The Presiding Bishop of Rhema Christian Church and Towers, Ota Ogun State, Bishop Taiwo Akinola, spoke with Sunday Oguntola ahead of the 22nd convention of the church and dedication of its 10,000-seater Champion Cathedral. Excerpts:
Government universities across the nation have been shut down for over three months. What is your reaction to this?
I believe the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has made its point. They should return to classes in the interest of the nation and our children. No parent can be happy seeing his children at home for this long. They have made their point and I think they should resume since government has made them some offers.
ASUU is not the only pressure group in the country. The hospitals are there. The roads are there. Every sector is asking for massive injection of funds and I know as head of an institution that money is not easy to come by. You never have enough to address all the needs.
So, I am pleading with ASUU to return to class and save our children. I have a very brilliant child who had to spend seven years to get a degree. I mean, that is very sad. Isn’t that why our children now have to go to Benin Republic and Ghana to study? Yes, government should do something but I think that ASUU too should stop all these perennial strikes.
If universities had been shut down in other places, government would have responded before it gets this long. Don’t you think the government is also being too insensitive?
You see I cannot speak for government because I don’t work for them. But I am saying if some money has been given to the lecturers, they should start with that and call off the strike. I read the lecturers rejected the offers made by government. They should accept and start with that first. Because when two elephants fight, the grasses suffer. I had been in the business of lecturing before and I know that when you resume, some students would have become rustic. Some would have become pregnant and disconnected. To be out of school for three months is too long. I have a child studying law and we have to get him engaged in tutorials to keep fresh. My position is, we should be sensitive to these poor children. Both parties should resolve the impasse and open our schools.
The proposed national conference has been condemned as a mere talk shop in many quarters. Do you think we really need the conference?
Well, these same people were busy calling for it and now that it’s been granted, they are condemning it.
They were calling for a sovereign national conference?
Whether sovereign or not, I believe it is the same thing. It’s just semantics as far as I am concerned. I know politicians have their way with intimidation, mockery and condemnation. I know many were calling for it and now they are against it again. If it were in the clergy that I am part of, we would have said ‘thank you for granting requests’ and move on.
But the critics wonder why the National Assembly will still need to ratify the resolutions from the conference. So why have it in the first place?
But that makes sense for me. The National Assembly has elected representatives and should ratify whatever we agree on, I know the president may also have political undertone for granting the request but we should give the move a chance.
Is Nigeria working as far as you are concerned?
To the glory of God, Nigeria is working. I know that there are failed states but we are not only of those. Things are not what they should be but I believe Nigeria is working and can work better.
How can it work better?
With more prayers and we doing our parts, this country will work better. If we are less political in our thinking and actions, Nigeria will work better. With God on our side, we’d work better. If we face facts and act with facts, we’d do better.
Why do we always need to involve God, considering that countries with no allegiance to God are doing better?
I have heard that many times and my response is always that there is no country without challenges. I mean, problems are part of human existence. But we need God. Without God, nothing works. If God had not been on our side, we won’t be together. I don’t believe there is no nation where they don’t call on God. We may have more people calling on Him.
When I get to nations, I see how they organise themselves and how bureaucracy works better. I think we only need to do better with law enforcement and we would get there too. With God, we can do better. Anyone with God is a majority. Those who work against Him always have a harvest of troubles.
The cathedral has taken six years to stand. Can you recall some of the tough times during the building project?
I’d rather recall some of the gracious moments because you don’t get anything except it is given to you by God. We never had money saved anywhere when we started but God kept providing. Our people are very generous. They don’t want to be coerced or pressed to give. I have no troubles to report but to say we give glory to God.
But when you have a structure of this size in Nigeria, you always have issues with artisans and workmen. Those are common and everywhere. But above all, we thank God.
Would you say the project operated on speed considering its magnitude and the time it took to be completed?
It depends on what you mean by speed. It took 70 years to complete Solomon’s Cathedral. Some churches were built in one year. It all depends on God’s plan, but as far as I am concerned, we operated on divine speed.
God has been so gracious. I give all praise to God. We could not have done it without Him. You cannot coerce people. My people are very refined and sophisticated. You cannot force them to give.
How did you convince them to buy into the project, considering how many others struggle to get people committed? What was the magic wand?
No, there was no magic wand. It is all down to God. He does not pay for what He does not order. We knew God was here before we started building. It was not my pet project or idea. It was God’s project and He provided for us. Sometimes, we had headaches and before we left the prayer room, God would have provided.
What will the dedication portend for the church?
You know whatever you dedicate to God, you don’t take back from Him. For us, it is an honour to invite God to take His place. It is an opportunity to refresh His power among us. I mean, He built this place for Himself. You cannot come to Lagos without seeing the cathedral. I have told people to come that day bringing their requests to God. Nobody can build for God without His expressed desire.
Since churches hardly get over projects, what would be the next one for you? Will it be a university or something else?
After the dedication, it will be another level of God’s grace. It will be another level of fulfillment. I think I am excited that churches are doing these projects. We are going to the City of Zion by the grace of God. A place where there will be a trade centre and vocational institutes where those destinies can be moulded and God can take people to their Promised Land.
Where is it to be located?
It is God that will take us there Himself. He has not revealed it yet to us. When the time comes, all of you will be there. Those who are uptight about God sees among churches haven’t seen anything else. God will do much more with His people.
Since the theme is the High Places, are we going to see an archbishop emerge from the dedication?
An archbishop will not emerge. I always say it is not about titles or entitlement but the tasks. There is time for everything. This is the time to work and do more for God. Of course, there is nothing wrong with being an archbishop. By the time our bishops have taken over nations, an archbishop will emerge and nobody will be able to stop him.
