The Archbishop of Lagos, Methodist Church Nigeria, Dr. Isaac Olawuyi, on Sunday, lamented the security challenges currently facing Nigeria, saying the country “is now like a war zone.”
Olawuyi spoke in an interview with our correspondent shortly after the 2022 Professional Harvest of the Wesley Cathedral, Olowogbowo, Lagos, during which some Nigerians, including journalists and businessmen among others were honoured.
He also decried what he described as bad leadership in the country, saying “political leadership in Nigeria is presently a failure.”
He said that Nigerians needed to know whether or not the country is being ruled by bandits, miscreants, Boko Haram, members of Islamic State of West African Province or the government.
He said, “Political leadership in Nigeria is presently a failure. You know Nigeria is now like a war zone especially with insecurity.
“Every day, you will hear people being kidnapped and killed, churches being destroyed, bandits entering the church and killing people.
“It seems there is no leader in Nigeria and it is a pity that leadership in Nigeria, at the moment, is a disaster to the nation because the first thing you would notice when a country has a leader is security -protection of lives and property.
“Where there is anarchy, people can do and undo, and there is nobody to challenge them because there is no leadership. Who is in charge of the country? Is it the bandits, miscreants, Boko Haram, ISWAP or the government?
“This is the question we need to ask ourselves and that would describe to you the level of leadership we have in the country now.”
On preparation for the next general elections, Olawuyi said, “The 2023 general election is not the first one. We have had many in the past from time to time, so everybody knows that 2023 election will be like many others. It would be characterised by riggings, most cases of violence and all sort of things.
“I don’t really expect much difference the way things are going -thuggery, rigging here and there, votes buying, etc. I think we are yet to overcome that except something new happens in 2023. I don’t want to predict because it is only God that knows tomorrow.
“Concerning the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket by the APC presidential candidate, we cannot conclude for him. You know he said he has not decided yet. He is still thinking about it but we all know that Nigeria is a secular state and any political party that does not reckon with multi religious nature of the country is tampering with something very dangerous. It looks like a child’s play.
“I don’t think they will conclude on Muslim-Muslim ticket. No political party will like to endanger itself. Nobody will accept a Christian-Christian ticket likewise the Muslim-Muslim ticket. Where it is allowed, such party is ready to play a high risk.”
