This democracy is not working for us, we must restructure —CAN president Ayokunle

The president, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev Dr Samson Olasupo Ayokunle, has described the demand for the restructuring of Nigeria as a welcomed development.

He said it must be done “without bias or prejudice to religion, ethnicity, class or group affiliation”.

According to him, the present democratic system in operation in the country, is a hybrid of Americana and British systems, which does not seem to be working for Nigeria.
This is coming on the heels of President Muhammadu Buhari’s apparent rejection of restructuring of Nigeria demand in his New Year message.

He had in that message said,“…my firm view is that our problems are more to do with process than structure.”

But Ayokunle, who also is the President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, said on Saturday in Abuja during the International Workers’ Retreat of the Convention that at 57, Nigeria was due for restructuring.

“There is the need to update how we govern ourselves, thus, re-structuring the nation after 57 years is a welcome development. It must be done without bias or prejudice to religion, ethnicity, class or group affiliation.

“We must develop our home-grown democracy. The present system is a hybrid of the American and British systems. It is not working well for us,” he said.

The cleric who said that Nigeria is not left out of something to glory for like every nation in the world, as “Our glory is our pride as a nation,” added, “When we gained independence from Britain in 1960, it was a turning point in our history and a breakthrough for the nation’s glory to burst forth. Our glory shone brighter and brighter after independence as we became the foremost nation in Africa and indeed among the black race.

“However, at a point, the glory began to fade and we are yet to recover that glory. If we must bring back the glory of Nigeria and rise to more glory as a nation, then effective participation is compulsory for all Christians”.

Ayokunle at the event further called on Christians to embrace politics and stop avoiding it as a plague and something dirty.

He said, “The practice of separation of State and Church must be redefined. While the State must not be allowed to control the Church, the Church must influence the State through Christians who are in position of power.

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“To get to a position of power, there is need for election especially in a democratic setting like ours. We must be involved in all facets of politics. Politics is not a dirty game as many have come to believe, but those who play politics are the ones who are dirty”.

He then advised them to join a political party, and be card-carrying members, register to vote when called to do so by INEC, participate actively at the ward level of their parties, attend meetings, and contribute meaningfully during discussions as well as vote and encourage others to vote during election period.

“Do not stay back at home and watch TV, play football or sleep. Monitor and protect your vote. Sidon look approach will not help us as Christians. Mike Murdock said, ‘Never complain about what you permit’. If we do not participate actively in politics, then we do not have the right to complain about the type of leaders that are presented by political parties to be voted for and voted into various office.

“This year, God is interested in our nation and us. Throughout the Bible, we see God intervening, leading and instructing men on how to lead their nations. He is urging us as Christians to be involved in the governing process of our nation. Nigeria is at the center of God’s plan for the human race,” he said.

Praying that God should intervene in the ongoing killings in Benue and Taraba states, comfort the bereaved, heal those recuperating in the hospitals, he challenged the government and the security agencies to live up to expectations.

“Bloodletting could have been avoided if our political leaders the heads of the security agencies are alive to their responsibilities. This is why the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has been consistently calling on them to live up to the billing.

“What is happening in the North central of the country is a shame, ungodly, wicked and ungodly. It is high time we stopped it before we are thrown into another needless civil war,” he added.

 

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