Regional Secretary, International Fellowship of
Evangelical Students (IFES-EPSA), the Rev Gideon Para-Mallam, works in 24
African countries. The Jos-based widely travelled cleric speaks with Sunday
Oguntola on the state of the nation. Excerpts:
What’s your assessment of the state of the
nation?
I believe the most pressing challenges facing us
are the sovereignty of Nigeria and socio-political upheavals. Sometimes,
appearances belie action. I am aware that intense efforts are on in the
background to checkmate these needless outbursts from IPOB, Northern Youths,
Oduduwa Youths, Nigeria Delta Youths, etc which seek the division of Nigeria
into tribal enclaves.
I also believe a lot is being done to stop this
unfortunate development at this time in the life of our nation. There are
northern, Igbo, Yoruba, Ijaws, middle belt leaders doing a lot behind the
scenes to bring sanity into the discordant voices of division and confusing
ringing loud in our nation.
I believe the president’s return last weekend and
his address to the nation on Monday should bring a measure of assurance and
stability to Nigerians. More importantly, the president’s address points us in
the right direction – we all should be routing for a united Nigeria.
The president needs to act through policy and
appointments in showing his call for unity beyond words. Vice President Yemi
Osinbajo, then acting president, swung into action by his meetings with various
leaders across the political spectrum of Nigeria. He is to be highly commended.
There is hope for Nigeria.
IPOB does not have the rest of Nigeria with it.
It’s the same with the Northern Youths. IPOB’s disparaging comments about
northerners is to be condemned in the strongest terms possible and same goes
for the genocidal inciting statements credited to some ethnic jingoists in the
north.
The government should continue doing her best in
creating an environment for constructive dialogue in this and other matters.
In essence, the religious quit notice issued by
Boko Haram in December 2011 has in some ways motivated these politically toxic
ethnic-driven quit notices being witnessed in Nigeria today.
These groups are capitalising on the precarious
security situation in Nigeria. Our youths should not follow the failed examples
of issuing quit notices because it simply will not work. They can be different.
No romanticising with Boko Haramisation. Quit notice is an ethnic-cleansing
agenda reminiscent of the tragic events of Rwanda and Burundi.
So, you believe the quit notice won’t stand?
It’s won’t stand because the Army is a no push
over. They have done a lot and should also be commended. Defending the
territorial integrity of our nation is not in doubt. It is the ethnic
radicalisation of our youths that worries me and for which we all need to
rise-up and say NO!
I hope it is not true what is credited to the
Northern Youths leader who said they were asked by some elders in the north to
issue the quit notice. That will be unfortunate, if indeed true. Had Nigerians
risen in unison to condemn the pogroms of 1966, the unfortunate civil war of
1967-1970 may have been averted.
Quit notices are only pretexts for laying the
foundation for xenophobic attacks on fellow Nigerians and our president and the
Commander in Chief has said NO. We all need to queue up behind him on this.
This is not the time for politicking but standing up for Nigeria.
The young people of Nigeria are frustrated, very
frustrated with the systemic corruption on display in Nigeria, but I can assure
you that they are no allies of either IPOB opportunists or Arewa radical
elements. Most of these agitations reflect incompatible interests between our
political leaders and those they govern.
There is nothing wrong in having such political
pressure groups in the country. However, such groups lose their legitimacy to
advocate for the people if they start becoming violent. Their resort to
political threats and blackmail is unhealthy and should not be countenanced.
Do you believe in how the president’s health issue
has been handled?
Anybody can fall sick, even presidents. The secrecy
with which this is being handled is reminiscent of the Yar Adua days and this
is worrisome. I still believe the president should come clean and tell
Nigerians exactly what the issue is with his health. He will get more respect
and empathy in the long run. The silence and secrecy hurts him more and his
presidency.
I am glad our president is back and feeling good
with his health. We wish him speedy and full recovery. However, I believe we
should find a Constitutional solution to the issue of Mr. President’s prolonged
absence due to his medical condition.
The fact remains he is the president of Nigeria and
his health is no longer a private matter. I will humbly add that without being
politically correct, Buhari’s sickness is affecting the soul of our nation.
What’s your take on the restructuring debate?
We must not always politicise everything. Nigerians
today are far too sophisticated politically to be deceived by sweet talkers,
who cajole and threaten as it suits them. Truth telling is a scarce commodity
in Nigeria’s political landscape. We talk about fighting one another and war as
if this were going to a tea party.
I favour a peaceful restructuring of Nigeria with
sincerity and openness through genuine dialogue among Nigeria’s constituent
members. Sometimes, I quietly ask myself and now I am asking in the open – ‘who
is afraid of restructuring Nigeria and why?’
I think this nation stands to gain more by
restructuring than remaining the way it is today. Issues of socio-economic
tensions are bound to be eased with restructuring. It should be clear to all
that Nigerians are tired of this dominant – command and control – centre. True
federalism requires functional autonomy at the lower levels.
The nation needs to undergo what many in
development circles call Organisation Development (OD) overhaul. We need to
keep asking ourselves what are the present strengths and weaknesses of Nigeria?
Let’s do a national environmental scan (appraisal) and together agree and find workable
solutions, going forward.
Is Nigeria cursed based on where we are?
Nigeria is not under any curse. I will also like to
ask under curse by who and for what reason? We are where we are today because
of sheer greed and thirst for political power for the wrong reasons.
For example, policy making should be about
benefiting our countrymen and women. This does not seem to be an operational
guide to our politicians. The wealth God has blessed this country with is
enough to go around if shared equitably and with a high sense of justice which
is rooted in fairness. Instead, what are we witnessing?
Our wealth has been looted, misused and
mismanaged in favour of the few who are in the political class and their
cronies. Some of our politicians behave more as merchants than as servants of
the people. Leadership is about vision and service. But what we see is more of
the me first or my
family/cronies mentality from our politicians.
Majority of Nigerians feel marginalised and this
perception is growing with each passing day. This is regardless of what
political party they belong to or whoever the presidential occupier is at Aso
Rock Villa.
The present occupier, Muhammadu Buhari, whose
change agenda brought him into power, remains so far, a lost golden opportunity
unless something tangible is done to bringing change to Nigeria.
The change platform on which APC campaigned in 2015
has become an illusion for a majority of Nigerians – even as 2019 approaches.
Do you think Nigeria is redeemable?
Nigeria is definitely not beyond political,
economic and spiritual redemption if the issue of greed is addressed. Leaders
who promote sectionalism and religious bigotry will continue to keep this
nation backward. The populace needs to reject blind allegiance to ethnic and
religious champions, especially those who masquerade as quality leaders but in
essence are not. Rejecting them will see this nation moving on the path of
redemption. Nigeria is redeemable!
What should Christians be doing at a time like
this?
You have asked a good question. The point is the
Church needs to engage in double-listening – to God and the issues of which
confront our nation and in introspective reflection on happenings around us
rather than be reactionary.
Christians should pray and by their act, promote a
corruption- free Nigeria. Christians should work assiduously for the unity of
Nigeria. Christians alone can make a redemptive difference in changing Nigeria.
Pastors should never allow themselves to be bought over by the government.
The love of money in the name of prosperity gospel
is so high among pastors in Nigeria. Prosperity is not unbiblical but its
pursuit has resulted in the promotion of a gospel of materialism and
consumerism. There is so much entertainment and motivational preaching rather
than sound doctrines.
What’s been happening in IFES-EPSA lately?
IFES-EPSA has witnessed significant growth with
many university and college students coming to faith in Christ. This represents
bright hope for the future of Christianity in Africa and at the global stage.
God-fearing Christian students represent God-fearing leaders for the future of
this continent.
The region has experienced modest but steady growth
since inception from less than 10 student movements in 1960. Today, EPSA has
presence in 24 countries. In July 2008, there were just 100,000 students.
By April 2014, the number rose to 155,450. Today,
EPSA has 185,000 students, who are followers of Jesus Christ on the university
and college campuses of Africa. EPSA students constitute 40 percent of the
entire student membership in IFES.
The student ministry context in the region has
changed rapidly over the last decade as countries experience population growth,
urbanisation and economic expansion. The number of higher education colleges
established has increased and so also access to education.
Others have witnessed extreme persecution and
political repression. The 24 national movements in EPSA are at different levels
of growth.
The
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