Political activist and Afenifere leader, Mr Ayo Opadokun, has called for strict action by dissatisfied Nigerians over to what he called the inequalities, unfairness and other structural defects in the country’s democracy.
The defects, he said, are responsible for the poverty, unemployment, crime and other existential malaise in the country.
Opadokun spoke yesterday on the side-line of a three-day national civil leadership summit with the theme: Leadership and Societal Justice at BOWEN University, Iwo, Osun State.
The university belongs to the Nigerian Baptist Convention.
Opadokun, who was a chieftain of the defunct National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), said most political leaders in Nigeria are corrupt, stressing that they would not work for the common man until Nigerians take street action to demand good governance.
The Afenifere chieftain noted that silent grumbling or leaving the political space for those in partisan politics would not change anything.
According to him, there is a need for the street action and Christians participating in politics.
In a presentation, titled: Political Justice, Opadokun stressed that it is currently impossible for Nigeria to attain political justice due to the structure in favour of a section of the country.
The Afenifere chieftain added that the federalism being practiced is warped in favour of the powerful political class.
He said: “What has happened to Nigeria since the advent of the military incursion into political governance and the skewed, warped and lopsided national structure along with the centralist and unitary system of government which they had foisted on us had led to gross injustice, inequity, unfairness in the allocation and distribution of national commonwealth.
“The unpleasant consequences were made much easier to happen when the salt and the light (Baptist and other Christians) of the Nigerian society abandoned their posts and went to sleep only to be engaged in silent grumbling, opportunistic collaboration with each succeeding transient rulers of Nigeria…”
“Even Christ directed that what was due to Caesar should be given to him. As long as we cannot create for ourselves a political island mainly populated by Christians, we owe it a duty to our God and the Christian faith to consciously participate in political governance of our community and nation.
“After all, as we have distanced ourselves from Nigeria’s dirty politics, the dirty politicians have consistently misgoverned us to our disappointment.
“Let Christians get involved, refuse to participate in whatever is anti-Christ therein. And with a single-minded commitment as royal ambassadors in this opaque world, our Christ-like conduct, prayers and selfless service will ultimately yield positive dividends.”
