Why I support calls for restructuring, by Primate Udofia
Emmanuel Udofia, primate of the African Church, speaks with SEYI JOHN SALAU on the call for resource control and urges government to go back to the drawing board on subsidy removal. Excerpts:
It is the belief of many Nigerians that the country is more divided now than ever; do you share that sentiment?
First and foremost I want to say emphatically, that leadership matters a lot in any organisation, family; leadership matters anywhere at all. And if anything happens anywhere, leadership must be held responsible. So, for me I want to say that the leadership of this country should go back to the drawing board and see where they have gone wrong, and see what they can do in order to remedy the situation. Because God has blessed this nation to the extent that if not for leaders there would not have been any division at all. Maybe, for our leadership style or thereabouts; I think our leadership should go back to the drawing board, see where they have gone wrong and start from there - so God will restore the nation again.
Is there a role for the church to play in bringing the political leadership in the country back on track?
Yes; the church has been playing her role and at the same time the church must be ready to play her own role. Because the church that must play a role must also lead by example because wherever there is no love, no justice; wherever people can just wake up to do or say whatever they want without any recourse to justice, there is bound to be crisis.
Let’s look at the African Church and the leadership crisis. How far have you gone with the resolution?
As I said before if the church must offer any advice to government or play any role in leadership, the church must lead by example. What is happening in our church, by the grace of God I believe everything is in God’s hand. So, we are still trusting God to help us to know the truth. The bible says we shall know the truth and the truth shall set us free and not until we know the truth and accept the truth; there is no how we can get the freedom. So, I believe by the grace of God, God is leading us and we will continue to lead us and help us to know the truth, and also to do justice because we are worshiping a just God. So, I believe by the grace of God when we meet and see how we can tell each other the truth and accept it - it is a family problem anyways; so, I believe one day God will help us by his grace.
Has both parties considered out of court settlement?
Yes, that is the first thing we will do anytime we meet by the grace of God...
And when are you likely to meet?
By the grace of God we have been called and I believe that when we see the sincerity because it is one thing to meet, it’s another thing to get the desired results at the meeting. By the grace of God anytime we see sincerity in our gathering - we cannot fix a date but I know it can be any day or any time.
The new Water Resource Bill has given more voice to those calling for resource control and restructuring: Where do you stand on this?
I stand with those who are asking for restructuring because the more we have the power vested at the centre, the more we will continue to have problems. For instance, using most of the federal parastatals as
example; there is no way someone will stay in Abuja and know what is happening in all the states. And if you send somebody to come monitor or do a particular thing in the states, the way he will do it will not be as if that person were to be from that state. People who own the state are supposed to know what to do at any given time and if a person goes from the Federal Government to particular state to go and do something, he has his own mindset and might not go there to execute whatever he has been asked to do in a way he should do it. So, I believe that everybody should go back to restructuring and see how we can reduce the power at the federal. I am not saying there will not be a Federal Government, but let the states also be vested with some powers so they can begin to do things meaningfully. Before any state can do anything now, they have to get clearance from the Federal Government and wheneverthefederalgovernment decides not to do a particular thing, that’s the end.
But states are also not allowing the local government to function?
That is what I am trying to say because if power is evenly shared, there is no way it will not get to the local governments. If anybody tells you in this country that the 774 local government created by the constitution are working, I think that person must be lying because everybody should go his/ her respective local government headquarters and see what and what is happening there. You will see that the primary purpose for which that institution was created, let me not say it’s defeated, but has been slowed down.
Can there be any right time for removal of fuel subsidy in Nigeria?
That is why I said the Federal Government should go back to the drawing board and see where they have gone wrong. In Nigeria today, there is nobody that was not affected by the Covid-19; institutions were locked down, even up till now churches, mosques are still on lockdown. There was no movement, no business activities - we are in September now, when did they ease the lockdown? And again they knew what every citizen of this country was passing through and instead of looking at how to manage the situation till December: I don’t think that would be too much from a father to the children. Now, for them to increase the fuel prices and electricity tariff, I don’t think its proper for now. Nigerians are just trying to recover from the effect of the pandemic and then we have to face this situation. Look at the fuel hike; everything has increased, what about those who are not government workers? What about those not doing one business or the other, how would they survive? So, I don’t think it is a proper thing for them to do now.