The Nation Newspaper

Tag: politics

  • Politics: The showbiz BRIGADE

    THE Nigerian politics scene is home to some of the nation’s most successful celebrities. Whether they are appointed government officials or elected office holders, these celeb politicians seem to wear the two hats well. These celebrities used their superstar status to jump-start their political careers.

    While Nollywood star Desmond Elliot may be quite popular as a politician, especially in Lagos, he is not the only celebrity in the rough and tumble world of Nigerian politics.

    There are several other famous faces who have campaigned and still campaigning for political positions.

    Unlike their lesser-known contemporaries in politics, these celebs come to office with much swag and popularity. They are already present on people’s radar. With strong social media presence, they come across as likeable, familiar and trustworthy.

    The masses feel like they know them better and are already friends with them. With a penchant for attention and widespread name recognition, celebrities have a unique advantage in politics, where simply getting noticed is the first step towards winning a political campaign.

    From Desmond Elliot, Femi Adebayo, Ini Edo, Kanayo O. Kanayo, Kenneth Okonkwo, Kate Henshaw, Yul Edochie, RMD, Nkiru Sylvanus, Rotimi Makinde, Aina Gold, Banky W, Hilda Dokubo to Dayo Adeneye-D1, the number of celebs in politics is likely to become bigger and bigger as the nation advance in democracy.

    Meanwhile, we invite you to join the discourse by finding an answer to this question: why do you think so many celebs are opting for politics? Share your thoughts in the comments section-Online.

  • Politics devoid of fan craze

    UNTIL religious organisations lose membership by half over failed prophecies or inept leadership of their leaders would political fanaticism wane. However, recent events have proved that social fanaticism which endears revelers especially to entertainers has no much space in politics.

    Wikipedia describes a fan, a fanatic, an aficionado or supporter as a person who is enthusiastically devoted to something or somebody, usually to a band, a sports team, a genre, a book, a movie or an entertainer.

    The Muhammadu Buhari’s and Donald Trump’s elections were pointers to the fact that if there was any crazy logic attached to celebrity fan base, it is foiled by politics, because it seems that when it comes to choosing their leaders, the choice of their cherished celebrity makes little or no difference.

    If the number of celebrity endorsements of a political candidate in Nigeria was anything to go by, former President Goodluck Jonathan could have won the 2015 election that returned President Muhammadu Buhari to power. Indeed, never had the entertainment industry been so divided with majority rooting for the former president. But the electorate separated a fantastic entertainer from who a good role model was. They went for the incumbent president despite the fact that he did not hide his disdain for corruption coupled with his ‘toughness’ as a former military leader.

    So much for Davido’s endorsement of his uncle, Adeleke.

    Americans did the same in 2016 when they shunned the numerous celebrity endorsements of Hillary Clinton and went all hog for Donald Trump despite his controversial, radical and undiplomatic nature.

    Never had America witnessed the kind of aggressive support for a candidate who could have made history as their first female president in a contest that brought her close contender so much hate, over campaign promises that were perceived to be capable of hindering freedom.

    The most prominent of the Clinton campaigners was Katy Perry, who went naked on the social media in a sort of sex appeal that is known to suffice as marketing tool.

    Katy has been stumping for Hillary since the primaries, trending with hashtags like #ImWithHer ball gown. And just after Trump’s “nasty woman” comment, she was one of the first celebs to order a shirt which she wore while campaigning for Hillary on a college campus.

    Katy even used Halloween as an excuse to make headlines for Hillary, undergoing a total transformation, with the help of professional makeup artists and prosthetics, just as she let Clinton use her hit song “Roar” in a final wave of powerful campaign adverts.

    Others celebrities who showed so much commitment to the Clinton cause include Taylor Swift, Chloë Grace Moretz, Lady Gaga, Kim Kardashian, Miley Cyrus and Beyonce.

    Perhaps the most unprecedented support for Hillary was the one from Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican and former California Governor who, in October made headlines when he publicly announced that he would not vote for Donald Trump.

    He said: “For the first time since I became a citizen in 1983, I will not vote for the Republican candidate for president. Like many Americans, I’ve been conflicted this election….But as proud as I am to label myself a Republican, there is one label I hold above all else — American. So I want to take a moment to remind my fellow Republicans that it is not only acceptable to choose your country over your party—it is your duty.”

    With Lady Gaga protesting outside Trump Tower after the election and Katy Perry speaking ‘revolution’, respondents think they are taking their emotions too far.

    “The problem with the so called celeb,” according to one of them, “is that 14 year old school girls who are the only people who are impressed by the likes of Lady Gaga and Katy Perry can’t vote. But Hillary Clinton couldn’t work that one out.”

    “Hopefully, this’ll end the rush for celebrity endorsement. Tiresome and detrimental,” another said who added: “All the celebrities in Hilary’s camp are only mortified because they feel their celeb status was very ineffective to the cause and are feeling worthless this morning as their egos are deflated.”

  • Religion, culture and politics

    I attended  the Annual Lenten Talk of the prestigious Island Club  during the week  and the topic as well as  well  as the speaker  set  the tone for today’s discussion. The topic was – Renewal of the Spirit  and the Reborn Worship in Nigeria, Life in the Spirit, Life  of  Worship ‘.  Immediately  I   saw   the topic  I  prepared   myself  for a boring evening   that  can  only  be gingered    up   by   the  prospect   of  listening  for the first   time to any   sermon or lecture by the new   Bishop  of  the Lagos  Diocese of the Anglican  Communion, Dr H B Olumakaiye.   But  I was pleasantly  disappointed because  the  Bishop  made  such  a strong and  imposing intellectual   delivery  that inevitably   has led to  the  chosen  topic today – Religion, Culture  and  Politics.

    The  new  Bishop  showed  in no small  way  that  as  a theologian,  he is  a master  of  his trade. And while it may  sound almost  commercial  to  use such  terminology to describe  a Man  of God,   I   say it  in absolute good  faith and in admiration   of the contextual  and  cultural  analysis   which  Bishop  Olumakaiye  brought  to bear on the mode of worship in Nigeria, its history and  antecedents  and the need  to make it relevant  and  meaningful enough for Christians to  want  to  go to Church  regularly, to worship  God  in  Spirit  and in truth  as   enjoined  in the Bible.

    At  Question time at the Lecture I  told the erudite theologian  that  it  was a pity he already  had  a Ph D  because  his Lenten  Talk  was a potent and solid   intellectual   submission  on  worship  in any age and clime . I  then  christened  the talk .-‘ Olumakaiye ‘s Philosophy of  Worship  and Religion in Nigeria’. This is no exaggeration and I will show why  in my analysis   of  today’s   topic  that  has  flowed  from Bishop Olumakaiye’e Lenten Talk  at  Island  Club, Nigeria’s  Premier social  club during the week. Let  me also  put  on record  the fact  that  my question  to  Bishop  Olumakaiye  also  included   what    plans  the Nigerian Anglican  Communion  has   to contain the  threat of  gay  rights and  marriage to     Christianity in Nigeria. Especially  as  the Bishop  noted in his Talk that  marriage in the bible is between man  and a woman   and  the  concept  of  better  for  worse in marriage is  biblical  and  not  a  conditional,  or   disposable   fad  as  preached  by   contemporary   prosperity  pastors.

    The  Bishop  lamented  that  Nigerians are a notoriously   religious lot  but   mostly   godless and that church  attendance alone does not make a worshipper  a Man of  God. He  enjoined that  our cultural    values  must  be  allowed into our  mode of worship along with foreign  parts  of the liturgy  which form the  Church’s traditions. This  is in sharp  contrast  to  the policy of  some Anglicans to  bring  in choirs  from abroad and even  trumpeters  when  locally,   drums and other instruments of  worship in our environment  can make  worship  more  contextually  enjoyable  and elevating, spiritually.

    It  is necessary  to look  at the world  at  large  and  our  environment too  to see the significance of  some  of  the issues  raised  at this  Lenten  Talk. If  you  take look  at nations like Ireland  and Australia bedrocks  of astute  Christianity  you  will  see that  things  are  no  longer  the same in  terms  of  religion  and culture. Also  if you see  what  the present Pope Francis  is  doing  you  will  see  a sharp  departure  from  what his predecessor  did   and had  to  retire, an  almost  unheard   thing  for  a Pope. If  you  look at  the politics  of  Nigeria  and  the  US   you  will  see  amazing consensus in Nigeria  on  religion and     politics,  while you  see  in the   US a  dangerous  polarization  and  division  between  the two  major  political   parties in such  a way  that  tolerance  or respect for opposing views on issues and ideology   seem  to have taken a flight  out  of the window in the American  political  system. I  will  illustrate  these issues  one  by one.

    We  start  with  Ireland where the PM is  a gay  man and is proud of it.  Yet  this is Ireland  a great and reputable Catholic  nation.  Surely  values  have changed. In addition this   the  PM is,  in looks more Asian  than European. Yet  Ireland  is  still  regarded  as  a  strong Catholic  nation  globally. Australia   too   has approved  gay  marriages  just  like  Ireland  and  these  are  revered  Christian  nations .Surely  such  liberalism  does  not go down  well  in our part  of the world. But  that is the reality  of   the situation and the change  it  has wrought   with  or without   religion.

    In  the  case of the last two  Popes, a comparison  is inevitable.  Pope  Benedict XVI  is  German  and is an intellectual  giant  and the brain of  the Catholic Church  in terms if doctrine for a long time before he became Pope. He  stood  against homophobia and  ordination of women  priests  by saying that the Church must  stand firm and not bow to the fashion of the times in terms of  culture. Undoubtedly when  the child  abuse  scandals  broke  he had  to go because he was in charge of  discipline in the Church  for  a long  time. His  successor  who  came second when Benedict  was elected Pope,    now  Pope  Francis,    is adapting to the times  and has had  to apologise   on   sickening and pervasive   child abuse   by priests,  and sack  high ranking Cardinals in Chile and Australia in particular. But  the shame on the Catholic Church  because  of the child abuse  and pedophilia case  is  massive  and  will  not  go away  before  doing irreparable  damage to the  Church  And     it remains  to be seen  how the Church will  cope  without breaking.

    In  all  these,   Nigeria presents a  picture  of  consensus  and tolerance  when  you  mix  religion with  politics.  Our  president is a religious  man  of integrity and he is a Muslim. Our Vice President is a Pastor  and  a Professor  of law.  Our  politics  allows  for  balancing and accommodation of religion as is the case in Lagos State  politics for now.  Both  Nigerian Christians  and Muslims are  united on the issue of marriage as between a   man  and a woman as in the Koran and the bible.  And  we  have a law  in place against  homophobia and lesbianism  for which  some Western  nations   hate   us.

    Compare  this with  the situation in the US where   the  Mayor  of  town  is  gay   and   is  the wife  of another  man and is attacking the US Vice President  of intolerance  because  the VP’s  wife  works  for  an organization  that  forbids gay  marriage. In  the  US  feminism    and the Me Too  phenomenon  has  risen  in fury  during  Trump Presidency in which  vitriol is directed against  the president himself  because  of his  alleged    poor  treatment   of women  in the past.  Yet  this president  is getting more popular  with  his core supporters    who   see    such  vilifications  as  undeserving and sheer  distractions  from his achievements.  The  US  president  himself  has branded his detractors as  Cultural  Marxists and   Socialists  while  his opponents in the liberal  sector of American politics see  his policies as Nationalistic, Homophobic and Islamophobic   especially  with regard to immigration. So  the battle line is drawn between  the GOP  the party of  the  Republicans in power  and the Democrats   who  control the Lower House  in the legislature.  Of  course  in all these  religion  seem  to  have lost its authority  given  the child abuse  case of the  Catholic     but Islamophobia  has  been added to the list of hate crimes involving  Jews and  Blacks, the traditional  victims of  racial  discrimination  in  the US. So   culturally  and in terms  of gay  rights American  society  remains  divided and  that  has turned its  politics  into  a divided  house  seriously    at war   against  itself. That  definitely   is not something that other  polities  would  like on their  shores  for now.  Once again, long  live  the  Federal Republic of  Nigeria.

  • Politics and women in governance

    The 2019 elections have come and almost gone as the battles have shifted to the legal front. But a look at the race has shown that women are significantly few in the number of candidates and winners in the election. Except for a few of them that were elected into legislative houses, there were little gains for the women folks in the Nigerian political system.

    Truth be told, the two major political parties – All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) – claim to love the womenfolk dearly. They wax lyrical tunes and political messages to show their interest in advancing the political interest of women in the country, but unfortunately, this is where it ends.

    In the last general election, no woman was nominated governorship candidate of both parties and none was elected. Instead, the best they did was to nominate a few of them as deputy governorship candidates – and like deputy governors all over the country, they do not have any political influence, and their relevance is negligible.

    Statistics put women and youth at almost 80% of eligible voters in the country; yet, they have been ignored politically, except during elections when their votes count.

    In numbers, under the current political system, women’s representation in the House of Representatives is 5.5%; in the Senate, it is 5.8%. Only five out of 73 candidates that ran for president in 2019 are women. In all, 1,668 men and 232 women vied for 109 senatorial seats while 4,139 men and 560 women competed for 360 seats in the House of Representatives.

    Since 2006, Nigeria’s National Gender Policy highlights women’s right to equality in economic, social and political life, with provisions to increase women in elected and appointed positions to 35 per cent—but that hasn’t happened.

    “There have been so many protocols, conventions, amendments of the Nigerian constitution, which support providing a quota system, but in reality, women are excluded in politics,” says Blessing Obidiegwu, Head of the Gender Division for the Independent National Electoral Commission. “Such problems as patriarchy, violence in elections and their economic situation serve as barriers to women’s participation.”

    In 2016, a Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill was tabled, calling for the adoption of temporary special measures to eliminate discrimination in political and public life. UN supported the bill’s passage in five states (Anambra, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi and Plateau) and is currently advocating, alongside partners, for its adoption at the National Assembly.

    Although Mrs. ObyEzekwesili was just one of the six females among the 73 presidential candidates, before she withdrew her candidacy, her role was significant insofar as she was a direct repudiation of the gendered narratives that portray women candidates as incompetent and unable to compete in the world of politics.

    While women make up 47 per cent of registered voters for the 2019 elections, only eight per cent were cleared to vie for electoral positions in presidential elections.

    Furthermore, all six women presidential candidates withdrew their candidacy even though their names remained on the ballot box. Women can expect to remain a significant minority in elected offices under this election cycle.

    Women’s minimal participation in Nigeria has multi-dimensional implications for the democratic project in Nigeria and for the continuing quest for gender equality in Africa’s biggest economy. The 2019 elections is the sixth consecutive general elections since the beginning of the fourth republic in 1999. This marks what is undoubtedly, a measure of democratic progress – if only for conducting periodic elections since the return to civil rule.

    What remains deeply in doubt, however, is how inclusive this progress has been and, in particular, to what extent women have benefited from the democratic dividend of equality and fairness.

    The first of the wife of leaders of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to place a significant role in advancing the course of women was Mrs. Maryam Babangida. With her Better Life for Women programme, she significantly brought to the fore, women’s cause. This was followed by Maryam Abacha, Stella Obasanjo and Patience Jonathan each in their individual ways.

    In the present dispensation, the wife of the president, Aisha Buhari has been very outspoken in her resolve for political inclusiveness for women. A couple of years ago, she openly said to her husband and the political leadership that she would not mobilize the women for him if there are no political changes in the system.

    During the last elections, she and the wife of the vice president, Dolapo Osinbajo introduced and ran the Women and Youth Presidential Campaign for the APC. The success of this was clear through the door-to-door campaign members embarked upon across the country. This is an indelible new introduction into the political lexicon of Nigeria.

    Before the elections, President Buhari repeatedly announced that he will engage more women when he wins his second term. We wait to see whether he will follow his words with action now that he has won his second term.

    Liberia’s former head of state, Ellen Johnson Sir-leaf made history as Africa’s first female president. In the United States, Senator Hillary Clinton has made a positive impact in America’s politics. Also the late Republican Party’s presidential candidate, John McCain picked a woman – Sarah Palin, the governor of Alaska as his running mate for the U.S election. This could be seen as the strong factor women constitute in the political parlance of any nation.

    Today, many countries of the world are making efforts to bridge the gap between men and women in politics. But in Nigeria, the representation of women in government even though has improved is still very low compared to what obtains in other nations of the world, particularly in the developed nations. The representation of women in the last republic, 2003 election, was poor – only three women made it to 109-member senate, while 21 were elected in 360-member lower House of Representatives. As it were, the number of serving female ministers is still very few.

    A greater inclusion of women in the political permutations of political parties in order to win future elections is becoming a reality. Whereas the exclusion of womenfolk has been maintained by successive governments without repercussions, just as it happened in the last elections, the implication of neglecting women may prove costly in 2023.

    There is no doubt that women have some potentials and rights to contribute meaningfully to the development of their country. Therefore, the Nigerian government should work towards achieving gender equality in democratic governance, increase women participation and access to politics. It must be realized that the role of women as homemakers cannot be downplayed in that it equally has an extended impact on their responsibility in service; the feminine touch – they say, cannot be wished away.

     

    • Ayomo is Abuja-based Human Rights Advocate and Media Consultant.

  • Voter enthusiasm in power politics

    WITH the notoriously slim profile of voter turnout for the recent 2019 general election, it may well be that the bulk of Nigerian electors are letting go the handle on who assumes political power in this country to designs from sheer expedience by the political class.

    The 2019 poll has been widely rated as recording the lowest voter turnout in all of elections that have been held under the present republic, which is into its 20th year. This contrasts ironically with the swarming field of power contenders in this latest poll, compared to the contest fields for all previous elections. That is to say while the political elite are getting increasingly motivated to throw their hats in the ring for the power pie, voters who should make the choices from among them are inversely getting demotivated from stepping up to the plate.

    Official data showed that voter turnout for the presidential election held on February 23rd was about 34.7 percent – representing a rollback on records for the 2015 poll, which was about 43.7 percent; 2011, 54 percent; 2007, 58 percent; 2003, 69 percent and 1999, a slight edge beyond 52 percent of respective registered voter population.

    Besides the dip in domestic profile, the turnout for the latest presidential poll is reckoned as the lowest of all recent elections held in Africa, and second lowest ever in the entire electoral history of the continent. The lowest is the 32.3 percent turnout recorded in the 1996 Zimbabwean presidential poll. According to a data set by reputed non-governmental agency, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), which was reported by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) in its newsletter, Rwanda fielded the highest voter turnout of 98.2 percent in its 2017 presidential election. Other countries in the ‘top ten’ league are Equatorial Guinea (2016), 92.7 percent; Angola (2017), 90.4 percent; Seychelles (2016), 90.1 percent; Guinea Bissau (2019), 89.3 percent; Zimbabwe (2018), 86.8 percent; Sierra Leone (2018), 84.2 percent; Kenya (2017), 79.5 percent, Liberia (2017), 75.2 percent and Burundi (2015), 73.4 percent. On the other hand, the ‘bottom ten’ are Cote d’Ivoire (2018), 52.9 percent; Algeria (2017), 49.4 percent; Mozambique (2018), 48.6 percent; Sudan (2015), 46.4 percent; Sao Tome and Principe (2018), 46.1 percent; Democratic Republic of Congo (2018), 45.4 percent; Mali (2018), 42.7 percent; Egypt (2018), 41.1 percent; Cape Verde (2016), 35.5 percent and Nigeria (2019), 34.8 percent.

    If you thought the low turnout for the Nigerian national poll was worrisome, you had more to bemoan in the voter outing for the governorship and state houses of assembly elections held a fortnight later. But the seeming voter disinterest is far from being evenly shared across the country. According to a report last week by PUNCH newspaper, which cited official data aggregation by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), no state in southern Nigeria made up to 50 percent turnout in the March 9th state elections. Delta State made the highest cut at 48 percent of voters with permanent voter cards; and Akwa Ibom, 37 percent, among the others. Lagos, with the highest number of registered voters nationally out of which some 5.5million picked their PVCs before the poll, had less than 19 percent of those eligible voters showing up. Yet, at least in relative terms, many of these southern states have better security environment, compared with the other regions.

    On the other hand, Jigawa State fielded a high turnout at 72 percent of voters with permanent voter cards; Sokoto, 60 percent and Borno, 57 percent despite a long-running challenge with Boko Haram insurgency and displacement of many residents. Others include Plateau State with 54 percent turnout; Taraba, 54 percent; Kaduna, 53 percent and Adamawa, 50 percent. The catch is, talking about security, many of these states are acutely challenged with deadly communal strife.

    The differing levels of voter enthusiasm had as well been evidenced in the sheer statistics of registration and subsequent collection of permanent voter cards – statistics that were made public by INEC before the general election. Of the 84,004,084 registered voters that the electoral body reported to be on its roll, for instance, Lagos has the highest number with 6,570,291 voters, while Kano State runs up with 5,457,747 voters. But in geo-political totals, the North-west zone has the highest number of 20,158,100; South-west, 16,292,212; North-central, 13,366,070; South-south, 12,841,279; North-east, 11,289,293 and South-east, 10,052,236.

    In percentage collection of permanent voter cards by those registered voters ahead of the poll, however, the ‘top ten’ states were Katsina, 98.69 percent; Taraba, 97.30 percent; Gombe, 95.76 percent; Kebbi, 95.13 percent; Bauchi, 94.84 percent; Zamfara, 94.74 percent; Kaduna, 92.79 percent; Yobe, 92.39 percent; Enugu, 91.95 percent and Anambra, 91.21 percent. Among the others, Lagos with its highest voter population size came up with 84.19 percent of PVC collection. The ‘bottom ten’ were Kwara, 81.76 percent; Ondo, 81.13 percent; Edo, 78.11 percent; Jigawa, 77.01 percent; the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), 76.36 percent; Osun, 75.37 percent; Imo, 74.91 percent; Oyo, 74.17 percent; Ekiti, 73.25 percent and Ogun, 71.36 percent.

    It should be apparent that the foregoing pattern indicates the general disposition of electors in respective state / geo-political zone towards the political process and, ultimately, the power dynamics in this country. As such, it isn’t strange to find on election days many eligible voters in those areas where enthusiasm is low applying themselves to non-electoral commitments rather than pitch in at polling centres to vote; whereas voters in areas where enthusiasm is high troop out and form long queues to exercise their franchise. In the final analysis, they effectively determine where the power balance tilts.

    Voter behaviour such as this should explain why it is difficult, indeed impracticable, for a presidential contender to make any headway with his / her aspiration without connecting with voters and securing victory in strategic states and geo-political zones, no matter the credibility appeal of their manifesto. In the last presidential poll in particular, that was the undoing of the candidatures of Obiageli Ezekwesili of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) before she quit close to the day of election, Kingsley Moghalu of the Young Peoples Party (YPP), Fela Durotoye of the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), Tope Fasua of the Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP) and Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim Peoples Trust (PT), among others. It is also why aspirations by youthful candidates have been dead ended, though eligible electors between ages 18 and 50 presently constitute more than two-thirds of the voter roll, and despite statutory boost from the Not Too Young to Run Act.

    But the power elite, out of apparent motivations to lock down block votes through appeal to ethnic and geo-political sentiments of voters, often make it seem like political power is to be handed out on those primordial terms. Trust me, it’s a ruse! It is voters who register, pick up their permanent voter cards ahead balloting and eventually turn out on election days who determine where power goes.

    A major undercurrent of the electioneering that led up to the February 23rd presidential vote, for instance, is the carrot of where presidential power will devolve in 2023. But besides that the major political parties have not been exact about their touted zoning formulae, conventional wisdom teaches that power is never served a la carte, it is taken. And short of violations of the electoral process by political desperadoes, it is voters who take the power when they turn out to exercise their franchise on election days. That is why it is imperative that eligible voters always turn out to vote.

     

    • Please join me on kayodeidowu.blogspot.be for conversation.

  • Should men of God entangle themselves in politics?

    Dictionary definition of politicking is to be engaged in political activity, such as seeking votes. Politicking is an act of intrigues and manoeuvres. A politician, therefore, is one who seeks the votes of the electorates through intrigues and manoeuvres.

    Jesus made it very clear that His disciples are not of this world, even as He was not of this world. And we all know that politicking is of the world, and it is not of God but of the devil, who is the prince of this world and its vain-glories.

    Jesus Christ resisted every temptation of the devil, to entice Him with the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them (Matthew 4:8-10). Jesus also resisted every attempt by the people to make Him a king by force (John 6:15).

    In Judges 9:7-15, Jotham, one of the sons of Gideon, spoke a parable: “The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? 

    “And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees? Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? 

    “Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.”

    The olive tree, the fig tree and the vine tree, in this parable, are symbolic and can be likened to those men of God, who have a divine calling and recognise the importance of a life of consecration to their divine assignment.  So, they will not want to be distracted from their divine assignment by any other earthly assignment.

    The bramble in this parable can be likened to anyone without divine calling in the Lord’s vineyard, and so, will not mind to get himself involved in politicking. Men of God, who actually have a divine calling, are soldiers, who have been chosen by Jesus, the Commander of the army of heaven.

    They are always at war with the unseen forces of the land, and so, if they must please Jesus, they cannot entangle themselves in the affairs of this life, one of which is politicking (2 Timothy 2:4).

    Any man of God, who is in politics, cannot escape the friendship of the world, and being a friend of the world. Such a man of God is an adulterer and an enemy of God (James 4:4.)

    Jesus said in John 18:36 His kingdom was not of this world. So also the kingdom of genuine men of God and of all the saints of God, is not of this world. Their kingdom is yet to come, when they shall reign with Christ as kings and priests (Revelation 5:10).

    Genuine men of God and genuine Christians who are into politicking, and who desire to enter heaven, are therefore warned by the Almighty God to come out from amongst these politicians and be separate and never to touch their unclean thing.

    • George is a member of CHRISTIAN GOSPEL CHURCH

    (The Truth Centre), Benin City, writes in through cgc.com.ng@gmail.com

  • Gbenga Daniel quits PDP, partisan politics

    The Director-General of the Abubakar Atiku Campaign Organisation, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, unexpectedly called it quits with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday, 21 days after Atiku lost the presidential race.

    The former Ogun State governor said he was quitting partisan politics, citing personal reasons.

    Daniel, in a March 14, 2019, letter to the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, said he had “resolved to immerse myself in some other vocations and take on some new challenges.”

    He had, on the eve of the March 9 governorship election, asked his supporters to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Prince Dapo Abiodun who later emerged victorious.

    The letter entitled: Resignation from Partisan Politics  and addressed to the national chairman reads “This is to inform you of my intention to resign from active and partisan politics with effect from today, the 14th day of March, 2019.

    “My decision in this regard is entirely personal to me and having served in various capacities, including as Governor of Ogun State, I have resolved to immerse myself in some other vocations and take on some new challenges.

    “I joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State on Sunday, the 9th of September, 2001 at an event which was described as one of the most ceremonial political rallies in our recent political history in the South Western part of Nigeria. We rose from that rally to create a highly robust and effective political campaign machinery which resulted in an electoral victory for the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State in 2003; this movement and vibration affected the politics of the region positively with a victory in five  states of the South West.

    “I served as Governor of Ogun State for eight years and our administration till today remains a point of reference in terms of physical, social, economic, educational and human capital development since the State was created in 1976.

    “Notwithstanding these widely acclaimed achievements however, our party, the Peoples Democratic Party ran into trouble waters towards the end of our administration (about the year 2009) which led to the sad loss in the election of 2011, and regrettably ten  years after the party has been unable to resolve those internal disputes and challenges.

    “Meanwhile, the PDP in Ogun State was confronted with a very difficult situation in matter of choice. Whereas the national leadership of our party, recognized one candidate for the 2019 election, by court pronouncements another candidate, and in compliance with those court orders, which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognized was on the INEC list. The candidates recognized by INEC were not acceptable to the national leadership of the party. Our situation was then compounded because the candidate which the court and INEC recognized and accepted as valid has also been expelled by the party. This was the dilemma we found ourselves as we approached the March 9, 2019 Governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

    “Going forward, we have responded to the yearnings of our people and joined others in emplacing an administration that we believe will better serve the interests of our people than what currently exists. The rest they say is now history.

    “I must say that looking back, I do not have any regrets over that patriotic choice and decision, especially as several of our citizens, leaders and stakeholders in the state and outside have commended that singular action. Many stakeholders within and outside Ogun State feel fulfilled, excited and grateful about our decision to join others in putting a stop to a regime that was believed to be against the collective and general welfare of our people.

    “Let me also add, that in the last few months, I have had one of the rare privileges of travelling round the entire length and breadth of our great country on at least two occasions; the first being during my campaigns to become the National Chairman of our great party, and later as the Director General of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organization (APCO).

    “I must sincerely admit that in the course of all these travels, I have built a network of contacts, of friends and associates in a mutually rewarding relationships which I cherished most and greatly too. I am therefore persuaded that I have fewer points to make and prove in my political journeys in partisan politics.

    “My decision to quit partisan politics notwithstanding, I have decided to rejuvenate my charity based organization, the Gateway Front Foundation (GFF) which will literally continue to dispense succour to our people in need, address and assist in the areas of some of their health challenges; I also plan on resuscitation of the non-partisan Political Leadership Academy (POLA) which I established some years ago as a platform of political education to our citizens.

    “Without doubt, I will miss the company of my friends and associates and all those relationships I built in the course of the years all over the country.

    “While I crave for your kind understanding, accept assurances of my highest regards.

    Yours faithfully,

    Otunba (Engr.) Gbenga Daniel.

    Governor of Ogun State (2003-2011).

    Daniel’s media aide, Steve Oliyide, confirmed that the letter emanated from his boss.

     

  • Tinubu tasks women on governance

    Sen. Oluremi Tinubu on Tuesday urged women to help and mentor each other to enable them hold more political positions in the country.

    Tinubu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that women in positions should mentor other women to enable more women get to the top politically.

    According to her, a woman who wants to aspire for an office, has to prepare herself and vie for positions.

    “You have to fight for power. You have to be on ground.

    “When officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) came during the Presidential and National Assembly elections, they met me at the queue at 9 a.m. which showed dedication.

    “It takes a lot of price and sacrifice to aspire for higher office; it is not about sentiments.

    “Why do we have too many males in managerial positions; women have to prove themselves to be able to appear.

    “People got to know me when my husband was a governor and I was the first lady. Every opportunity I had to serve, I took it seriously.

    “I see every opportunity as a call of God and I try to put in my best and I am not faint-hearted when it comes to hard-work,’’ Tinubu said.

    Read Also: Oluremi Tinubu: Giving new meaning to representation

    The senator said that the world was a free stage that any woman interested in governance could get on board.

    Tinubu said that she had never aspired to be a governor, saying that when her husband was a governor, by extension she had the opportunity to govern.

    She said that a woman would always find a way to live a balanced life while holding any political position.

    “When I wanted to run for my senatorial position, people asked me  how I would combine the job with my domestic obligations.

    “I have been able to prove this through hard work,” she said. (NAN)

  • ‘Christians have no business in politics’

    Evangelist Sola Rotimi has been a gospel singer after he got born again in the early 70s while working with Nigeria Paper Mills at Jebba. He spoke with Daniel Adeleye on why he relocated to USA, amongst other issues. Excerpts:

    Why did you relocate to the USA?

    As children of God, we are saved to serve. When Jesus ordered his disciples to preach the gospel to all nations, He was not asking us to stay in a certain geographical area. After I got born again at Jebba many years ago, I embarked on evangelism going from one village/town to another.

    It got to a stage that I embarked on train evangelism. At that time train evangelism was very effective in Nigeria. I loved waking up around 4:30 am daily for morning cry through songs of repentance and salvation accompanied by playing of accordion.

    So one particular morning at Ibadan, as I was going on evangelism, I met a man who I later found out his name to be Dr Oluwo. He had a friend who had a big church in London. He gave me his complementary card and asked me to see him in the house.

    So three days later, I decided to trace the address on the card. On getting there he told me how my songs inspired and changed him and so he invited me to his church for songs ministration and I agreed to go. That’s how we became friends even though he was an elderly person.

    One day he sent for me and when I got there, to my surprise he offered to take me to London, that he wanted to prove to the Europeans that there are talents too in Africa. In a nutshell, that’s how I travelled to London in 1980 and that was the first time I left Nigeria shores for evangelism in foreign land.

    So how did you then find yourself in the USA?

    First I got invited. I’ve been travelling to London and other countries like Israel and Switzerland before I got invitation to US and later relocated to the country. I got invited to Israel during the feast of Tabernacle in Jerusalem organised by International Christians Embassy (ICE) in Jerusalem.

    I went there on a visit for at least three times and one of those times I was there for over three months so I had to leave because they wanted to hire me into a Ghanaian church over there. They loved my ministration but I told them that I can’t stay. And coming back I got another invitation to Switzerland before I finally moved to USA in 2004.

    What kind of a church you run over there?

    My mission is Christ Apostolic Church (CAC). So, I belong to Christ Apostolic Church and that’s where I am.

    What brought you home at this time?

    The Christ Apostolic Church clocked 100 years in 2018 and I am one of the representatives that came for the grand finale of the centenary celebration of the church in November. And more so, I am one of the centenary award recipients alongside Lady Evang. Bola Are, Ayewa and Mama Fasoyin of Good Women Choir. Each time I’m home in Nigeria, I always like to release an album. So, after the centenary programme I decided to stay back and work on an album before I go back. And now I’ve completed the album (Eternity) which had also been launched on the 19th of January 2019.

    You’re also using songs to propagate gospel; what inspires you to sing and do you consider the commercial aspect of it?

    After I got born again, I fell in love with the words of God and each time I’m reading the scriptures, inspiration do come on certain verses and before I knew it I will start singing. So I get inspired mainly from the scripture to come up with a particular song.

    At times it could be while listening to a powerful sermon, sometimes it could be from an incident that happened and touches me. Sometimes in the dream but most of the time, the inscription comes through reading of the scriptures.

    My focus is not to make money through songs but to use it as a medium to spread the gospel of Christ and to win souls because I have a burning passion to bring lost souls to the vineyard of God. Besides, Christ admonished us to go into the world and propagate his gospel because we are saved to serve. So my mission is not to amass wealth to myself through songs but to reach souls through songs.

    What do you make of the present day’s gospel artistes?

    Well, I discovered that the peril of an end time has overtaken many. And it’s not strange because what we are seeing now corroborates what Christ had said about end time in the scripture. At the end time, the love of many will wax cold and they will be lovers of money and of their stomach.

    And this is the time; we are in that era, and he who that ignorant of it will easily fall prey of the fake prophets running after money and fame. At times as a minister of songs I discover that many sing to praise men against the wish of God. Although some are genuinely called to the ministry but many sing simply because of earthly popularity and money.

    I always advise my comrades to always give themselves to the reading of scriptures as well as fasting and prayer, which are the only ways to receive strength and get rooted in God.

    Worldly wisdom is vanity. Sometimes when you listen to the songs of some who are not Christians their songs sounds very good, the wisdom might be there but the inspiration for salvation of souls is missing.

    That’s why it’s necessary to seek godly wisdom before we come up with a particular song. There are some gospel songs today that one will not be able to differentiate between them and secular songs. So like I said, it’s a peril of an end time.

    It’s a political season in Nigeria, do subscribe to churches and some men of God endorsing candidates for elective positions?

    Well, to me a Christian is not a politician. That’s why I talked about worldly wisdom. Worldly wisdom is calling on Christians to go into politics because they believe if Christians are there they would do the right thing.

    But they forgot that it’s only God that appoints leaders. If God doesn’t permit that there is nothing anybody can do. Christians are not politicians, our primary assignment is to evangelise and we are to advise, warn and correct the politicians.

    If God wants any Christian to be in politics, God himself will order such person’s step and if such happens it means God want to manifest His glory through that individual. For instance Daniel, Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego in the bible, never contested for any political seat in Babylon but because God wanted it, Daniel became governor and Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego were appointed into positions in government.

    Looking at their lives they didn’t govern like regular politicians, they regarded them as men of God. The people of Babylon consulted them when things were going wrong and solution always come. We also read about Joseph, to fulfill God’s purpose Joseph became prime minister in Egypt. He never struggled to be in power. So it can happen that way.

    I am not ruling it totally though, that God cannot ask someone to go into politics but that would be by divine intervention. Those who are Christians in politics in our country in the time past, what was their impact as Christians while their tenure lasts in government?

    So what’s your reading of the state of the nation at the moment?

    When a nation is against God, a lot of things like what we are seeing now happen. Wickedness has taken over the landscape of Nigeria. Why should a person choose to bathe with blood simply because he is seeking for a political seat? All these things are bound to happen because they have failed to put God in their schedule.

    Nigeria is a country of both of Christianity and Islam, yet the happenings in the nation do not portray us in the righteous light. Shedding innocent blood has become a regular in the land and when such happen, punishment follows.

    We need to move close to God in repentance with total surrender and ask for the wisdom of God. Only then we will begin to see changes. It would have become worse than this if not for the prayers of the saints, so we shouldn’t stop praying.

    What is your counsel to Nigerians in this electioneering season?

    When we all turn to God in prayers, He will direct us. There are many political parties in Nigeria; therefore we should look beyond the regular two big parties. We don’t know maybe the one that God wants to use to change the story of Nigeria is among the upcoming parties but because of the system that had been corrupt we only look at the big parties.

    Nigerians should also endeavour to discourage vote buying and vote their conscience. Some people say they will take the money but still vote for candidates of their choice but I say don’t take the money.

  • PDP to Army chief: don’t drag military into politics

    Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai was yesterday cautioned against dragging the military into politics.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which gave the counsel, urged the Army chief to refrain from acts or actions that could suggest in any way that the military has become an arm of a political party.

    The opposition party faulted Buratai’s allusion to its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, as well as his threats to officers and ranks to execute the orders of President Muhammadu Buhari on ballot box snatchers.

    In a statement by its spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan, the opposition party describes the Army chief’s position as an aberration of the nation’s laws and a recipe for crisis.

    The PDP said that Atiku’s call on the military not to obey unlawful directive was in order and reflected the wishes of Nigerians, as such, he cannot be intimidated by anybody no matter how highly placed.

    The statement said: “Gen. Buratai is counselled to note that the loyalty of the military is to the state and that the President lacks the powers, under our laws, to deploy soldiers for the conduct of elections.

    “Our party urges Gen. Buratai to concentrate on his very demanding assignment of protecting the territorial integrity of our nation and ending insurgency rather than dabbling into partisan politics at the risk of our national cohesion.

    “It is imperative to state that by trying to drag the military to participate in the February 23 Presidential election, President Buhari plots to suspend our constitution, assume the position of an emperor, trigger unrest, subvert our electoral process and derail our democracy.

    “The party directs President Buhari to the judgment of the Federal High Court, Lagos on March 23, 2015, wherein the court, presided over by Justice Ibrahim Buba, directly outlawed the deployment of troops in the conduct of elections in our country.

    “President Buhari should also avail himself of the subsisting judgment of the Court of Appeal, which on February 15, 2015, held that the President has no powers to deploy soldiers in the conduct of elections.

    “The PDP further counsels President Buhari and Gen. Buratai to end their rationalising of military option, as the courts have summarily dismissed their arguments that soldiers are needed to guarantee peaceful elections.

    “It may interest President Buhari to know that the judgment was sequel to a suit filed by the APC Leader in the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, seeking a declaration that deployment of soldiers during elections is illegal and unconstitutional.

    “In case, President Buhari is not aware, as usual, the court directly held that ‘the Armed Forces have no role in elections’ and if soldiers must vote, they must do so in their barracks.”

    “In the said judgment, the court had said ‘the time has come for us to establish the culture of democratic rule in the country and to start to do the right thing particularly when it has to do with dealing with the electoral process, which is one of the pillars of democracy. In spite of the behaviour of the political class, we should by all means try to keep armed personnel and military from being a part and parcel of the electoral process. The state is obligated to confine the military to their very demanding assignment, especially in this time of insurgencies by keeping them out of elections’.

    The PDP alleged that priming of the military ahead of the elections has heightened fears of plots by the governing APC to plunge the nation into crisis and use security forces to subjugate Nigerians.

    It cautioned President Buhari not to use the military against innocent Nigerians.