Killings: Our patience with FG is running out —Bishop Amoo

Even for strangers, despite holding one of the most exalted positions reserved for Christian clerics, Bishop of the Diocese of New Bussa, Niger State, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), The Right Reverend Israel Afolabi Amoo, is always ready with a humble, welcoming smile. He speaks with Rita Okonoboh on the peculiarities of heading a diocese in the North, as well as making the difficult decision to leave his Law chambers for God’s chambers.

 

Growing up

I’m from Kwara State. I grew up in Omupo in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State. I attended St. Michael Primary School at Omupo from 1963 to 1969, and Omupo Grammar School from 1970 to 1974. I then attended Kwara State College of Technology, Ilorin, which is now Kwara State Polytechnic, for my HSC, and finished in 1977. I then started my Law Degree programme at the University of Lagos in 1977. I was called to the Bar in July 1981.

 

How did you find yourself doing God’s work?

While in school, I was actively involved in church activities – evangelism and mission work. Many of my friends, with whom I grew up with, at the time, are doing very well for the Lord now – people like Bishop David Oyedepo. We were all involved in mission work. As we got older, we met others; people like Bishop Wale Oke; Pastor Tunde Bakare, among others. At the time, nobody was thinking of becoming a pastor. We were just trying to do what God wanted us to do.

I served in Borno State in 1981 with the Fellowship of Christian Students (FCS), as the travelling secretary. I was covering about six states in the North-East. I finished that in 1982. I did some Law practice, and had the opportunity of serving with Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), and after a few years, started my own practice. I ran that office till when I became a Dean.

I was interested in serving the Lord, although not into full-time ministry. When I got back to settle into the Law practice, I wanted to eventually become a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) or the judge of a High Court. Alongside being a lawyer, I was also paying attention to church activities. I became a lay reader in church. Interestingly, the Anglican Communion, at the time, was not too sure whether it was possible for a lawyer to be a priest. So, for six years I was waiting to be considered. The bishop then, now late Bishop Haruna, was our bishop in Kwara and he kept putting up my name on the list of those to be ordained, but he kept replacing it. It wasn’t his fault, though. He wanted to be very sure. This was until 1989, when I was ordained. When I joined the ministry, I was not taking salary, and I did that until I became an archdeacon. Afterwards, I was made Dean of the Cathedral Church of St. Michael, Esie, Igbomina Diocese. I was there from 2002, and was there for five years, six months, before I was elected as bishop in March 2007.

 

In earlier times, it wasn’t materially attractive to be in the ministry. How did your parents take your leaving Law practice for the church?

That wasn’t really much of an issue. It took me a while before I joined the ministry full-time. In fact, many other priests saw our actions as encouraging, because we were not earning salaries, yet we were fighting their cause. By the time I joined the ministry full-time, I wasn’t necessarily at a disadvantage. Although, at the time, it was quite hard to take the decision to leave the Law practice, because I was doing well there and I was in charge of affairs in my chambers. However, the Lord assured me that all would be well. Over and above all, we thank God for everything.

 

Is your chambers still active?

Yes, although, I’m not there. There are junior lawyers who are running the chambers.

 

Do you miss being in court?

Yes. When I was in active practice, the cases we enjoyed most were election cases, land matters and chieftaincy issues. Interestingly, by 1999 when democracy came, money started coming, but that was the time I was leaving. In fact, some of my lawyer-friends were sad that I was leaving at the time, and tried to encourage me to stay. There were also some elderly fathers in the Lord, who felt for me. It wasn’t easy to leave.

 

As a youth, you were very passionate about mission work. Do you see such passion in today’s youths?

When we were young, we organised programmes from our own pockets. However, for today’s youths, any programme they want to organise, they ask for donations. It’s not always encouraging when they ask for everything. In our days, there was much sacrifice for the Lord. We went as far as providing scholarship support for some members.

 

Your diocese is based in the North. Have you had any dealings with herdsmen?

Some of my pastors had issues with herdsmen, and we had to ask one of them to abandon his farm. One of my pastors was injured and we told him to leave the farm, because we don’t want a situation that would lead to his death. The Diocese of New Bussa covers three local government areas in Niger State and two local government areas in Kwara State. Then we have some churches in the northern part of the Republic of Benin. We try our best to work within what is available and for now, we have not been having issues, except pockets of issues, like that which I mentioned earlier.

 

What’s your message to Christians and the Federal Government on addressing insecurity?

The message to Christians remains the same. They have been patient enough and have been enduring. They have taken whatever that happens with faith and there is nothing to tell them than to ask the Federal Government not to allow us to be pushed to the wall, because when you get to a point when the person’s life doesn’t seem to matter, then the person has no choice not to defend himself/herself. The body language of the Federal Government has not been very encouraging. We see it as if they are not serious about whatever they’re telling us. You hear reports of places attacked by herdsmen and security agencies tell people to go about their normal activities or tell us they’re in charge of the situation. The Federal Government should take action without delay. For those of us who are Christians, our patience is running out. I’ll encourage out Christian brothers and sisters to continue to look up to God; there’s nothing beyond God. We know that God will do according to His purpose for this country.

 

President Buhari has flown out of the country yet again for another medical-related issue. Do you think he should seek re-election in 2019?

I don’t think President Buhari should seek re-election. There is a level that your body can accommodate and when enough, it is enough. Agreed that some people do great at over 80, but still remain healthy, but body make-up isn’t the same. That’s why some people die at 40, some at 50, and the like. And there are people who are over 100 and are still alive. Each person’s body component is different, and when a person gets to a point that the body says it’s enough, I think it’s enough. There is no magic that can make him as strong as when he was young. And there is no medical attention that he is given that will not require he rests. Nigeria is complex and if he has to go on frequent medical trips which require him being flown out, it shows that those taking care of him here cannot handle it again. So, I think he should let us remember him for what he has done and leave.

 

As Chairman for the Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board in Kwara for eight years, do you think government sponsorship of pilgrimage should stop?

I think so. However, I would also say it should not stop. A lot of people have benefited from pilgrimages and have testimonies to tell. I remember the case of a staff member of a local government area in Kwara State at the time. He gave the staff and the chairman a tough time. Sometimes, he came to the office drunk. So, the chairman decided to send him on pilgrimage – the decision did not go down well with some other staff members, because they saw it as a waste. However, on return, the man became a completely changed person. There are people like that. I agree that we need money to develop the country. However, if we concentrate on infrastructural development and we have people who are far away from the Lord, they will destroy what we have built. So, we should also pay attention to the spiritual lives of the people as well.

 

At a priestly ordination in Aguata Diocese in 2015, you accused the church of not living up to its potential. Why?

The church is the conscience of the nation and should live up to its responsibility as such. Some of us are not speaking out; some of us are speaking from both ends of the mouth. However, we should remember that God will ask us to give account. God needs us and the time is now.

 

Activities for the synod

The theme is Remove Not The Ancient Landmark. The synod will take place from May 25 till May 27, 2018. The focus of the synod is to call Christians back home, and to let them know that there is a landmark which God has set for us and under no circumstance must we remove that landmark. God is not going to bring down His standards for anyone or accept excuses for failure in duty. So, there is the ancient landmark which the forefathers have put there, which we must not remove. The venue is All Saints Cathedral, New Bussa. Venerable Edwin Oloruntoba will preach at the opening service; Venerable Dr Nathaniel Bankole will preach at the closing service, while Venerable Michael Ezesue will anchor the Bible Study.