OBJ Partly Responsible For Nigeria’s Problem – Bishop

The Anglican Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiasti­cal Province, Emmanuel Chukwuma has said former President Olusegun Obasanjo is part of the problem we have in Nigeria.

In a recent interview, Chukwuma spoke on diverse issues ranging from Obasanjo’s controversial book, to Buhari’s emergence as the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC and other national issues.

According to Chukwuma, barring Obasanjo from launching his book could be be seen to imply that some people want to cover the truth.

He said: “As far as I’m concerned, I do not think that it was right for the court or anybody to bar the former President from launching his book because such action could Why were they asking him not to launch the book? Were they attempting to cover up something or what? If you are sincere, that what the man wrote in his book is not true, let the whole world look at it and see for them­selves. So, preventing him from launching a book he has suffered to put together is like at­tempting to cover up one’s sins and it is not acceptable at all. And if somebody realises that what he has done is not good, he should quickly repent and make amends. But the truth is that the man at the centre of the whole issue – Obasanjo – is also part of the problem we have today. Whatever problem we have today, he is part of the cause. He is reaping the consequences of his selfishness which has now backfired on him.”

Speaking on Buhari’s 2015 presidential ambition, the bishop said the problem he has is that Buhari is a fanatical Muslim and he does not accept his ways.

He explained that past statements and pronouncements made by Buhari sounded warlike and were inciting.

“This is a leader who once pronounced that blood would flow and that he would make the country ungovernable if he loses the Presi­dential election. And we were all witnesses to what happened after he lost that election. Such stance is unacceptable because he does not own Nigeria. It is unfortunate that he made such statement publicly because it will defi­nitely work against him in the coming election. It was after that statement that Boko Haram ensued and that was the basis for which he was linked to the activities of the sect. So, people should realise that it is God who makes kings and people should be careful not to make incit­ing statements carelessly because anything can happen afterwards. That is what I have against him. He should have humbled himself because he is over 70 with a bank of experience, but he has to be very careful how he makes state­ments. If God says he will be President and people vote him in, so be it, and then he should try and balance his religious sentiments,” he said.

He added that he was not in support of the closeness between the President of CAN, Ayo Oritsejafor and President Goodluck Jonathan.

He said: “I have criticised it vehemently. CAN does not involve in ac­tive politics. We only operate as watchdogs and that is what it should be. When you begin to wine and dine with the powers that be, you become so polluted that you cannot speak the truth to them. For me, I have said it before, I will never dine or mess myself up with any political leadership whereby I will not be able to speak and condemn their act of bad gover­nance where necessary. It is our duty to pray for them but we must also be ready to always speak with boldness against all evil acts of government.”

Recall that the launch of Obasanjo’s book,’My Watch’ triggered a lot of discussions. A judge had ordered the confiscation of the book after the ex-president went ahead to present the book to the public, in disobedience to the court’s restraining injunction.

Obasanjo had however filed an appeal, arguing that he was in no way “daring the court”.

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