Vera Wisdom-Bassey

Prelate Uche Chukwuemeka Kanu has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to restore the hope of Nigerians in 2020.

In this interview, he spoke on what the government should do to uplift the lives of the people, among other issues.

Recently, the home of the former president was invaded by gunmen; what is your take on that?

It is a political thing, it is from the internal politics of Bayelsa; some were trying to revenge on their failed attempt to win the Bayelsa poll.  Since the poll did not favour them, some people felt he betrayed them to recoup the money they used during the election. I believe their mission is to kidnap him and take him away and later make him to pay ransom.

Should this experience be what a former president be having in a country like ours?

That is bad.  Politics of Nigeria is immature, hence the use of tugs and cultists during elections; you know people have invested so much to do this.  You can see they went with gunboat and even sophisticated weapons just to kidnap him  but then I would advise that the Federal Government should beef up security for the former president wherever he goes.  He gave a good account of himself as a good democrat.  No matter  what people say, Jonathan is a democrat; he is the best in Africa.  Nobody has ever relinquished power voluntarily in Africa like Jonathan, as a young man.  It is recommendable, what he did.  The Federal Government’s hand is not in this.

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What agenda would you set for the Presidency in 2020?

I think for me, it is  a year of great hope, progress and restoring everything that the Locust has eaten from Nigeria.  It is a year of restoring the fortune of Nigeria and building trust, building the economy, revamping the educational sector, restoring infrastructure, roads that were destroyed should be restored in 2020.  I know that President Muhammadu Buhari is willing  to do that.  I know that they have to cut cost on those things that are not necessary and focus on the wellbeing of Nigerians.  No body should receive multiple salary.  Civil servants and public servants should have one source of salary; no one should be allowed to receive multiple salaries from one source.  Only the business men should be allowed to do their businesses; any government official who entered into transport or agriculture should be allowed, but those who are having salaries from state and federal level at the same time should be stopped  so that we have enough for our need, because we can never have enough for our greed, because the greed of man is insatiable.  The Federal Government should work towards dousing the security issue in the country; without security, there will be no business or progress.  The Federal Government should create enabling environment for business to thrive. He also called for tolerance; no division based on tribe; we should all live together,  have Nigeria as our primary assignment, to build a viable country, to build a healthy country for the betterment of all.

How should our youths live in 2020?

Every Nigerian should be contented.  Some of us were brought up by parents who during our up bringing had no meat in the soup, but we will go to the bush to pick palm fruit to cook. For several years, we used palm fruits to cook food then and we were contented.  But now, I can slaughter two cows.  The poverty was so much that we could not buy onions yet, we did not take to crime. I never engaged to any loose behaviour.  I want to advise the youths to take it easy; all will be well and please with the Federal Government to provide work for the teeming youths and cut off certain salaries of senators and those from level 10 to 20 so that they can pay the junior staff and also check the way people earn their money.

We must reduce our life style. Nigerian youths should stop carrying arms and live a better life.

What is your advice for Nigerians and the way forward?

The way forward for Nigeria is to fear God, live in peace.  Those who play religious politics are empty, be they Bishops or Imams but those who want peace.  We should place other Nigerians above ourself, live and let us live should be our motto.