2023: I have no problem with South East producing president provided the person is competent… Pastor Femi Lanre Oke

Pastor Femi Lanre Oke is the residing pastor of Jesus raise Evangelical Ministry International. A teacher of God’s word, an industrialist and philanthropist, pastor Oke an author and facilitator of DavidStone School of Ministry, an institute which is committed to raising end time leaders. In this interview of Champion Newspapers, Femi Lanre Oke explains the need for Nigerians to work towards building an orderly society saying that God is favourably disposed to making Nigeria greater. He harps on recruiting competent leaders as opposed to the current battle to raise regional leaders. Excerpts

 WHAT WILL YOU SAY ON THE ISSUE OF ZONING OF PRESIDENCY FOR THE 2023 GENERAL ELECTION? 

The most important thing is not the zoning. The most important thing is competency; that is competence to rule nation; who has the ability, the charisma, the requirement, the wisdom to lead this nation out of whatsoever situation and into the required life style that will be comfortable and lively for Nigerians.  It is not a function of zoning; it is a function of ability. If we have somebody who is able to do that from any zone that will be fine.  We don’t need to say because we are zoning we now put the nation into despair; into trouble into pain.  We need to have somebody who is competent, who is able to bring this nation into the future which God wants for Nigeria, We don’t need to hide under the disguise of zoning and bury the destiny of the nation.

HOW CORRECT5 ARE THEY WHEN THE IGBOS ARE SAYING THAT IT IS THEIR TURN TO PRODUCE THE NEXT LEADER OF NIGERIA?

I don’t have a problem with Igbos presenting the next president of Nigeria provided we have somebody who is able and capable to bring Nigeria into the future God has destined for her as a nation. It is not a problem.

  WHAT ARE YOUR ADVICE TO THOSE WHO ARE QUEUING UP TO CONTEXT FOR THE PRESIDENCY COME 2023?

The first thing is to be sincere with themselves.  What is the reason for the desire for presidency? is it the canal desire to be the number one citizen of the country to acquire the honour and the wealth of the nation or privilege to just be relevant in the nation, they should have a passionate vision and desire to take Nigeria out of the present situation into the desired future God has. They should be sincere if they have wrong motive, they should not forget that God is going to fight for His children this 2023. it is not how wealthy you are or how connected, if you are the chosen candidate with the right vision, if you don’t have the plan for this nation forget it; the destiny of the righteous ones will fight and will oppose them and all their machineries.  That is all I have to say.

SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT THE PRESIDENT WILL NOT HAND OVER A UNITED NIGERIA TO HIS SUCCESSOR. DO YOU HABOUR SUCH FEARS ALSO?

The president will hand over a united country to his successor. Nigeria will remain one Nigeria by the grace of God. There are people who are hoping that Nigeria will be divided but it will not happen because God is interested in Nigeria. GOD is interested in the affairs of this Nation.

WHAT ARE THE MEN OF GOD DOING TO ENSURE THAT THE COUNTRY DOSE NOT GO BACK IN CHOOSING A COMPETENT LEADER THAT WILL RULE NIGERIA.

What we are doing is to encourage the church and her members to be conscious of whom they are willing to give their votes to and also talking to the people who have been noted by the lord to come out and contest for the election.

WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THE ONGOING TRIAL OF THE LIKES OF NNAMDI KANU AND SUNDAY IGBOHO

Well, I will like to leave that to the government and the judiciary; the government precisely.  I will advice them to do whatever that they think is right and legal; whatever they think it is the right things to do. I will leave that to their decision.

WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON THE ISSUE OF STATE POLICEAND THE RESOLUTION OF SOME OF LINGERING INSECURITY PROBLEMS IN THE COUNTRY?

 I think that state police will be effective provided that our governors will make it effective.  They, the governors should not use it to witch hunt political opponents and the rest. If we have state police we will be able to be fine to a reasonable extent.  It is a good Idea.

WHAT CAN YOU SAY ON THE WORRISOME ISSUE OF DISUNITY, DISTRUST and SUSPICOUS  ACTIVITIES AMONG THE VARIOUS ETHNIC NATIONALITIES IN NIGERIA?

it is the same enemy that is bringing this disunity.  When everybody is not having enough they should have they don’t have enough of basic amenities, no employment, many  people are out school, nothing to be done, you see people who cannot access government school because there is nothing to write home about. You cannot go to the government hospital. You know this people when they have nothing to do to engage them they come into disunity to fight which is not necessary.  So, the root cause is just the leadership gap that is clearly the evident in the nation.

HOW DO YOU SEE THE RATE AT WHICH THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT IS SOLVING INSECURITY PROBLEMS IN NIGERIA?

Well, I will say that the government is trying its best in tackling insecurity in the country.  I am not in the government so I may not know what they have done and so, speaking from my end, I may not be accurately satisfactory but I think they are doing well.  They can do better.

SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT A SECTION OF THE COUNTRY HAS TAKEN THE PRESIDENCY OF NIGERIA AS THEIR OWN BIRTH RIGHT. WHAT IS YOUR VIEW ON THIS.

I don’t know if that is what they think but I wouldn’t encourage that to be their thought.  If that is what they think they should realize that Nigeria is does not belong to any section.  In Nigeria we have six geopolitical zones and every geopolitical zone must have this understanding. We should have that correct perspective.

YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS THIS THING THAT THEY CALL DATING SITE FOR SINGLES IN CHURCHES OF TODAY?

Those who do that may have their reasons for doing it. I may not have much to say on that.  The church that has dating site they have their reasons, they may have their roles to guild the church members and whatsoever. If their roles and guidelines are regulated, that may be a good idea for them but the basic thing is you cannot know any man in details just by meeting somebody online or something.  Of course there is a way you will meet somebody either in the school, church, online it is a starting point. But beyond that starting point of the dating site they should take it further in seeking guidance of the Lord or whatsoever person they are meeting online.

SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT CHURCHS SHOULD ALLOW MEN MARRY MORE THAN ONE WIFE. MONOGAMY AS BEEN PRACTICE BY CHURCHS THEY SAY,  IS HYPOCRACY.

Everybody has right to his own opinion.  When we say you want to marry more than one wife you will have the right of the consequences of marrying more than one wife.  The truth is that when God created Adam he gave him one wife not two.  That becomes a reference point and biblical standard.  You may say that there are people in the old testament or  things like that;  did you also know what are the consequences of marrying more than one wife but irrespective of examples you may want to reference just look at what is the plan of God in marriages and just abide by it.  That is my counsel.

WHAT CAN YOU SAY ON THE INVASION OF UKRAIN BY RUSSIA? ANY FEAR OF A POSSIBLE THIRD WORLD WAR?

Yes I had about the threat and eventual invasion of Ukraine by Russia and I think it is just a fulfillment of God’s prophecy.  You know this is the last days and there will be rumours of wars and all the rest.  So we are praying and believing God that all will be well in Russia and all over the world.

Definitely the church has a role to we play beyond praying.  We also develop to help think the way God will think in us.  When they have their plan they are thinking, they will live as God on earth and not work against the will of God because I know it is not the will of GOD for another war so our role in our own area of influences we bring the word of GOD to come into the mind of men so that they can think in alignment with the word of GOD.

IT DOES APPEAT THAT OUR PRESENT DAY GOVERNMENT HAS NOT HEARKENED TO THE VOICES OF RESTRUCTURING THE COUNTRY?

Because they will definitely know the reasons why they are not hearkening to it.  They are the ones wearing the shoes and they know where it is pitching them the most.  So they would have probably weighed it, looking at the benefits and advantages, looking at the resources they have, they will definitely know the reason why they are not hearkening.

Nigeria is in the hands of God this time around and we need prayers now more than ever before.  Nothing seems to be the way it should be and people are lawless; and the law enforcement agents are not even enforcing anything.  I think we need to conduct a check on value system in Nigeria.  Many things are out of place and I Pray that the Lord will help us.

For a better society