For meaningful progress in Nigeria, politicians must change their ways -Rev. Boniface

Nigeria, no doubt, is highly endowed with human and material resources by God. However, the socio-economic cum political state of the country today does not justify that endowment.

To an average Nigerian politician therefore, politics is and remains a game of deceit and gimmicks, two principal factors that do not ensure socio-economic and political growth.

Many blame this situation on the failure of successive governments in the country. Others blame the political class who see politics as an opportunity to corruptly enrich themselves.

In their view, politics has become the only healthy industry that can transform its players into millionaires and billionaires overnight, almost.

In this exclusive interview with Rev. Emmanuel Boniface, the General Overseer of Spread Arms International Christian Church, Lagos, he asserted that for Nigeria to make meaningful progress, the negative perception of political players must change. To make the change, the clergy man posited that men of God should be involved in politics.

His words: “The problem is that we call it politics and not leadership. And because of this, people go there with the mindset to play gimmicks, deceive the people, make money and leave.

The day we begin to look at politics as leadership which is a call to serve, then people will go there to lead.

“So why men of God should get involved is because men of God are called to lead; the same people a governor is governing are the same people men of God are leading.

Men of God should join to ensure that these other people leading on the physical side and the economic side do not mess up the system because when they do, the Pastor will struggle to convince the people on why they should lead right because there is hunger in the land.

“You want me to lead right while the other people who are leading on the other sides are messing up the economic system. When this happens, people will steal and sometimes church people too; not because they want to do so, but because they are boxed to a corner; they have bills to pay, children to look after and of course themselves to care for. They even have responsibilities to the church.

“So if you do not lead them economically correct, it will neutralise what the pastor is preaching in the church.

Pastors should go into the political arena and transform it to leadership arena. Until politicians see politics as leadership, we will never get it right in Africa; though they may get it right in Europe because what we call politics here is seen as leadership in Europe.

“Here we see it as go get it all for yourself and your family. You see, even in the developed climes where politics is seen as leadership, men of God are involved.

You know the story of Rev. Martin Lurther King (Jr), Rev. Jessie Jackson and many others. So what makes the difference here? By the way, Jesus as a King is going to have a physical kingdom in this world and it is going to be all inclusive-political, social, economic and spiritual.

“So if as a preacher I’m called to be the governor of my state for eight years, what is wrong with that? And so, there is nothing wrong with a Pastor Tunde Bakare wanting to be the vice president or Pastor Chris Okotie wanting to be the president of Nigeria.

It does not take away his pastoral calling. In fact, VP Osinbajo can still preach or teach in a Sunday school class.”

Speaking further on why men of God are not often supported by their immediate constituency, Christian bodies, Rev. Boniface reasoned that most Christian leaders are spiritual but not civilised.

“Civilisation has to do with people having a broad mind and being trendy with their time. King David was a leader yet anointed.

King Solomon was a prophet yet a leader. Moses, the meekest man on planet earth fit into it all, while Aaron was a high Priest, king and ruler over the people.

“So the body of Christ here in Nigeria is spiritual but not civilised. When they get civilised enough, they will know that it is the right thing to do.

They can actually balance the two. You may not be able to multi-task, yet that does not mean that the other person cannot multi-task.

If people can be pastors and bank managers, as tedious as bank work is, who says you cannot be a pastor and a governor?” he enthused.
Kaduna killings.

Reacting to the mindless killings in Southern Kaduna by alleged Fulani herdsmen and the call by Apostle Joshua Sulaiman on Christians to arm themselves, the fiery preacher said, “In the first place, the message of God is not a message of peace.

The message of God is the message of salvation and peace is the way of the Lord.

“While God wants us to live in peace, sometimes, the God of peace has to crush Satan under His feet to ensure peace. (Romans, 16:20).

“Sometimes, we have to pass through war to get peace. History has shown over and over again that peace is not total absence of friction.

“Therefore, if that is what can stop the herdsmen from killing innocent people, then it should be used.

If keeping quiet cannot stop them, then let’s use the one that will stop them because people are dying the death they shouldn’t and we should not shy away from using the method that will work.”

On whether the church is playing its role effectively in society building, given the number of churches and the growing moral decadence, the clergy man said, “In Matthew 5:14, Jesus said “Ye are the light of the world.”

If you have this level of vices with the multitude of churches across the country, I am sure you don’t want to imagine what would have happened if the churches are not there.

The day you remove the churches, there will be so much darkness in the land and the bloodbath we are witnessing would be a child’s play. God forbid that we should get there.”