We Were Virtually In A Banana Republic Under Jonathan - Bishop Mike Okonkwo

In the run-off to the 2015 general elections, the presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), Dr Mike Okonkwo, was one of the few Christian leaders who backed President Muhammadu Buhari during private meetings and consultations.

You have been labelled a supporter of the government of change…

(Cuts in)… But everyone should love change. Everyone should work for change. For me, my interest politically is whoever will deliver dividends of democracy for the nation. Regardless of that person’s religious persuasion, as long as he can deliver, he has my vote. Even if he is a heathen, I will vote for such a person.

But people are asking ‘is this is the change we voted for’?

That is the issue I keep talking about. Nigerians are naturally impatient and we chicken out once there is a little pressure. We will say we don’t want again. I read somewhere in the social media a young man who said we should go back to corruption since things appear not to be working out well.  I said so we should go back to the vicious cycle? I replied the young man and said he was talking nonsense. Yes, things are not too stable but that is to tell you the rot the nation has degenerated to. You see, we are not fighting corruption. Nigeria is corruption. Everywhere you turn, every sector you turn, you find corruption.

From the messenger to driver to the boss, everyone is involved. Corruption has become a second nature to us. The truth is you hardly find anyone that has not been dragged into the industry of corruption. It is as bad as that. Corruption has become the biggest industry in the nation.

Now that Buhari is there, it will be foolhardy to say things will change overnight. Buhari will not completely eradication corruption because it’s been with us for decades.  If anyone is expecting Buhari to change this even if he stays for 15 years, the person is not being sincere. I believe the current administration is fighting so hard to put things in place. The things we are seeing is corruption fighting back. We have saboteurs in the system that will take time to be detected and flushed out.

There are people enjoying where we were. They were making it with the situation we had then. They have a lot of money in their hands so they can do anything; they can create problems. But if we endure a lot, I believe things will be better.

Do you believe this administration will deliver?

I believe so with all my heart. I believe the current crop of leaders will fix this nation. That is why some people are fighting them back. It is because they know within themselves that they can deliver.

What is the basis of that belief?

Why not? They have wonderful programmes. The budget has just been passed. So, let’s watch between now and end of the year for things to start taking shape.

Do you share the belief that government should declare amnesty for all corrupt Nigerians?

I believe that we should but with stringent conditions. If you have stolen money and you are willing to willingly refund, you can access amnesty. But amnesty does not mean we should not run after all the looters of our treasuries. They have been able to accumulate too much, even more than the nation. The government has recovered so much of the loots and they should go even after more looters.

But we haven’t felt the impact of the loots reportedly recovered…

…That is because government has not declared how much was recovered. Besides, they cannot spend monies without passage of the budget.  I know that a lot of these monies will be channelled towards projects that have been outlined.

But there is the concern that this government seems only interested in spending the next three years chasing thieves. Will that be a good direction to face?

Government is not chasing thieves. It is EFCC that is chasing looters; it has just been suddenly awoken. The government is working; the ministers have just been appointed and things are running.  It is not Buhari that is running after thieves. The system in place will pursue the looters. We cannot leave them to enjoy our commonwealth.  I mean, they have stolen monies meant for us and must vomit them by force.

In few weeks, this administration will be one. How do you assess its performance so far?

My performance appraisal is that at least people are running away who stole money. There is an awareness that impunity cannot continue. If nothing, that is a great step forward. I agree there are certain indices that are still expected but I believe that we have gone passed the period where people just did anything and got away with everything. That was what happened with the last administration. The nation just got to a point where it was more or less a banana republic. People could do anything and government cared less.

Nigerianmonitor

Advertise here