I know we tend to be biased when it comes to one of our own seeking anything good. We have the tendency to ignore or put aside all the parameters with which we judge and assess others. I know we are gullible with anything that is wrapped in the cloak of Christianity especially when it comes to men of God. I also know that I may be standing alone on this position but I know for sure that I’m not alone.
While we all share a strong desire for a godly and god-fearing person to become the next president of our beloved nation Nigeria, I want to out rightly reject the candidature of Pastor Tunde Bakare as a vice-presidential candidate in the next election.
What qualifies Bakare for this position? What prior position has he held that give him the right to want to vie for the highest office in the land? How has he performed in his own church? While not disputing the fact that every Nigerian has the constitutional right to vie for any office he or she so desires, we know very well that it is not every one that qualifies for that office. Does pastoring a sizeable congregation give one the right to that office? Does activism or being a socio-critic confer on one the right to seek that office? What movement has he led? What project has a spearheaded for Nigeria? In which office or position or organization has he distinguished himself in the past? Even in Nigerian evangelical circle, where is Pastor Bakare?
If being called the “convener” of the SNG is what qualifies him for this office, then let every union leader go and get a form also. Let all Human Right activists go and register a party.
While we all appreciate the role he has played in the recent past of Nigeria history that is not synonymous with approval for the highest office in Nigeria. Nigerians love the late Lagos lawyer, Gani Fawehinmi, but that did not result in any electoral dividend for him. Nigerians are content for them to remain in the task God has committed into their hands—speaking for the downtrodden masses of our country.
Looking at what played out at the demise of Umaru Musa Yar’adua, we now know well that a serving vice-president can become the president of the nation. So when we are considering any candidate for that position, we need to have in mind that the fellow can become the substantial president tomorrow. That is why we need to scrutinize anyone seeking that office just like the way we will do a presidential candidate.
I am of the opinion that Pastor Bakare should be content with the mission God has given him in life, and that is a prophet and a voice for the church and the masses of this nation. Critics have never been known to be good leaders. In fact, when given any office they have been found to perform worse than even the self-seeking politicians we have in the country. I know all kinds of corruption scandals our union leaders in the university faced, and these were the same people that graduated to become leaders of one movement or the other in the society.
A man that sees no good in other people is not fit to rule Nigeria. A man that does not appreciate God’s grace on others is not qualified to vie for any position of leadership. A man that sees himself as the only righteous one is not qualified for that office. If at all, let him remain in his parish and be doing all the criticism that his “God” has commissioned him to do.
I know some are quick to compare the Buhari/Bakare ticket to the Buhari/Idiagbon team of the 80s, but that is not what Nigeria need now. Gone are those days, and we don’t pray they ever return. We cannot use the approach of yesteryears to solve the problem of this time. Even in countries where such an approach appears to be working, the people are dying silently.
That he called us out to protest in 2010 and we responded does not mean we will vote for him come April 2011. A word is enough for the wise!
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