It’s only true federalism that can make a difference in this country –Olaitan
Olaitan Olarewaju Olusegun came to Abia State as a youth corps member; he later started a phone call business in Umuahia after his service year which later translated into a limited liability company.
Today, Olaitan is the General Overseer of the Hours of Salvation Church, the Triumphant Chapel International. In this interview with SUNDAY NWAKANMA in Umuahia, Pastor Olaitan speaks on many national issues, advising that this is the time the country should be restructured economically.
*****How is it like managing a church in an environment like that of Abia State, especially, Umuahia?
Psalm 33 Verse 12 said, “Blessed is that nation whose God is Jehovah” every part of Nigeria is great and God has been faithful. He has been good to us, but it can be better.
****How?*
We will continue to pray and hope for God to make positive impact and change in our economy, improve our security and also make the economy attractive to foreign investors to come and invest in our land.
*****The President, Muhammadu Buhari has been sick and people are calling for his resignation. What do you think is the proper thing to do now?
One thing I believe is for us to rely more on God and pray. God Himself will show us what we need to do. In the bible, David was in this kind of problem and circumstance. God will do something about his health and he will be fit to rule because we voted for him.
******Can the present economic condition of Nigeria be managed through religion?
No, it cannot be managed through religion.
*****That is through prayers?
Prayer can do a whole lot of things, but even God worked. In the bible, Jesus was telling his disciples that he and his father worked. So we need to work, and we need employment. We need things that can actually benefit the economy. Prayer cannot really just do the magic on the economy. We need to work on our economy and it has to be done by the people in authority and they have to make policies and decisions that can help us go forward. No doubt that all acknowledge that there is recession and if there is recession, you don’t just fold your hand and be looking at it. We have to do something about it. It is the job of those in authority to sit down and strategise, put up a system, a structure that will benefit the whole nation.
******What will be your advice to Christians over this recession?
The recession is causing a lot of problems everywhere. Even in the churches, we are feeling the heat from the moment the recession started and can tell you how things have been. We always work with the commandment of God according to Isaiah Chapter 60, Verse 1 which says, “Arise and shine, you light has come. There will be darkness upon the earth and a gross darkness upon the people’. This we already know. He had also advised us that Christians should endure hardship. So what I will say to Christians is that we should endure not speak like unbelievers, but should hold on to our fate, not bow down to demonic activities, but should continue to pray and should work. So Christian should not only be going to church to pray, speak in tongues and be fasting but should work. If the government can’t create the required work, we should try as much as possible to begin to create some little things, humble ourselves and start small things that we can survive on.
******How do you see Nigerians investing outside the country?
It is the same thing all over the world. If you have listened to President Trump, he said people have taken all the investment in America to China. It is not a Nigerian problem, but the truth is that our system needs to be upgraded and leaders need to do something fast so that the whole noise can come down. We need a turn around and I believe that God will help them to take the right decisions so that this nation will not go into war. We do not need it.
*******Politicians are making statements that help to heat up the polity, especially over the recent Arewa Youths threat to Ndigbo in the North. What will be your advice to them?
The truth is that if you say somebody is a dog, the dog will bark. There are some things that there is nothing you can do about. It is in our system that has tribes and beliefs and definitely, everyone will speak according to his level of understanding. In Nigerian system there is always one side that is inciting. Before it was the OPC, at another, it was others. It is their turn to make that noise, nothing is going to happen. So, our brethren should be steadfast, focused and continue doing the work. We will continue to pray and God will always have the final say.
******2019 is around the corner and politicians are preparing
We are the ones that are supposed to be preparing more than them, because we are the ones that desire these things more than them. Christians should be preparing for 2019, so that we should not continue to say we will not vote, or we will continue to be under hardship. When the people that we do not want in power continue to rule us, they will continue to make rules that will continue to bring us backward and that is why Christians should start registering. I have gone to do my registration card with my wife because we need to vote, and anybody that is of voting age in my commission all over the five states we are in, has to vote and have a voice. It was the church that put Donald Trump in authority in the US. It was something else, the way the church as the power of the church is the power of the people. So it is not about politicians, we all have a part to play.
******Restructuring of Nigeria has become a daily cry, what is your view?
At the level of this nation, something like this will always come up. When there is no true federalism, there will always be agitation, but the truth is that we on the other side that are not in power or in authority should not as our power is not beyond our altar and those who believe in whatever we say should not agitate. The bottom line is that as long as we are not practicing true federalism, there will always be agitation and it is going to take time for us to have a structure and a process that is going to be from agitation to reconciliation and then we have to stay the structure which is presently not the way it should be and the way it should be run. So, we have to restructure the country.
******But there are those who don’t want the restructuring
I don’t think there is such a person. There is nobody that will say it is well with Nigeria apart from those of us who are in faith and who are trained by the word of God that even when your child is dead, never to use negative word, but “it is well”. It is what we say that we will see and that is the faith that we talk about. In the real sense of it, any sane person will tell you that we need this country to move forward because God has done everything and He has given us people who can actually run this country effectively.
******What is your general advice to Nigerians?
We should keep calm. Nigeria is yet to recover from the effect of what happened 50 years ago. We should also be focused, keep praying and work very hard. Nigerians need to work hard, either being employed or creating something small to work hard. God has given us the creative mind and we have the population we can use to make anything work in this country. People should stop putting our trust in the government, but in God and find something doing as the salary cannot improve anyone’s life. Even small backyard farming will do the magic.
