Rev. (Dr) Adesina Sanyaolu, Senior Pastor, Chapel of Holiness Evangelical Intl. Aka Fountain of Living Spring, Lagos,  speaks on the state of the nation.

Adesina

What is your reaction to the state of the nation, especially state of insecurity and the killing of villagers in Benue and Taraba states, by suspected herdsmen?

That is not the best way to start a new year. The killing of those innocent Nigerians is very unfortunate. It is sad that Nigeria is being gradually turned into a killing field under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari. But let say, again, and I have said it before and God revealed it to me, again, that Nigeria may continue to witness political turbulence, killings and general insecurity as long as Buhari is in government. Although Buhari is doing his best, he will never get it right as long as he remains the President because God revealed to me that Buhari is not Nigeria’s messiah. I’m not saying this for the first time. Before Buhari was voted into office in 2015, God asked me to tell Nigerians that even though he and the APC would win the poll, Buhari would never have a peaceful rule because he has not been divinely anointed to lead Nigeria. No matter how much he tries or the efforts he makes, he will never get it right.

What are the expectations for the year 2018?

For those Nigerians who harbor the fear that Nigeria may break or there may be war, Nigeria is not going to break and there is not going to be any war in Nigeria. You know Nigerians, some people are afraid when some prophets and pastors have been saying that Nigeria will break or that there will be war, but you know there are prophets and there are prophets, God told me after a 41 days fasting that Nigeria is not going to break. God specifically told me to assure Nigerians that there won’t be any war in Nigeria and that Nigeria is not going to break. Still on the political landscape God revealed to me that former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar should not be written off. He should not be underrated. Although Atiku has nothing to offer Nigeria again, God said he shouldn’t be written off. God further revealed to me that even if Atiku becomes relevant again, he (Atiku) doesn’t have solution to Nigeria’s problems. 2018 will also witness mass defection from the ruling APC to PDP, and this will hurt the leadership of APC to the extent that the APC led Federal Government would start witch-hunting members of the opposition party. But God told me that Buhari and APC leadership should not harass, persecute or intimidate members of the opposition, that if this is done, there will be consequences.

There is a lot of anxiety over the 2019 general elections. What is your take?

It is sad that 2019 has dominated our political landscape. But for these politicians talking about 2019 now, do they know what will happen tomorrow not to talk of next year? Some of these politicians jostling, struggling over 2019 may drop dead before 2019. For President Buhari, my advice is that he should forget it. If God give him the grace to complete his first term, he should retire to his village in Daura. But even if Buhari wants to spend one term in office, some hardliners in his party, APC, will convince him to run for second term and it will have consequences. Nigerians should watch and pray. Again, we should continue to pray for Mr President over his health. It is not yet uhuru for Buhari concerning his health. He should listen to his doctors and take things easy.

How do you see the economy faring in 2018?

Nigerians should move closer to God – they should be watchful and pray, but 2018 will be much better than 2017.The economy will be much better this year – more Nigerians would get job, and the economy will enjoy some boom.

The issue of insecurity, especially Boko Haram …

Boko Haram will grow more deadly. The more efforts government makes in dealing with the menace, the deadlier Boko Haram will become. I don’t see government defeating Boko Haram through use of force. Buhari should seek political solution to the Boko Haram conundrum.

If you are to advise government on three areas to accord priority in 2018, what would those areas be?

Power, health and infrastructure. Power is the key to so many things. Today the state of electricity generation, supply and distribution is nothing to write home about. Government should make concrete efforts to increase power generation. When power supply is improved, industries will function optimally. Even with increased power generation, small-scale ventures will thrive. All those welders, barber, hair-dressers will be able to work. Even when industries are functioning well as a result of improved power generation, job opportunities will be created. Another area that needs to be accorded attention is the health sector. Nigeria is a big country and well endowed with resources like but sadly the state of our health sector is nothing to write home about. On infrastructure, government needs to do more in the areas of constructing new roads and rehabilitating the existing ones.

There is the argument that the cost of governance is on the high side.

I quite agree with those who are saying that the cost of governance is on the high side. Even President Buhari, in his new year speech, said something needs to be done about it. The salaries, allowances and emoluments collected by our political officer holders are too much.

This is a big drain on the nation’s resources. The politics we practise is too expensive. We need to review the cost of governance.

And we must place emphasis on transparency and good governance. In order climes, politics is seen as an avenue to serve, but here, sadly, politics and political appointments are seen as an avenue for self-enrichment. We need to imbibe a new attitude and orientation towards politics and public service.