As both leaders and citizens of Nigeria continue to explore various methods in combating the current security challenges facing the country, Octogenarian, Senior Pastor of Soul Winning Chapel, Rev. Dr. Moses Iloh, attests that the present travail is an expression of bottled anger and acrimony in Nigerian youths after years of neglect and poverty and that the crisis will continue unless government takes drastic measures, not only to provide employment for the aggrieved youths but also punish looters of Nigeria’s wealth (regardless of their status and class), who hitherto are being celebrated and left to go free. He spoke with Senior Correspondent, Aramide Oikelome. Excerpts:
Moses Iloh
How would you access the current state of insecurity in Nigeria? So many problems have presented themselves within President Jonathan’s tenure and solution seems to be out of sight. Things we hardly hear about are now starring us in the face. What went wrong?
Well! I have a clear perspective of the situation. What is happening is the consequence of corruption and I don’t want corruption to be interpreted as just taking money. When you narrow it down to kleptomania, then you miss the point. This country is corrupt. Leadership is corrupt. Mannerism is corrupt. Justice is corrupt. What does corruption mean, it means spoiling. Today in Nigeria, people talk about Islam and Christianity as the main religion but the truth is that there is a bigger religion than the two and that religion is called destruction and the component parts of that religion are fraud and corruption. It is a religion that knows no tribe, no creed, sex or class. When it comes to stealing and killing Nigeria, all the people meet and unite there. Christians meet with Moslems there. On Sunday we go to Church. Moslems go to the Mosque on Friday all that is farce when it comes to the tenets of this religion. All that matters is to steal, kill and destroy. Now, let us look at some instances. You say you are going to give improved electricity supply. This has not come and you have increased the tariff.People get sick, there is no medication. Pensioners are dying without their money. There are no jobs. People are owed salaries. Justice is perverted. At the same time, these aggrieved people are reading how powerful those who have caused the problem are. So, there is an element of bottled bitterness, bottled disgruntleness, bottled acrimony; looking for a way to explode. Now, you talk of the menace of Boko Haram. Boko Haram is not a religious war; it’sjust that those who are practicing it happen to be Muslims. After all, they kill Muslims too. It is bottled anger, which is likely to continue. At a time, Odua People’s Congress (OPC) was violent in the West and they were recognized and today they have honour. Militants in the Niger/Delta were once a threat to the nation but today, they are being honoured.
They have been given scholarship to Germany, Israel, and South Africa etc. So, these Boko Haram guys also want to be recognized. There is a group in the East called MASSOB. They are not violent; they just stage peaceful demonstration and say they want Biafra State but we treat them like dogs. If they want to be recognized, they will also become violent.So, what this country needs to do is not the tenure of Police and Army because people know that this country is corrupt and committed to stealing. Now, this is what Nigeria needs to do, take one or two big crooks, who have stolen money; two from each region, North, East, West and South. Then put together a highly reputable special court to try them because the country has been told that they are corrupt. Allow them to have the best of lawyers. Let it be an open trial. If after all these you find them guilty, jail them. Confiscate everything that they stole. Convert their big buildings to some kind of factories where youths can be gainfully employed.
Is that not what EFCC is doing?
EFCC is a clay-footed farce. It is doing nothing. When you talk of EFCC, you should think of the origin. The birth of a baby determines where the baby is going to. Yes, EFCC was created by ex-President Obasanjo to punish crooks that were against him. It is punitive. Remember that in Obasanjo’s time, many governors were so fraudulent. He never touched any because they were all loyal to him. But the moment you raise your head in protest, Ribadu came after you. So, EFCC is just a punitive kind of farce. It cannot check corruption. Even when crooks are arrested, none has been brought to book or dealt with. So, the people are waiting. If you do that, the youths will say, “Yes! Our country is now cleaning the whole mess up.” Nobody will pick up a gun or knife.
They will have expectation for a better tomorrow. If government does that, then you turn their attitude from destruction to preservation of Nigeria. But right now, the slogan is- If you can’t have it, destroy it. All is not about law and order; do something so visible for them to see that corruption is being dealt with. Everything in this country will change because over forty million youths in this country have no jobs and the bitterness is there. Is it so easy? You send your children to university, they graduate and for two years you are still feeding them, giving them pocket money, giving them clothing. Do you think it is easy? The solution is to let them see that corruption has been killed.You will be surprised that there will be such a radical change for the best in this country.
But despite all government’s effort to dialogue with the insurgent group, they have continued to waste lives and properties. What else can government do?
They have no choice because sooner or later, a new group will start in South/South or other parts and before you know it, this country is consumed.Let government starts what I have just recommended. These aggrieved youths will change; they will sheath their swords and await the transformation. Just let the government be sincere in dealing with offenders, no matter their status or influence. Everybody will say, “This is a new thing. What are we fighting for?” but if you don’t do it, they will not stop. You know, if government had started by building roads, hospitals, schools etc and people are working there, who will carry any gun?
Is there anyway religious leaders can help to quell these crises?
Unfortunately, the religious leaders are equally corrupt. You see, the salvation of any nation is the church, where you have the righteous. But today in Nigeria, the church is in tags and rags. What you call CAN- Christian Association of Nigeria, is a tattered umbrella. CAN cannot ask anybody to go on the streets and they obey. CAN speak for those who are in government; they don’t speak for the church.CAN today is a house of confusion, buttressed by arrogance. This is a disaster because one day, the youths will stone a preacher from one of these very big churches. They will say we have seen enough of corruption; they will stone him while he is preaching. It will come one day; hence we need to start something now. And the church, instead of talking and talking should now look inward. What I leave with the church is simple- the Lord told Joshua, “No man shall be able to stand before you. Wherever the sole of your foot shall tread upon shall be yours.” But when Joshua was defeated by a small city called Ai, he cried unto God and God said, “This is not time to cry. Look inward.” What the church needs to do today is to look inside. We in the church have the accused thing- stolen money, raiment, gold and silver. The church in Nigeria cannot save this country because they have also been caught in this milieu.
This pretence is not right. Deceiving people by saying-“Fast and pray for Nigeria” is not correct. Fasting and praying cannot bribe God. Let me tell you what the Lord told me early this year. He said to me, “Son, I have permitted fraud and corruption to have a frontal confrontation, fraud in form of money, human beings, arms and ammunition to invade the church because they have failed to hear the cry of the poor widows and needy. I have allowed this battle and it is going to be fierce. The house is going to be divided against itself and there will be a fall. My people should not pray against it but should prepare themselves to occupy till I come.” Nobody wants to hear this but He says clearly, “If my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves, pray and repent, then I will hear and heal their land.” So, all the church needs do now is to look inside. Today, they are competing, running after money. If they don’t take time, what is happening outside will catch up with them and destroy them, God does not live in a building made with hands; so if the people there are evil, what is happening outside will happen inside. The church could be the solution to our problems but presently, the church is also in that religion called destruction. If the religious leaders are sincere to themselves, it is time to look inward. God’s word is faithful but there is consequence for disobedience. Without repentance, fasting and praying is a farce. Christians should be so straight and clean, honest and transparent that they go into politics and bring life and light to the poor. But the church has to first look inward because faith without works is dead. Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven.” What can the church in Nigeria show? Pastors say if you don’t come to my church you can’t have a miracle. They boast as if miracles are guaranteed in the name of the church, not in the name of Jesus. Jesus is the head of the church and in Him, there must be no schism but today, the body of Christ has been torn with knives and so dismembered that when God comes he says judgement will start in his house. If Nigeria must change, then the church must repent and change. All religious leaders must unite to lead by example. They must stop paying lip service. They must uphold the tenets of equity and justice.