The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), South West region, Archbishop Magnus Atilade, played very prominent roles during the electioneering campaigns that ushered in the new administration. He spoke with Sunday Oguntola on how the new government can deliver good governance and how Nigerians
What do you make of the new political order?
I feel it is the hands of God rewriting the history of Nigeria. I believe He has decided to listen to the intercession of Nigerians for peaceful election and transition. Our desire for change has been granted and we have to thank God for that a lot.
The inauguration means Nigeria has an opportunity for a fresh start. What we need now is to continue supporting this new administration with prayers. I believe with the leaders we have, especially at the federal level, our desires for good governance and democratic dividends will come to pass at last.
But it is believed with the economy in shambles and security at the lowest ebb, the new government is coming on board at the toughest moment of the nation. Do you see the new administration turning the fortunes of the nation around?
I am happy with that question because it is said that when the going gets tough, the tough gets going. I believe we have men like President Muhammadu Buhari and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo at the helms of affair for such a time like this. I believe they have what it takes to take the nation to the next level.
With all due respect, we have not been having the requisite, experienced leaders in this country. This is why we have remained in the woods. I am saying this very cautiously, especially with the last regime. People went there with one purpose in mind: to serve themselves and their families.
That was why corruption rose to the zenith with them. There are three qualities that leaders must possess to move any nation ahead. They include knowledge, skills and wisdom.
I don’t want to be critical but you can see the last administration was lacking on all of these fronts. I believe former President Goodluck Jonathan was ordained by God to fight corruption. But when he refused to do that, instead allowing the notorious atmosphere of corruption to persist, God had to find another man for the job.
I believe President Buhari will deliver. He is experienced and equipped for the tasks ahead. He’s disciplined and is a known corruption fighter. With his antecedents, you are sure he will deliver. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has the technical know-how of good governance. Their combination, as far as I am concerned, will take us to the Promised Land.
With them over there and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu offering them technical support, you will find out there would be new ideas that will shock all of us. I think Tinubu should be head of government, not necessarily in an official capacity but on the sidelines for his experiences in governance. Even his detractors and critics acknowledge that he is a man of ideas. Through his ideas, he made Lagos State the benchmark of good governance.
He stood with the opposition, nurtured it and made sure the party became the focal point. He’s unlike many other politicians who have been defecting to the new ruling party. I think we will benefit a great deal from his wealth of experience.
You endorsed Governor Akinwunmi Ambode during the campaign and also supported President Buhari. People have accused you of being a sympathiser of the All Progressives Congress (APC). How do you react to that?
I have a divine assignment to serve as Servant of the Most High God. My assignment is very precarious, which set me many times to take unpopular positions. When we said publicly that we should not allow the position of Lagos governor to be taken by another Muslim, we were heavily criticised.
We commended the Muslims that have occupied the post but said a Christian should emerge this time to give us a sense of belonging. It was very unpopular then. Many so-called Christian leaders came and said I was bringing religion into politics. But I am happy the party’s leadership realised we didn’t mean any harm but were concerned by the imbalance.
They listened and chose a Christian, who is now the governor. That was an unpopular position I took then that set me against many people. But I was reacting based on God’s leadership.
I am referring to this instance so that you can understand the basis of some of my unpopular stances. To answer your question directly, I’d say that I have a commission to support the masses and the welfare of God’s people. I had a revelation where God said ‘feed my people’ just like he told Peter.
I am all for welfarism. I am a welfarist. With my background as a socialist, I am bound to stand with the people. I have considered all the parties in the country and feel the APC comes closest to what welfare orientation. I am not a card-carrying member but I can’t say I don’t have sympathies for the party.
Meaning you always support the party?
If you have followed me closely, you will realise I support government where necessary. But I don’t fail to call them to order and attention when I notice things are amiss. If the party goes against welfarism, I will be the first to speak out. But if it is all for welfarism, I stand with them. I am neither for nor against but to be a voice in the governance of God’s people. I stand with the people of God all the times.
If you were standing before the President, what will be your advice to him?
I will tell him that God has bought him back to the position for a purpose. He has tried three times before he made it this time. He should know that he is not there on his own and by his power. God does not want any man to share his glory with anyone. I am sure he’s wondering if he is dreaming himself being on the seat now.
Now that he’s there, he should realise he has a purpose to be the president of the largest country in Africa and the nation with most black people on earth. He should redirect the movement of the country. The first thing he should do is to bring corruption to a halt.
He should start an agency to prevent corruption. This agency should prevent corruption before it happens. The EFCC and ICPC are to prosecute after commission of offences. As a matter of fact, I believe both agencies should be merged to become more efficient and effective.
All our agencies should be made to report their activities not more than 100 days publicly. Many of them have been forgotten because they do not do anything. We should be able to look closely at their activities and balance sheets; if they go for over a year without reports, we all lose track of what they do. It is within the confines of that secrecy that corruption thrives. If they report to the public, there would be accountability and openness in government.
Which would you consider the three most important priority areas for him?
For me, I would say health should be a major area. Health is wealth. Nigerians are dying daily at alarming rate. Our medical practitioners are perpetually on strike. The healthcare system has been under captivity. I believe President Buhari should create more space for alternative healthcare system. We need alternative medicines and treatment so that Nigerians can access better health.
We need complimentary alternative and herbal medicine to fill the gap. Western medicine and drug therapy have been the only things in this country. Herbal medicine should have their separate council to regulate training and practices of practitioners. The training institutions we had before in Abuja and Lagos have been closed. If government recognises that branch of medicine, we would have a healthier nation.
We also have to consider traditional medicine. There was a way we were treating ourselves before the colonialists came. They even acknowledged we were studious and strong people, which was why they forced us to provide manpower for their industries through slave trade.
Then, education is also critical to any nation. The government has to realise that an educated soul is better a rich nation. Our institutions should be funded and teachers trained and trained until we have a literate nation. Moral instructions have to be reintroduced because we have lost our moral compass as a nation. Nigerians prefer materialism to honesty and it is all because of our moral decadence. There should be more funding for primary and tertiary education with provision of teaching aids.
Lastly, I believe welfare is another area government has to look into. There must be incentives that will keep people busy and corruption unattractive. Part of welfare is to provide mass transportation that will make movement of people and good very fast, cheap and convenient. If the government focuses on this, I have no doubt that it will make a success of this new mandate.
