Office of the Special Assistant on Interfaith Matters in collaboration with Oyo Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Christian Forum has embarked on what was described as a strategic spiritual and physical action towards the success of all candidates on the platform of the party ahead of the forthcoming April 27 Local Government election in the state.
The Special Assistant on Interfaith Matters to the state Governor, Reverend Femi Ibikunle maintained that the era of Christians sitting on the fence and engaging in only prayers and fasting without any commensurate action to trigger the desired societal change was over.
He noted that the Christian community has for so long been docile and unfavourably disposed to politics labelling it as a dirty game that members of the body of the Christ should not engage themselves in stressing that nation building remains everybody’s business regardless of the diverse religions.
Speaking at a one day maiden 2024 Leadership Summit jointly organized by Office of the SA Interfaith to the Governor and the Oyo State PDP Christian Forum held held at the Government House Cathedral on Saturday April 20, the Governor’s aide explained that Christians sitting on the fence and resorting to only prayers and fasting without any practical action to effect change was no longer acceptable.
Ibikunle, who was recently elected into the 7-man Presbytery of the Assembly of God Church, Oyo state District, also maintained that Christians in the state can leverage on their Biblical knowledge as a catalyst for political engagement geared towards effecting the desired change at both state and national level.
According to Ibikunle, politics has gone far beyond just praying and fasting without practical action stressing that electoral umpires in the state and nation do not count prayers and fasting but rather count votes to determine winners of elections, urging Christians to leverage on their numeric strength as followers of Jesus Christ to sanitize the dirt and all the ills that made people regard politics as dirty noting that the state and nation require practical action from the body of Christ not just endless complaints followed by just prayers and fasting.
“For some of us especially ordained preachers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, our faith serves as a guiding force in all of our political engagements. Deeply rooted in principles of justice, compassion, and service to others, our participation in politics is entirely motivated by the desire to effect positive change and uphold moral values within the governance framework.
“His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde has displayed to the rest of the world what inclusive governance is all about and backing his every word with commensurate action thereby, creating room for brethren in the body of Christ who are eager and wish to participate in politics to effect the change they desire to do so.
“For many years, our brothers and sisters in the Lord have sat on the fence despite having clarity of all the wrongs in our political landscape and initiatives that could create a rebirth, and as such have continued to lament and complain while sitting on the fence and watch others run their own affairs. This should not be so, we’re the light of the world and when we become so fearful of perceived darkness, how then shall we exemplify the light we represent in Christ Jesus?” Ibikunle quarried.
Speaking on the coming April 27 Local Government poll, Ibikunle urged participants at the leadership summit to take the message of Makinde’s inclusive participation in governance down to their various local churches on Sunday and ensure they engage local worshipers on essence of getting directly involved in politics and the affairs of their state.
He stressed that PDP under the leadership of Governor Makinde has accomplished many unprecedented milestones that should be sustained and maintained as generational legacies of the present administration, calling on the PDP Christian Forum to go out and mobilize people en masse next week Saturday to vote for PDP Chairmanship and Counselorship candidates across the 33 Local Government in order to properly domesticate the ongoing implementation of Sustainable Development Agenda under Omituntun 2.0 at the grassroots.
The Chairman, Oyo State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Apostle Joshua Akinyemiju, represented by his Personal Assistant, Dr Olamide Olanrewaju in his charge, urged Christian politicians to always emulate Jesus Christ in bringing light and sanity to corrupt system and societal ills.
Drawing inference from Matthew 5:16 in the Holy Bible, the Oyo state CAN chairman, who commended Makinde for being a principled man armed with his personal integrity and strong character to match his words with action said the Oyo state CAN remains committed to any agenda that would bring about an a fair, just, and equitable society where everyone is treated fairly and equally saying “we’re the light of the world and as such Christians in politics should exemplify the light in Christ Jesus.”
He noted that the motivation driving many into the Nigerian political landscape remains selfish interest as against the desire to serve the people and bring the desired change to the society. He called on members of the Oyo state PDP Christian Forum to place service above selfish interest to be able to function well within a system that requires transformational change or they would fall into the temptation that brought many greats down.
Earlier, President of the Oyo PDP Christian Forum, Adeniyi Aderemi, while commending Governor Makinde for making the Christian community proud within the Nigerian political landscape reaffirmed the commitment of body to propagate good governance and inclusive participation at various local churches across the state while stressing the need for Christians to position themselves to do more than just prayers and fasting for positive change without active participation in the process that would birth such change.
Oyo Government House Chaplain, Pastor Layi Adisa, in goodwill message disclosed that nothing is wrong with devout Christians actively participating in politics. He stressed importance of political participation importance towards building national cohesion and inclusivity in governance.
Others who spoke at the event include Chairmanship candidates of the PDP in Akinyele and Ibadan North Local Governments, Wole Akinwole and Seun Olufade represented by Akeem Ayoade as well as the Oyo state PDP Youth Leader, Michael Ogunsina.
In attendance are the Government House Deputy Chaplain, Pastor Folayemi Akanmu Christian, CAN Secretary General in Ibadan zone, Pastor Olaitan, CAN vice chairman in Ibadan North, Bishop Ige Crown, and other notable personalities.