of the Church, the respected Bible teacher explained again, “When we talk about light, light must be burning, bright and shine. The church in Nigeria now is burning or booming, but we are not shining. Time will not permit me to expand that, Church with expansion is burning, but it’s not shining. But as light it must burn, and be bright and shine. By our position now we are burning, there is fire everywhere, there is revival everywhere, all these are burning but we are not shining. Light must burn, and light must shine. The bible says we are a city set on a hill that cannot be hid.
“All these we are doing as a Church, is just burning simply because we don’t take our stand on the issue of this nation, probably because we belong to associations that are close to the government, just because we belong to CAN, whatever CAN says is the final, but thank God for Catholic Church, thank God for Anglican Church, apart from being in CAN, they stand up and stand out on every issue in this country. Other groups in CAN will say nothing. Because we don’t take our stand on this issue of this nation, we do stand up and stand out in the history of this nation.
“I appeal to every group to speak out now or remain silent forever. I challenge every group, CPFN, PFN, OAIC, ECWA/TEKAN, CCN, and all of them to speak out now. It is not necessary they agree with what we say. The problem now is not about Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Muslim ticket, this our forum is not about the candidate but on the structure we are standing on in Nigeria. Our focus should be on the structure of the country which needs rearrangement, thinking of the life of millions of Nigeria who will depend on the next four or eight years, we have to begin now. It is good we work on the structure we have now and begin to wait until the next eight years and watch.”
He said, “Rather than stand out the church is conforming to the world. We are conforming and running the church like those in the government. But it’s like the church is not setting its priority right. If you hear a siren now you will think it is the governor or commissioner going, with a long convoy with security. What you will see is a pastor going, or a General Overseer. Why that? Was that the case with our founding fathers in this nation?
“One day I was at Fagba I saw vehicles moving in convoy of 4 or 5 vehicles, with their Church names on it, with security agents like the politicians, one is forced to ask why? When we look into those that were going, it was a convoy of a Church leader moving. Why? Because we are afraid. When we stand with the truth we don’t need to fear. Why should we be afraid if we are not hiding anything in our hands? Was that the way we received it? The church is doing things to the delight of church members, and to impress them.
“The church has been compromising its standards. If they are ready to stand up and stand out they will be able to make the expected changes. If the church cannot talk now, they should be silent thereafter, and till the next four or eight years. The Bible says He created us in His image and His likeness. The church is going into the likeness of the government of this nation. Hardly do you know when a minister of God is going, or a politician going with convoy and security guards, military, soldiers, air force and others.
“If the Church can stand up and stand out there will be great changes in this country. This is another time now. Being in CAN is alright, but let every member and group in CAN stand up and stand out, or else, they will forever shut up their mouth for whatever happens to us as a people for the next eight years.
He also cited an example in the bible of a similar admonition. “It is in Romans 12. 2 that says Be ye not conform to this world or be ye transform, by renewing of your mind. It talks about renewal of mind. We need to renew our mind as Nigerians. When we renew our mind we maintain our stand about this nation. When we take our stand about this nation, the people will know. We have abandoned our role to politicians forgetting thousands of people under our leadership. There are many ways churches are conforming with the government.
“We don’t need to leave all our life to politicians. They are birds of the same feathers. Nigerian Pastors should learn and take after Prophet Micaiah. When that king of Israel was to go to war, they wanted to inquire of the Lord, everybody said the king would go and come back victoriously but when Micaiah was called, the king said he knew he would not speak good of him. He came and truly he spoke what the Lord told him even if it was not pleasant to the king. That was a transformed person, a transformed man of God.
“Our prophets rather than seek and speak the mind of God for Nigeria are seeing and prophesying to candidates for political offices, probably for political gains or public recognition.
“Our association is not seeing any candidate now but we are calling Nigerians to look into the foundation of the country, and not to predict the candidates who will win the next elections. We need a prophet like Micaiah in Nigeria, the prophet which will say the truth and stand out for the truth. We need prophets who are ready to tell the people the truth they need, those will be true prophets.
“That is the type of a prophet or prophets we need in this country, a prophet who will tell the government the implications of their actions and it will be so, that is when we can say we have a prophet or prophets in the land. They should let us hear and know what will happen for any of our actions and inactions for 2023, and if it comes to pass, we will know we have prophets in Nigeria.
“If there are prophets in Nigeria let the prophets speak up like Father Hassan Kukah. Most times he doesn’t speak on behalf of the public, but he is a recognised voice when it comes to issues affecting Nigeria. Let all our General Overseers speak, people are suffering in the Church, there is untold suffering, we should not be thinking of our huge and capital project alone. Even when they talk about revival, what do you see? It is about ‘Prosperity, God of Possibilities, How to end the life of your enemies’ and all that. Is that revival? This is the time for our General Overseers to speak up.
“How to heal this nation should be our concern now, all hands must be on deck for this nation, that should be our concern. We should do away with irrelevant programmes that cannot do anything now, but for selfish reasons. It is unfortunate that there is no more ‘Thus sayest the Lord’.
Christian and Media
Bishop Alawode expressed the need for the Church and any interested organisation to own their media organisation like radio and television.
He said,, “As Christians, is it bad if we have our own radio? It is not a radio that uses data. Our high taste General Overseer cannot use local radio and television. In those days we used to listen to Radio ELWA owned by ECWA via rediffusion. This is what the Church needs. We should have our own local radio. We don’t need online radio and those ones that cannot be afforded.
“Now we cannot hold our local programmes. It is in our interest to have public Christian radio. If CAN cannot do it, individuals can do it and if we do it the light of the gospel will shine more. Abroad, a local community like ours will have our own television or radio. We must struggle to have our own Radio and Television.
“Today, it is not easy to get your stories published again. Majority of our national newspapers today belong to politicians. How do you speak against them? They will only twist what you say. If reporters want to hear of Christian leaders today, they will go to the likes of Pastor Adeboye, or Bishop Oyedepo, and the vocal ones who can pay the bill, in most cases, their views may not represent the views of most Christians and church leaders in Nigeria.
“What is available or accessible in Nigeria again? We cannot use firewood again, gas is no more affordable, and kerosene is not available. Where are we going? When we are down what we need to do is to speak out.”
The cleric also quoted the bible saying “In the book of Ecclesiastes that to everything there is a season. If we don’t speak now, only God can deliver us. We will remain quiet forever.”
“Also citing Acts 27, he said, “When Apostle Paul was to answer case in Rome, when they wanted to start the journey, Paul said he perceived there was going to be a problem on the journey, not only to their foods but of their lives, and they told him to take courage and they asked what concerned him as a prisoner. They started the journey. When the journey started there were problems and the boat had problems. If not that the God of Paul intervened, they would have lost their lives.
“That is the message we need today. We need transformed men and women of God to bring message of transformation to Nigeria. That should be our stand whether they believe it or not, let us say our own. Time will tell.
“We need leaders who will tell us the mind of God. What we need today are transformed men of God. Restructuring is no problem if there is nothing against it. We should know their fear about restructuring; let every group find out what is behind why Nigerian politicians are afraid to touch the issue of restructuring. What is wrong in rearranging something? You refuse to rearrange things and the people are suffering and complaining. Nothing is working. Suffering is too much we should not be carried away with what the politicians are saying.
“Go to the market, nothing is predictable. You will know what it costs to publish now. These are the things God has placed in my mind to challenge Nigerians and the church. Don’t let us be carried away with what the politicians are saying to get votes for 2023, there must be rearrangement of the current system.
Our agitation now is not for Muslim/Muslim or Christian/Christian, our plea as counsellors is to beg them and to beseech them to look or revisit restructuring and do necessary thing to do rearrangement. If the foundation of this system is not properly laid, all these gentlemen we are trying to vote for will become our enemies at the end of the day. They should allow us to try the way we believe can work for us.
“It is said that one single apple out of the lots can spoil several apples in a pack, whereas 99 apples in a pack cannot make one apple good. That is the law of corruption. They don’t know how bad the situation is. If we are not ready to correct the system all the efforts will end in futility.”
African Association of Christian Counsellors is in other parts of Africa, for the whole of Africa but operates majorly here in Nigeria, with its headquarters in the United States of America. The association according to the African President has held seminars in Nigeria and other countries of Africa like South Africa, Liberia, Ghana , and Kenya in the late 70s and early 80s. Bishop Alawode is also the Rector Bible Canon Seminary and the convener of Altar Above Altars Prayer Ministry Camp, Owode Yewa, Ogun State.
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