Archbishop of Ibadan Province and Bishop of Osun North Anglican Diocese, Most Reverend Abiodun Taiwo Olaoye, in this interview with SEYI SOKOYA and IMOLEAYO OYEDEJI, speaks about life in the vineyard and national issues, among others.
It is about eight months since you took over as the Archbishop of Ibadan Province. How has it been since you took over?
We thank God. The fact is whoever God appoints, He enables. God has been with us and He has been helping us. The work of an archbishop is simply administrative because you cannot dictate to or command any bishop. You both have to agree together on any given issue. It is as obtained in a democracy, you just have to talk together and agree. This is because as bishops, we are equal. My function is simply administrative all over the province. The work hasn’t been too demanding, even though we have the highest number of dioceses, about 17 of them. It is not like I go into the dioceses to start telling the bishops what to do. They administer the affairs of their dioceses themselves. God has given me the grace to handle the administrative role well.
But do you see being in this seat and at the same time being the bishop of the Osun Diocese as a dream come true?
Will I say a dream came true? Or let’s say a divine occurrence. When I started in ministry as a priest, sincerely, I wasn’t looking forward to becoming anything other than serving the Lord. In fact, I used to tell God that I am satisfied with being referred to as Reverend A. T. Olaoye, but with an addition “The man of God”. What does that mean? I was looking for anointing, fasting and praying, saying: God, release your anointing upon me. I want to minister like the men of old such as Smith Wigglesworth, Kenneth Hagin, among others. That was what was on my mind. It was not to become an archbishop or a bishop, but somehow when I was a priest, I started my ministry in Ilesa. Retired Bishop (Gideon) Olajide ordained me a deacon. I was a teacher then. But it was the retired Archbishop (Ephraim) Ademowo that ordained me as a priest. It was at this point that God revealed to me that I would be a bishop. I think I was about seven years old in the ministry then.
Later on, when I became a Canon, I also dreamt that I was going to become a bishop. But sincerely, it wasn’t something I had planned for. My mind was on the ministry to serve God and win souls to the kingdom. This was because I had been born again before I became a priest. I knew God truly called me into it. I had a definite confirmation that God was calling me into the full-time ministry. And in a more surprising way, I knew I would become an archbishop when I had not yet been a bishop. But I focused on my ministry and I was getting transfers from one place to the other. In fact, within 14 years of my ministry as a priest, I was transferred nine times. There were places I spent just three months. There were others I spent two years. I think the longest was where I served for two years and eight months and that was in Oke Ola, Ilesa. But some priests have spent 10 years in a station.
Some others have spent between five and eight years in one station, but my own longest service period was not up to three years. I knew then that it wasn’t that something was wrong with my ministry as there was no parish I got to that didn’t experience spiritual impartation. I left indelible marks wherever I went by the grace of God.
All in all, it was at St John’s Anglican Church, Akinmorin, that I became a bishop. I really worked to serve God and I am still working. As I have said, I knew I would be an archbishop through a revelation God showed me in 2017. In that dream, I was pronounced an archbishop. And that would be the second time. Before that time, someone had also told me that I would become an archbishop. My own dreams only confirmed what the person told me. And from then on, I believed that it has been established in heaven that I would be on this seat and no man on earth can change it. That’s why I said initially that my journey to the archbishop rank is by divine intervention and by April 2024, I will retire from the ministry as I will be attaining retirement at 70 years of age.
What have been the challenges?
God has helped us to overcome whatever the challenges that have come our way.
A new president has taken over power at the centre. What is your advice to him?
Sincerely, I thank God for President Bola Tinubu’s life. This is because he struggled and made diligent and determined efforts to be the president of the nation. In fact, I can say he is a man of faith. This is because, with all the opposition and obstacles against his presidential bid, he remained undaunted in pursuing what he was looking for, and God crowned his efforts with success. So, I thank God for him. The first counsel I will give him is in the choice of his ministers and all other people that will be working with him. He should not use politics to make his choice. He should endeavour to pick the round pegs in the round holes.
He must select people who are ready to work selflessly, I mean patriotic people who want Nigeria to make visible progress in all ramifications. If he can get such people, his government will definitely attain enviable heights. He, himself, must be determined to help the masses. Thank God, we all saw a video clip where his wife said they don’t need anything from Nigeria other than to serve. So with the mind that they haven’t come into government to enrich themselves, I think their ultimate goal should be to alleviate the suffering of millions of Nigerians through viable economic policies. He should strive to make things easier for the masses.
I think one of the things he can do to warm his way into the hearts of those against his presidential ambition is to restructure the country. This has been the yearning of many aggrieved Nigerians, and if it is done, it will really help us. The president can lay hands on the report of the 2014 Constitutional Conference, so let him make use of it. Let’s go back to the regional system of government, which brought the government closer to the people, instead of this skewed presidential system that we practice, which is highly expensive. The good thing about restructuring is that each region or state will be able to develop at its own pace.
Why do you think past presidents were not able to restructure Nigeria?
I think it is selfishness in the sense that they want to hold onto all the powers. They want everything to rise and fall at the centre, and just as you know, the position of a Nigerian president is a very powerful one, based on the constitution that we operate. So, it has often become very hard for the past presidents to release some cognate functions or powers to the states. They just want to be in total control of all the resources, armoury, and economic potential of the states. And this has been stifling the growth of every state of the federation. So, I see this as a grand selfishness. I strongly believe that if the past presidents are truly patriotic, nothing should have stopped them from ensuring that this awkwardly constituted country is properly restructured for the development of all regions and states. I believe the aim of every good government at the centre should be how life will be better and easy for the states and citizens in general. Already, we have the resources and knowledge base to carry out the restructuring. So the new president should do the needful and make Nigeria a country that everyone will be proud of, so that those who have left the country can come back to their fatherland.
What were the mistakes the past government made that you will not want the new one to make?
The first one is in the area of ethnicity, making the government a Fulani government. I don’t want President Tinubu to toe that same line and run an all-Yoruba government. This is because we are Nigerians and the federal character principle must reflect in every appointment made at the centre.
In truth, what made people hate Buhari more and what widened the wall of division in the country is the mistake of concentrating virtually all major federal appointments in the North and not even all North, but a single tribe. The man really favoured his people. He even sited key Federal Government projects in the North as well. This was how he created division and distrust for his government. We all saw how he favoured the herdsmen, despite the killings and kidnappings being orchestrated by them in different parts of the country. So, Tinubu should never toe this line.
I have always said that the problems we have in Nigeria are that of leadership, not followership. If Tinubu can run a transparent and open government that will make himself accountable to the people, there won’t be distrust from the people as you had during Buhari’s time. If Tinubu can also disallow corruption, which is one of the biggest problems affecting this country, the country will be better for us all. The new president has to lead by example. He must foster and promote every economic and political policy that will discourage corruption. There are some countries in the world where if a minister should steal, he will be killed. This is an example. And this is why I said Tinubu must select cabinet members who have integrity, patriotism and who are selfless, not those who will be coming to steal. If he can do this, I think we will laugh last.
But looking at the fuel subsidy removal pronouncement made by the president that has brought about tension in the country, what will be your reaction?
I think he should have first of all set up a committee to look into it. I mean a body of people who are really sincere and want his government to make progress and not those who are eating from the subsidy fraud. He should have first put up the committee to know how much the subsidy gulp and how much it should really be costing the government, not the over-bloated figures now. You know, everything is seriously inflated in Nigeria today. I have heard people say removing the subsidy is the best thing to be done and that though for some time, it will make the masses suffer, in the end, it will be better for us all. I think we should just be patient with the government.
You are preparing for your synod, what have been the preparations so far, and what are your expectations?
Actually, this is going to be my last synod in the diocese and the theme that the Lord has granted unto me is “The Sacrifice of Thanksgiving and Praise”. The theme came to us as a way to thank God for He has established us over the years, both at the level of the diocese and in my personal life. Even as a country, we too have every reason to thank God. We had an election and despite all the noise here and there, the country didn’t slide into war and anarchy. Doesn’t this call for Thanksgiving? And this explains why our theme went that way.
Meanwhile, this year, Okuku Archdeaconry is hosting the synod that will commenced June 9 to 11, and we have put plans in top gear to make the programme an impactful one. We have also invited very many dignitaries, including the former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Mr Olaoye Jaiyeola, and several bishops and archbishops.
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then