Oyo State Governor and Allied Peoples Movement presidential hopeful Seyi Makinde has asserted that the nation’s most critical obstacle is widespread poverty.
Makinde said this while reacting to his recognition as Christian Icon of the Year, by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Abuja, on Saturday.
He said the honour presented an opportunity to encourage Christians to take active role in politics where they can shape the country’s political and economic future.
He cautioned against the tendency among many Christians to avoid politics because of the notion that it is a dirty game or at variance with their religious beliefs.
Makinde said Christians must move beyond such perceptions and recognise politics as an important platform for contributing to national development and addressing the challenges confronting the people.
He urged them to draw inspiration from biblical examples of individuals who served in difficult circumstances in order to advance the work of God and the people.
The governor said the biblical account offered an important lesson for Christians who might be reluctant to serve in political environments because of the religious beliefs of those in authority.
He argued that religious considerations should not prevent them from participating in governance or contributing their expertise and values to the transformation of society.
“I will use this opportunity to encourage our Christian brothers and sisters across the country to rise and participate in the agenda to transform Nigeria and reset our country,” Makinde said.
He maintained that Nigeria’s most pressing challenge was the widespread poverty confronting millions of people, stressing that national attention should focus on addressing the economic difficulties affecting the population.
“Our problem is not primarily a religious one. Our problem in this country is poverty, grinding poverty,” he said.
Makinde said the country could not afford to lose sight of the urgent socioeconomic issues requiring attention by allowing religious differences to dominate national conversations.
The governor stressed that the task of national transformation required collective participation, irrespective of religious affiliations, political differences or personal convictions.
What You Should Know
Governor Seyi Makinde has urged Nigerian Christians to stop shying away from politics, arguing that religious differences are not the nation’s core problem. Instead, he emphasized that grinding poverty is the primary crisis affecting millions of citizens and demands urgent collective attention.
- Positive Impact: Encouraging active citizen participation in governance can lead to more inclusive leadership and better policy formulation for national development.
- Potential Concerns: A continuous focus on political apathy among religious groups could further delay grassroots mobilization needed to tackle severe economic hardships.
