Politics
A group, Advocates for Rights Leaders Association (ARLA), also known as ‘Believers in Politics’ (BIP), has urged Christians to participate actively in Politics in Nigeria.
Mr Segun Okeowo, National President of the group, who spoke with newsmen during the association’s national conference tagged: “When the Righteous Rule” held in Ilorin on Sunday, said Christians should not see politics as dirty and forbidden.
Okeowo said that righteousness was essential to achieving the country of our dreams.
“When the righteous rule the people rejoice. What we need in this nation is righteousness, which means doing things the right way.
“Nigeria is not poor, nothing is wrong with us except leadership. Once we get leadership right everything in Nigeria will be sorted out.
“So, there is a lot we as Christians can offer in terms of righteousness and good leadership in Nigeria.
“A lot of young people are not politically educated. The understanding of most young people in Nigeria is “chop I chop”.
“That is not what Awolowo, Azikwe and Sardauna stood for, we cannot survive in the nation with the kind of young generation we have.
“If our young people going into politics have “what is on ground” attitude, then Nigeria is doomed”, he said.
He urged Christians to participate actively in politics at all levels of government so as to effect a positive change in the country.
“The understanding of many Christians is that when you go into politics, you have joined the devils.
“I have met a lot of politicians, who may not necessarily be Christians but they hold integrity in high esteem.
“When I joined politics and as an evangelist in the church, I lost many of my friends, they thought I had gone to dine with the devil.
“But today they have come to realise, that I am still very much in the faith. What I think we should know is that as citizens of Nigeria, we have a right to participate in the Politics of our nation”, Okeowo said.
In his lecture, Pastor Temidayo Eseyin identified disunity as one of the major challenges of Christians in politicking.
“Disunity among believers should end; the issue of belonging to denominations in Christendom does not encourage politics.
“We should learn to support other believers, no matter the church they belong to, we are all of God and we must understand what life entails.
“The main thing is to maintain righteousness, when in authority and also understand who you are in Christ,” he said.
Eseyin said that Christians have roles to play on earth with heaven in focus, adding that there was need for creativity in Politics.
He led prayers for the country and the leaders, asking God to direct the affairs of the nation, give wisdom to our leaders and for the security of Nigerians both within and outside the nation.
One of the participants, Pastor Samuel Adedayo, said that the conference was an eye opener for believers to see politics as a way of effecting change and not see it as evil.
“I am happy that a lot has been said about unity among Christians, we need to stand united and support one another.
“Politics is not dirty; it is people who have bad intentions when they are there that make it dirty that is why we as righteous believers should be involved. It is indeed an eye opener,” he said.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that no fewer than 100 participants were present at the conference, with delegates from Lagos, Osun and Ogun states among others.
-NAN
BE
– July 29, 2019 @ 10:00 GMT /
Tags: Group tasks Christians on active participation in politics
