General elections: I SEE BLOODSHED

■ Cardinal Okogie declares
■ Says only prayers can avert looming danger
Outspoken Catholic priest and former Archbishop of Lagos,
Cardinal Anthony Olubunmi Okogie has expressed fears that
there will be bloodshed occasioned by the general elections
slated for this month. The renowned cleric, who spoke with
VERA WISDOM-BASSEY in his Ikoyi, Lagos residence last
week, warned that only intense prayers can avert the danger
he is seeing ahead. Excerpts:
How has it been since you retired?
There is a slight difference between when I was in office and
now, because people still come to consult me, I still run
around to do a few things. I do make sure I keep myself busy,
life has been very pleasant. I am no more in office, I have to
have my own schedule, I am not tired yet. But in Roman
Catholic, there is a law that once you are 75 years, you have
to inform authorities in Rome meaning you have to retire, that
is generous enough. Look at our lifespan here, some don’t
even get to 60, I can still go another round if I am allowed but
that is not the case in Roman Catholic. Well, I missed moving
around with people, not that I don’t move around but it is
curtailed, I always go around schools to make sure that things
are in order, it’s quite good, that’s the beauty of Catholic
church, you don’t hold on to anything, things are given to you
to use for the good of others, I own nothing.
When I left, I had no place to stay, if we really want to make
Nigeria one as it should be, we should see one another as
brothers and sisters, that’s the correct thing to do.
What does it take to keep Nigeria one?
I think they say to keep Nigeria one is a task that must be
done but we are not keeping the nation one, look at the
innocent soldiers that risked their lives, where are they today?
How many people remembered them? It’s painful, and look at
all the people eating and drinking and spending the money the
way they like. Look at Boko Haram, how many of those
leaders are ready to go and sympathise with the parents of
those children who were kidnapped in Chibok? I feel bad. Look
at the newspapers, instead of addressing the issues, the
political campaigns are nothing but abuses, unearthing the
past, disgracing themselves. When you look at it realistically,
those thinking they are disgracing their opponent, are indi­
rectly campaigning for that person. I expect the issues to be
on education, unemployment and how they are going to
address them. How many manifestos have you seen out and
we are preparing for elections.
My fear in this election is bloodshed and it’s already
happening and am praying seriously, am begging God to avert
it, you can see the atmosphere is tense, look at what is
happening in Ekiti for example, how somebody will be doing as
he likes without being checked, just because he belongs to a
party.
This is not a joke, Nigeria belongs to all of us, there is no
other nation we can call ours, the good Lord that brought us
under one umbrella and call us Nigeria knows what He is
doing. Thank God Nigeria is changing; revolution.
Are you saying there is silent revolution going on?
The youths are coming up, there is a silent revolution coming
up, the youths are watching, that was the kind of thing
Ojukwu wanted to do but he was too ambitious, but our
heavenly Father knows what He is doing with everyone of us,
He knows when to call the break, He is wisdom personified, so
you can’t outdo things. When you look at the way the nation
is going on, some people must be checked and if they don’t
listen, they should be behind bars for peace sake, let’s be
frank.
We started getting it wrong from political godfathers, and they
are gradually dying out, they are fading away fast, then you
will find refined godfathers because they will always be there,
the refined ones will not ask for all the powers, they will just
tell you this is what they want you to do, if you don’t obey,
they will keep quiet and wait for you.
How do you rate the administration of President Jonathan on
the fight against corruption?
The current administration the way I see them, they plan
many things in the air but you will not see them on the
ground, the one you find on the ground, they don’t last, waste
of money and that to me doesn’t augur well. People travel,
they see all these roads, are they stupid, talk of Chibok girls,
these are minus, even if they are doing very well, all these
things are minus, for a nation like Nigeria we expect
something better, not that they are not capable but eye-
service is too much, and then of course, when you begin to
look at faces because they are members of your party, you are
wasting your time, the people that are really serious will just
look at you and smile.
If they want to cut corruption in this country, let them begin
by reducing the money of all the National Assembly members,
Senators, even the governors, then you will see that there will
be few politicians, the ones that will be there will be sincere
politicians who are not running after the national cake.
How do you see CAN in your time when you were the
chairman and now?
CAN now and then; the difference is clear in terms of action.
During our own era, we didn’t go beg governor for a favour,
you call a spade a spade, we had only one term and we know
the President, whether you are from the South East or North
or South-West, if you have any problem, you bring it to the
President, and if he cannot solve it, then we call the general
ground. If you want to be a leader and be a good leader you
must be a father in the real sense of the word, you don’t bring
in religion, you don’t bring affluence, these people are hungry,
how do I treat them, some people are fighting, how do I
correct it, those are the duties of a father, that is what a
leader should do, you don’t wait for people to say do this, do
that, if you wait too much, delay is dangerous, Nigeria belongs
to all of us, we don’t need to be afraid.
Are you of the opinion that the coming elections be
postponed as being canvassed?
There are those who are afraid of having this election
postponed because they are thinking of where to get fresh
money to begin a new campaign, the money they have, they
have expended it, they are looking at fire coming out and they
are still saying go ahead, the way I see it, we are not ready
and we should postpone it. If it is postponed, we will have a
peaceful election because there will be less money to spend,
money they cannot use for the poor, they are spending it on
campaigns, as far as I am concerned, am one of the many
that say it should be postponed.
Jonathan and Buhari, who is a better leader?
They should begin to publish their manifestoes and defend
them, they should be bold to say this is what they will do
when they get there.
Except they know that this candidate can deliver provided he
is not a cleric, and they have every assurance but how can
you have a 100 per cent assurance?
We have to pray because the atmosphere is too tense and I
think only God can help us, there must be spirit of self-
sacrifice, love, to be another man’s keeper, I think is lacking a
lot, people don’t care, that is gone. We need a selfless leader,
a leader who will see everybody as his own, and of course
there must be the fear of God because the fear of God is the
beginning of wisdom. You cannot rule out God in our nation
today and that is one of the things that is killing us. We think
we know better, who is God after all, and some will even ask
you show me your God. Our leader must be patriotic, he must
see Nigeria as his own, that one is lacking, completely lacking
in this nation, whether you say the pledge or sing the national
anthem, we can see we don’t mean it. It’s clear that we don’t
mean it.