I get disturbed when considering lots of lies peddled during political campaigns; all designed to win votes of unsuspecting voters. That is why you discover that after each election and in the course of governing, most promises by the politicians are, at the end, not fulfilled. But what baffles me most is that the gullible voters are easily swayed again to listen to the same unfulfilled promises being recycled by the same and/or other people seeking votes. I am not a member of any political party, I must say.
On the question of Christianising or Islamising Nigeria, most times, it is the unenlightened that are made to believe that an elected president can Islamise or Christianise a nation. Do not be deceived, my fellow Christian brothers and sisters, by the rumour being peddled by politicians; they just want to play on your intelligence, and the gullible falls to their pranks.
No one under any democratic dispensation can achieve Islamising or Christianising a secular country like Nigeria. During the military era, it could be possible, by decree. Take for instance, it was during Ibrahim Babangida’s regime that we were taken to Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC). Then ask yourself this question: If when General Muhammadu Buhari was in power as a military head of state and he did not consider Islamising Nigeria, is it now, should he become an elected president that he would?
We should not forget that Buhari had a fellow military Muslim in the person of Tunde Idiagbon, as his second-in-command, therefore if he ever had such intention, he could have achieved it so easily. Do not forget that Babangida, even with a Christian second-in-command, took us to the OIC.
Vice President Mohammed Sambo, in one of their recent campaign rallies in the North, mentioned that he is a good Muslim and that the present administration is more Islamic than what the Buhari administration can offer, if it became voted into power. He mentioned that all departments in charge of security of Nigeria in the present regime are headed by Muslims, namely Sambo Dasuki (NSA), Suleiman Abba (IGP) and Aliyu Gusau (Defence Minister). Unintelligently and ironically, Sambo told people that it is Buhari that could Christianise the country, as he has as a running mate in a pastor who has over 5,000 churches under him; invariably he was referring to The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
At another instance, I was privileged to watch and listen to Pastor Tunde Bakare reveal what transpired when in 2011 they (Buhari and him) were on campaign train to Kaduna. The crowd was so much that they could not get to the venue of the supposed rally, and Buhari, watching the situation, shouted “Jesus Christ”. Bakare looked at him differently, but Buhari was fast to notice his (Bakare’s) countenance. Buhari then turned to him and asked “Why are you looking at me this way, Bakare?” Bakare, who was speechless, asked Buhari in return “Your Excellency, what did I hear you say now?” Buhari then replied; “You think that you have monopoly over Jesus Christ? …Jesus Christ belongs to all of us.”
Also from my little investigation, I discovered that many of Buhari’s personal assistants for the last 20 years are Christians. You are free to conduct this investigation yourself, if you wish, to confirm my finding.
The purpose of this my writing is to assure fellow Christians that they should vote for whichever candidates they feel like, without considering religious affiliation, bearing in mind that no one can Islamise or Christianise Nigeria. All we want is a ruler (or president) that would get us out of the present insecurity, unemployment, economic and corruption messes we found ourselves in. If you feel Goodluck Jonathan can reverse the trend, please vote for him; but if not, you vote for a possible change and give a trial to see if our situation could be remedied.
* Okiri wrote in from Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
