Pastor Tunde Bakare
Pastor Bakare is not in APC yet, if this interview granted to the Daiy Independent is anything to go by.? On his relationship with the APC, he said “I am one person that will think before I act and I investigate before I invest. When the time comes for me to play any significant role, I will decide” .? He spoke on a number of issues including the role of Christians in politics, his relationship with General Buhari and his opinion on the two major political parties. We present some excerpts below:
As a cleric who participated in politics, has it changed your views about the way politics is being played in Nigeria. Many people believe it is evil, do you share this view?
The confusion in the minds of some people who said ?separate religion from politics? that is Aaronic priesthood, where those who are working in the tabernacle of Moses were separate from those who are administering the nation. But in Melchizedek priesthood, which is the priesthood of the Lord, Jesus Christ, the king, the priest and the prophet are rolled up in one. That is why David, the father of Jesus because he is called son of David was a prophet, a priest and he was a king. And Melchizedek in the Bible was a prophet and a king too. But note, not everybody will be able to combine both and we are not saying every preacher must be Bishop Makarios of Cyprus. I didn?t seek election, I was drafted and I thought it could benefit my nation. And to be honest with you, I think it gave me the opportunity to see things from another perspective, to go beyond just preaching to begin to put solutions together, with a view to helping the nation, to cater not just for the less privileged in the society, but to facilitate infrastructural developments that will let everyone maximise his potential. Politics is just about power. It is not just about elections. It is much more than that. It is administering people. You can ask those who have mega churches today, there is much more horrific politics in the church than we have outside.
We have so many Christians shying away from politics today claiming Jesus Christ said, ?My kingdom is not of this world? and he rejected the offer to be king. What advice can you give to these ones?
The truth of the matter is you can use the Bible to justify your position. Jesus said to his apostles ?Fear not little flock, it is your Father?s good pleasure to give you the kingdom?. He didn?t say more than that. When he was before Pilate, he said my kingdom is not of this world, if my kingdom is of this world, I would have asked my Father for twelve legions of angels and they will wipe you all out?. What he was saying there was ?we don?t operate like you are operating, but I have come for one purpose: Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven?. That the purpose of God in heaven will also become a reality on earth?.? And those who are reading Pilate and quoting Jesus in isolation should also extend and read the end of the book where the seven angels blew the trumpet and the Bible says, ?the kingdom of this earth have become the kingdom of our God and His Christ and He shall reign forever?. Let me tell you this, not only pastors are ministers of God. Romans chapter 13 says those who are collecting revenues, civil servants are also ministers of God. There is no monopoly of ministry. Whatever you do to serve God and serve man is ministry on its own. It makes you a minister, because the word minister means to serve. Those men will come to understand it later. The Lord who opens the eyes of others will also open their eyes also. Imagine a South Africa without a Bishop Desmond Tutu, imagine an America without a Reverend Martin Luther King Jnr, and imagine even the Church itself without Martin Luther the Reformer. God?s agenda as long as the planet earth is concerned are only three. Number one, the reformation of the Church, the transformation of the nations and the consummation of all things. Until the church is truly reformed, you hardly can see national transformation. Because only transformed people can transform nations. And if the Church is going to fold its hands and not do anything, then we become salt in salt shaker meant for decoration of the table. We will not be salt of the earth getting involved and the light of the world dispelling darkness. Darkness cannot drive out darkness. God needs the light to shine more than ever before to expose the dark world of darkness and to bring it into manifestation the desires of God for the planet earth. So, any pastor that says cut off politics from church does not even understand that God spoke to Moses that ?go possess the mountains of the Amorites? and one of the mountains is political mountain.
Will you present yourself for elective position in the near future or have you quit politics for good?
My heroes are the likes of Joseph, Daniel, the three Hebrews, if you are looking for a woman example, Esther and especially Nehemiah, a nation builder. I am not into what I am doing because I am looking for power to be called, ?His Excellency?. Those things last for few years. However, those men played significant role in the politics of their time. Joseph became father to Pharaoh. He controlled more or less the resources of Egypt and ensured what was called redistribution of resources to the extent that the nations of the earth came to Egypt to buy corn. Nehemiah did not only build the walls of Jerusalem, he did not only hang the gates, but came against the oppression that was devastating the people inside the broken walls. I am not sitting here today planning what political party to join. Illegal joining will just backfire on you.? I am looking for God-given opportunity to contribute my quota for the development of my nation. And if that requires participating in active politics, the answer is yes. If it doesn?t require it, I will just do my own best. I prefer to work in the engine room. A great leader does not mind who takes the credit provided the job is done.
Are you in support of having Independent candidates stand for election in Nigeria?
There is no room for it either in the constitution or our electoral act. There is nothing like that now. Even if it is desirable, it is so cumbersome. Ask Peror in America, who has tried to be an independent candidate. In order to secure political power, you need a political party but what will be needful in our own clime is men of goodwill to start coming together and be in the engine room and not this hogwash that is going on. Look at both political parties today, everyone in PDP is not a devil and everyone in APC is not an angel. They are beginning to smell and look alike but may be when they begin to bring their programmes out, we will be able to compare which is better than the other. Until then, we can?t see anything now, other than a lot of jamboree. But I am sure that men of goodwill will be at work, to do their best and bring the best out and Nigerians will be the ones to judge.
To be honest with you, I have no particular passion for any group right now because what I see can be very overwhelmingly grieving to one?s spirit. When I decided to go to CPC, I look at the integrity of General Buhari. And I still believe up to this moment, that Buhari is a man of honour, virtue and integrity. And I have wished he could be an independent candidate, but he has to function in a political party. I just pray that there will be no hangers on that will begin to tamper with his integrity because after all, one tree does not make a forest. If you are not planting the seed and watering it, in no time, the rod of the wicked could come upon the righteous and the righteous will have no choice but to put their hands into iniquity. God forbid, I pray that does not happen to him. It is better for him to stand tall and stand erect for the rest of his life than get compromised by men of easy virtue.
People with good intentions have entered politics and got their integrity bruised. As a man of God, are you not bothered that if you get too close they may tarnish your image?
Then, the solution will be don?t participate and you join the missing-in-action people. You can maintain contact without contamination.? We have gone in, they didn?t soil our name. We participated in 2011, let anyone come out and say this is how you compromise yourself. It doesn?t matter how many birds are in the sky, when an eagle shows up, he will distinguish himself.
Why are you not part of the APC arrangement since you believe so much in General Buhari?
APC is evolving. I am not an official, so I don?t speak for them. The people who are speaking are speaking, while those who are working are working. I am one person that will think before I act and I investigate before I invest. When the time comes for me to play any significant role, I will decide. If there are only two political parties, you have to choose one. If that time ever comes, I will tell you where I am. But until then, I am on the side of God Almighty, watching over situation in the country and being able to direct people telling them ?this is the way to go?.
You may read the full interview? in “The Daily Independent”
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