What recession has turned us into —Methodist Prelate

His Eminence, Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria (MCN), Most Reverend (Dr) Samuel Uche, in an interaction with Rita Okonoboh, makes an assessment of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, what government must do to revamp the economy and his thoughts on the call for Christians to defend themselves against attacks. Excerpts:

 

How would you assess the President Muhammadu Buhari administration in the past 19 months, especially with the focus on the fight against corruption?

I can say that President Muhammadu Buhari is doing his best. People are becoming afraid of stealing money that does not belong to them. However, the fight has not had any effect with regards to citizens’ welfare. People are really hungry; roads are not receiving attention; hospitals are another issue, not to mention electricity. Many areas of the economy have not felt the impact of the anti-corruption war of the present administration. There is total decay in infrastructure. I take it that they are trying to strategise because nothing has taken off per se, other than elections and inconclusive polls. We believe that they are doing their best, but their best is not good enough. I would advise them to buckle up. The average Nigerian is not interested in grammar. What the common man wants is food on our tables, employments for job seekers, good roads, potable water and security. We are not losing hope because God is in control. Maybe the situation they met on ground was quite enormous, that’s why it is becoming difficult to address all the issues. However, they should keep hope alive and work towards restructuring and revamping the economy of the country to suit the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.

 

How would you say MCN has helped members cope with the current recession?

What we are doing for now is that we are organising empowerment programmes as well as providing capital for setting up businesses. This year, we are embarking on aggressive agriculture to ensure food security. That is the area we are emphasising. We are trying to position our clerics in rural communities where they will anchor this agricultural revolution. Agriculture is very much neglected in spite of what we hear in the media. Many lands in the rural areas are lying fallow. We will focus on as many aspects of agriculture as possible. At least, let people feed first. When people are well-fed, they won’t have time to go into crime. People are gradually losing the value of life because they have been reduced to things and not humans because of the general economic condition. So, we have to bring back human values.

 

With the calls for economic diversification, especially into agriculture, and the MCN’s renewed focus on agriculture, how would you advise the present administration in this regard?

Diversification comes in many ways. Energy is critical to production. There is also the issue of foreign exchange. How do you get foreign exchange when we don’t encourage local production for export? Even fuel, which we have in its raw form, we refine outside Nigeria and we import. It’s a shame. And now, we’re trying to lay pipes from Niger to Nigeria. Imagine! It is lack of planning.

 

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), in recent times, has expressed concerns over the massacre of Christians in the North especially the recent situation in Kaduna. Some people have gone ahead to suggest that Christians need to defend themselves. What is your take on this?

The Bible says ‘thou shall not kill,’ but when you’re pushed to the wall, what do you do? I wouldn’t encourage buying of arms. We should not be offensive.

 

Last year, you were one of those who called on the Igbo to rest the issue of Biafra. Recently, Governor Rochas Okorocha called on the Federal Government to listen to the issues relating to agitations of those calling for Biafra. When you consider what has happened over the past year, do you still believe in one Nigeria?

I believe in one Nigeria. I believe in a Nigeria where there is equity, justice, fair play, no marginalisation and no ethnic chauvinism. I believe in a Nigeria where everyone will have a say and have a fair share in the commonwealth God has given to us. Anything outside that is an absurdity and should not be encouraged. We have heard reports of some people claiming to own this country but I believe those people are fooling themselves. It’s just that people have decided to just let some things fly because of the love of the country. But when people are pushed to the wall, Nigerians, not only Igbo, will react. I want to call on those in authority to address the nagging issues of hunger and neglect. Look at the appointments into critical positions. It is lopsided. In fact, I pity the West because I thought that the Western part of the country would have been compensated for being part of the central government, but I don’t see that happening. I see them being treated as the South-Easterners are treated. Politics is about votes. If I were in authority, I would compensate even those who didn’t vote for me, so when the next general election would hold, people would say ‘Yes, this is our man.’ But when one oppresses those who didn’t vote for him/her, it is politics that lacks planning. Till Jesus comes, I believe in one Nigeria where there is egalitarianism, equity, justice and the rule of law.

 

The MCN has, no doubt, produced some of the best legal minds in Nigeria. How would you assess the recent corruption scandal that rocked the judiciary?

You will never hear of any member of the MCN involved in such. In fact, the acting CJN is a member of the MCN. We don’t preach prosperity in the MCN. That’s why people run away from us. We preach hardwork and the narrow way, that is, the way of discipline. You must earn your money judiciously, transparently. I believe we are on the right path and we have not deviated from the tenets of Methodism, which are scriptural holiness, evangelical faith and what we call the inward witness of the Holy Spirit.

 

How would you advise the Federal Government on handling the issue of militancy in the South-South?

They should embrace dialogue. They should meet with those who can reach out to the young people and dialogue with them. There have been allegations that a large percentage of the oil wells in the South-South are owned by those in the North. If that is true, it’s not justified. The people should have something to show for their contribution to the economy. I travel regularly and in many cases, not even by luxury because I want to meet with the people. We understand what the people are going through. The people of the riverine areas are dying in silence because they are living in squalor. Many of these areas do not have electricity or access roads and their water supply is contaminated. I believe that if the economic factors are addressed, militancy and oil bunkering will reduce.

 

What is your message for Nigerians in the New Year?

My message for Nigerians is that we must believe in one Nigeria. First of all, we must believe in God, be patriotic, love one another and place country above self. Those in positions of authority should embrace service to the people, whether in secular or religious circles. When we do that, we would be pleasing God and pleasing men.