Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
Former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has challenged Nigerians to see politics as a mission field that requires people of godly minds, integrity and not rascals and persons of questionable characters.
He said though the way politics is played in the country is rough, it is not enough reason to leave it for people with questionable character. He, therefore, urged those with high moral fibre and integrity to come out and take up political roles to salvage the nation from its parlous state.
“Yes, politics in Nigeria is rough, but we cannot leave it. To leave it, is to handover our government to wicked men, people who do not fear God. It is to handover it to armed robbers, to criminals and then, what country are we living in? A country where those who govern you are criminals, armed robbers, then you are finished.
“It means that any time they like they can seize your house or your wife and nothing will happen. But if we want change to happen in this country, we need to encourage decent men and women.
“I do not want to just say only Christians because I can see that there are Muslims who are decent but the key word is that we must encourage decent men and women, people who fear God, whether as a Christians or Muslims or as pagan. If they fear God, fine.
“Let them come in. At least, they will have a conscience and will say no, let us use this money for the people’s good, no, let us employ this person, he is the best and not because his father is in our cult.
“So, a lot of Christians are afraid really and they have said that the thing (politics) is too dirty I cannot get inside. But a mission field is the one that is dirty, go and clean it.
“When you are talking about the prophecy of Jesus Christ he said the government shall be upon his shoulders. That is the prophecy in Isaiah 6 about Jesus. So, we have a duty to go into the place and see how we can sanitise it,” he stressed.
Ize-Iyamu said Nigerians are suffering because the elected leaders have converted a greater part of the money meant for development of the country for their personal use and that there is a need for a paradigm shift.
“I keep telling people, the politics I made is only for one purpose, to be able to make people know that if a man who fears God is in government, he can use that position by far more than I have ever seen.”
The PDP former governorship candidate observed that the hardship imposed on Nigerians by bad leadership is making the few wealthy ones endangered species in the society because they cannot claim to be fulfilled when millions of citizens are wallowing in abject poverty.
“I also keep telling people that when you are wealthy and all around you is poverty, invariably you are poor. So, it is difficult to be fulfilled in a Nigeria where all around you, the people are not fulfilled.
“When you look at your environment, you feel sorrowful. Anybody who sees me will say these are the oppressors and you cannot blame them because they see a big house but what they do not know is that, in your own heart, you will want a situation where they all can have it. It is not impossible.”