From Fred Ezeh, Abuja

National President of Full Gospel Business Men Fellowship International (FGBMFI-NIGERIA), Ifeanyi Odedo, is an architect and businessman based in Abuja, Nigeria. In this interview, he said that members of the Fellowship have been mobilized and are ready to participate in 2023 general elections.

 

Recently, the National convention of FGBMFI and 70th anniversary held in Abuja. How was the event?

It was a successful one. From the organization to attendance, everything went well as planned. But the most remarkable part of the event was the spiritual impact and upliftment that all the delegates received. This year’s event was unique. It was streamed live to global audience who couldn’t attend. The organization was in such a way that there were several centres across the country and beyond where people gathered to participate in the event, virtually. At intervals, we switched the event to a particular centre and take messages or other information from them. But in all, it was a successful event.

Did you discuss national issues particularly as election is around the corner?

Yes, we did and would continue to do. We begun sensitization and mobilization for this 2023 election long before now. During the recently concluded Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), we mobilized our people to get registered so they can participate in the process of choosing the political leaders in next year general elections. I am happy that majority of our members registered and have obtained their Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) and are ready to vote in the next year elections.

What level of confidence do you have in the electoral system this time?

Obviously, the system, particularly the Electoral Act is becoming neater and credible than what we had in the past. We might not have it all right now but what we have now is a little better than what we had in the previous years that was used to conduct faulty elections that brought in ‘incompetent’ leaders that have plunged Nigeria into socioeconomic and political chaos. It was due to lack of this confidence and trust in the system that made people stay away from the polls. Some people would say, even if I suffer any discomfort

myself to vote, it won’t count. So, it’s better I use my time for something better. But now, there’s little improvement in the system and people are strongly determined to participate in choosing their political leaders this time.

But some people still believe and are boosting what they call structure and popularity of their party?

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Anyone that’s is doing now is obviously living in the past. People are more politically wiser and enlightened now than few years ago. If you check now, you would realize that Nigerians are no longer interested in size and structure of party. They are now discussing competence, capacity and ability of individuals and not the popularity or structure of a party.

Are you comfortable with the decision of a political party to field candidates of same- faith?

Not at all. That decision is an insult on the sensibility of millions of Christians in Nigeria. This country is adjudged a country with 50 percent Muslim and 50 percent Christian. The current administration is led by President Muhammadu Buhari who is a Muslim, and he will be completing his 8-year tenure next year. Now, his party, APC, decided to pick someone from same faith, Islam, to replace him as President. Not only that, his running mate was also chosen from Muslim community. That’s unfair to Christians and an indication that they have no regard for Christians in Nigeria. Where is the place of equity, justice and fairness. It’s an intentional marginalization. But I think Nigerians are wiser and know better, and they would speak at the polls in 2023.

Has FGBMFI taken a position on who to queue behind in the presidential elections?

No! But I believe that every Nigerian and every member of the Fellowship has in his or her mind the candidate he or she will vote for in the forthcoming presidential elections. As a body, we are not in the position to choose for anybody who to vote because we have politicians of different political parties, ideologies and interests in the Fellowship. However, we have a crucial Nigeria National Congress (NNC) meeting next year, either late January or early February. It’s at the meeting that we would do critical assessment of the presidential candidates of different political parties. After then, we would take position on our choice candidate, and also communicate same to all members across over 3,000 chapters of the Fellowship.

Do you think the Body of Christ has done enough in mobilizing people to join politics over the years?

Not satisfactorily done. But that trend has begun to change greatly with the recent reawakening of Christian religious leaders. The major reason for that, perhaps, was because politics was seen in the past by Christians as a dirty game that are left for unbelievers to play. But people forget that the decisions of these ‘unbelievers’, whether good or bad, are binding on us all. The effect is being felt in Nigeria today. So, people have awaken and realized the need to participate in the process and not abandon it to people who are not sufficient in knowledge, economic, political and otherwise. Bible had told us that ‘faith without work is dead’. So, while we pray for a better Nigeria, we must join hands together to make it work by doing our bit.

Are you concerned about the state of the nation, and are you hopeful votes would count?

We are concerned about the state of the nation, Nigeria, especially as it concerns leadership. But we encouraged our members to participate in politics, by first getting registered in political party so they can join to get things changed. If there’s no nation called Nigeria, then our ministry work is paralyzed. There has been lots of election apathy in the past because of lack of trust and confidence in the system. People believe that there’s massive corruption and manipulation in the system that won’t allow things work well. However, we have been praying and it seems God is beginning to answer our prayers beginning with the new the electoral law that seems to be better than what we have previously. We believe that vote will count this time, hence we shouldn’t be found wanting. We are trusting that we would mobilize our members to vote right this time. We must get it right this time. Money politics will fail this time.

FGBMFI is known to be saturated with professionals. In what way has it affected  engagements in the society.

At the just concluded national convention, there were opportunities for people in different professions to meet and discuss issues that concern their profession. The meeting was a fruitful one. Discussions centered on how to initiate and drive reforms that would herald necessary transformation in different fields. Before now, there’s always engagements and discussions at chapter level on issues that concern different profession, and we are seeing results.