President of Baptist Conference, Kwara state chapter, Reverend Dr. Victor Adebayo Dada, has said that political parties must toe ideology line for Nigerian masses to enjoy democratic dividends.
According to the clergy, there must also be a proper mentoring system of political followers by their mentors who should in turn be made to sustain the policies of such political parties.
Speaking at the event marking the 70th birthday celebrations of the leader of ‘O To Ge’ political movement in Kwara state, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo, Reverend Dada rued the alleged non-discipleship of followers of the nation’s founding fathers, which he said had led to a yearning gap in the political leadership successions in the nation’s polity.
The clergy also canvassed a legislation that would halt incessant decamping of Nigerian politicians from one party to another.
He posited that would-be-members of political parties should not be allowed to cross carpet for the nation’s burgeoning democracy to bring out the much needed benefits to the masses.
“Nigerian legislators should give us legislations that would make it difficult for politicians to jump from one political party to another. This chameleonic behaviour have tendencies to slow down the growth of democracy in our country”, he said.
He praised Oyedepo for his alleged consistency and doggedness in politics especially since the Third Republic when he served as the Chief Whip of the Kwara State House of Assembly, through his period as the state Chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, (ACN). Dada described him as a progressive politician with preference for people oriented policies.
Quoting copiously from 2nd Timothy, chapter 2 verses 1 & 2, the preacher, who is the Pastor in charge of Zion Baptist church, Ilorin stressed the imperative of discipleship both in political circle and spiritual endeavours before such politicians could emerge as complete.
He said Oyedepo, as a worker in the church even at the age of 70 depict the picture of a political juggernaut with spiritual maturity. But he challenged him and other politicians of like minds to raise successors who would continue in their legacies after their exit.
According to Dada, “at 70, one should think of the hereafter. At this stage of one’s life, one has surpassed half of one’s life, hence the need to begin to plan for a successor.
“Raise disciples they are different from friends. The best legacy to bequeath on anyone is discipleship. Who are your disciples spiritually and politically? Anyone devoid of these, has lived a wasted life. Start your discipleship from home, your children in particular. The parents labour must not be in vain.”
Political parties must have unique ideologies and incessant decamping from one party to another should stop to accelerate the socio-political growth of Nigeria.
In his reaction, Oyedepo thanked God for making him a septuagenarian and appreciated his colleagues in the political struggles for their unflinching interest in political and economic emancipation of the people of the state.
He added, “the past five years have been the most traumatic part of my political life. At the thick and peak of the struggle for regime change, I did not show any interest in any office that could be a direct benefit to my person. The struggle for actualization of purpose consumed my time, talent, commitment and financial resources.
“Many people were absent from the theatre of war, others sat on the fringes or on the fence watching where the direction of things was going, I was deep in the trenches. Those that were not visible at the war fronts carried the trophies of our collective endeavor. The sad thing is that they forgot to remember the war commanders.
“I did not struggle for office because I believed that once we achieve a regime change, all other necessary advantages like consultation and influence in the project we built together will follow. We worked hard to displace the ancient regime, thinking it would advance our political career and serve the interests of the people of Kwara State.
“Our thinking remains an error. We have a government that is a misnomer of one-man majority in a democracy. We have a government that makes us to ask ourselves: why have we fought the battle or what is the essence of the change we championed? And that is my frustration at 70”.
