Right Reverend (Dr) Olugbenga Babatunji, is the Anglican Diocese of Osun and the chairman of the Liturgy and Spirituality Committee of the Church of Nigeria. In this interview with SEYI SOKOYA, he speaks on his sojourn in the vineyard and the way out from the nation’s hardship. Excerpts.
The country’s situation is becoming more difficult for Nigerians; how has it affected the church?
If Nigerian citizens will feel anything, then the church, definitely, must feel it, because they are the ones attending our church. So, the feeling is not even how much money comes into the church. But you can’t see your members suffering and be happy, and you are praying for them. Then the second aspect is that many of these members don’t have anywhere else to go. So, most times, they come to us to tell us their problems, and by the time somebody speaks about what he or she is facing, the money that is not enough for you, you will have to put it down. So, it is an understatement to say the church is feeling or not feeling the heat of the current state of the nation. In fact, the church is 100 percent feeling what is happening in the nation.
From my perspective, the present government is not only the cause of the problem, successive governments, of course, are primarily the causes of these problems. The followership also has its blame. For example, the food insecurity started from the general insecurity, because I remember that we were warned about four years ago that we were going to enter a season of famine following the security challenge in the middle-belt areas where most of the food we eat are planted. Many people have been killed and kidnapped and this has led to a shortage of food in the country, and also led to great inflation.
How have you been able to manage this challenge as a cleric?
We have been able to cut our clothes according to our clothes. We now manage our resources. We have cut down so many things in running the church. Services and meetings have been streamlined. The current state of the nation has affected us so much, but we are praying and we have faith in God for a great turnaround. We know that God is still on His throne, and He will deliver us from all the perennial problems.
We are aware that the problems are numerous, and it is like Satan has brought its throne to Nigeria to sit on, because the issues are too many and it is escalating by the day. Nobody is safe in the nation and the hardship is so unbearable. I pray that God will give the present government wisdom, and the political will to address all these problems.
Some church leaders seem divided on the notion that members should suspend paying tithes and offerings to church for now as a relief on the hardship in the country. What is your take on this?
Paying tithes or offerings is a doctrinal issue. Tithe is a teaching from the Bible. So, if I believe in it, I will continue to do it. What I will advise people to do at this time is to pay tithe according to their conviction. I can’t say because much is not coming in now, then I will stop serving God the way I ought to. I don’t think churches or pastors should stop speaking the truth of the doctrine of the Bible because of the state of economy of the nation.
It is not a must to go a long distance to worship God if we cannot afford it. We can identify with any church nearby to pray and worship. I can’t say because I don’t have money, I won’t worship God and pay my little offering to God. God sees everything. He knows more than we do. He knows our hearts. Except church is business, which is not supposed to be, tithe and offering are a way of blessing. We in the Anglican Church don’t see church as a way of making money. So, if God blesses you, worship and thank Him in the way you can, and if you feel you need more, pray and have faith that more will come, but it doesn’t stop you from worshiping God the way you think you should worship Him.
You have been the bishop of the Osun Diocese for five years, how has it been, sir?
We have a structure in our church. I am privilege to experience the three orders; deacon, priest, then bishop. When I was a priest, especially when I was in the Diocese of Remo, I was an archdeacon, and I had the privilege to work in about five dioceses. I was an agent at Ilesa diocese. I was a priest in Ondo, Ibadan, and Remo dioceses, and now a bishop in Osun diocese.
When I was in Remo, assisting my mentor, and my bishop, Most Reverend (Dr) M.O. Fape, I respect him so much. I used to tell my wife that ‘don’t mind bishops, we are the ones working for them. They just sat in their offices and would be enjoying.’ Now that I had become a bishop, I knew I was wrong because I just found out that my hair is turning grey. I told my former boss that I don’t know that this is what it used to be and we laughed. But then it is a fulfilling task. I shed tears the day I was enthroned.
We were consecrated in Asaba, on September, 24 and I was enthroned November 21, 2019. As a result of the whole experience, my wife and I went on holiday for two weeks to rest. We travelled to Dallas in the United States. It was there I got a call from Nigeria around 2 am, and that was evening in Nigeria. It was Primate Okoh and he told me that I have been appointed the chairman of the Liturgy and Spirituality Committee of the Church of Nigeria. I was dumbfounded, because I was consecrated barely five months ago. He said he called to inform me formally.
Honestly, I didn’t see it coming at all, because this was the office Papa Ndukuba was occupying before he became the primate. I don’t know why I was picked to take after him. So, what I am trying to say is that I entered work since I became a bishop. I work for the diocese, the province, and the Church of Nigeria. It’s a privilege, and I sincerely appreciate it.
It has been a good time working for God in this capacity not only even within Osun Diocese, which is about 15 Local Government Area, but also to work in the whole Church of Nigeria. So, it has been good in the last five years. Though there were a few challenges, we were able to solve them through divine wisdom.
We also had an infrastructure challenge, which we have been able to solve. The diocese has experienced a steady development in the last five years and we thank God. We have supported members in diverse ways. The youths, especially students in the diocese have benefited from the welfare package of the church. We have empowered about 100 women, including, widows with funds and provided machinery for their skills. We have also supported many artisans one way or the other. We needed to provide some comfort for them to come and worship in God’s presence.
How have you been able to cope as Bishop of Osun Diocese and chairman Liturgy and Spirituality Committee of the Church of Nigeria, coupled with other tasks?
I’m an empirical person, even though I’m a man of faith. So you expect me to say God? Yes, it is God. He has been so wonderful. I thank God I am not nursing any sickness. Before now, if not because of the insecurity issues, I used to run six kilometers every morning when I was in Remo. But things have changed now and one needs to be very careful. I only walk around in my compound now for about two hours. I do exercise as much as I can. But then, if you are not organised, even if your work is not much it will overwhelm you. I have a complete schedule for the week and I have a detailed diary.
How would you describe your journey into the vineyard?
I was prepared to start early. I was an agent age of 17. I entered the seminary at the age of 19. I became a priest at the age of 23. I became an archdeacon at the age of 33 and I became a bishop at the age of 51. I blessed God that I became a bishop at the right age. So, I have 19 years, just like my predecessor. The major thing that tarnishes one’s calling is scandal. Some ministers of God lack self-control, which leads them to a big crisis that will eventually lead to shame. There are many cases of clerics engaging in illicit affairs, either maritally or financially or otherwise, but I thank God that I am free of all that through God’s grace.
I gave my life to Christ at 16, and I knew from the beginning that there is a difference between being a child of God and being a man of God, and that is a difference between my faith and my office. My faith is personal to me. It is between God and I. I also need that relationship to be honed, and that is what will help my office. I may be a man of God and not be a child of God. I may have an office as a priest, as a pastor, as a bishop, and not have a relationship with God. So, if I am like that, I may not enjoy the ministry, because the ministry is a spiritual one, and God needs to be guiding. But if you are not in a relationship with the Lord, through Jesus Christ, you can enter such traps and enter trouble.
What is your advice for Nigerians at these trying times?
We have found ourselves in this situation and one of the major things that can solve our problems is prayer. I want to urge all Nigerians to continue to pray. Also, every Nigerian should do their bit; pay taxes, shun corruption, and mentor the generation that is coming after us with our good lifestyles. Honestly, some things are better left unsaid. But what we are seeing in the lives of the younger generations, not even adults, it seems as if the nation’s future is blinking. Let us mentor them and bring them closer to God. This does not exempt church leaders and public servants. We all have a role to play in the society.
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