Fighting Corruption, Not Equal To Improving Nigerians’ Living Standards- Cleric To Buhari

Worried by the debilitating state of Nigeria’s economy, the Pastor, New Dawn Baptist Church, NDBC, Victoria Island, Lagos, Rev. Samson Adedokun, has advised the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government not to equate fighting corruption to progressively improving the lives of Nigerians.
Reverend Adedokun, spoke to Vanguard in an interview, as President Buhari marked his one year in office last Sunday.
According to him, the war against graft must be endorsed by all Nigerians, but spending all the time today, on yesterday’s crime, means abandoning the seeds for tomorrow’s development.
Adedokun said: “It’s time to remind the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration that fighting corruption is not equal to progressively improving the lives of Nigerians. To be clear, we endorse the war against corruption. Infact, it should be widened and faithfully prosecuted. However, the current administration needs to remember that spending all the time on yesterday’s crime today, means abandoning the seeds for tomorrow’s development.
“Government can’t only be about aggregating the ills of the past. The past is gone. It’s history. Lessons can be learnt from it. Mistakes can be identified. What is punishable can be punished. What is recoverable should be recovered. What is correctable should be corrected. But, it is still history. Ruminate on the past. Reference the past, but don’t live in it. It leaves you as an archeological piece. If you dwell in the annals of history all day, you become historical footnotes.”
Speaking further, he said: “Government must be about the living. The living are here and now. The living are in the future. Government must be stronger on rectifying present problems while providing for the needs of the future. If you till the fields in rainy season, you will reap the blessing of the harvest period. This government must know that without focus on today’s basics, and a consistent plan for tomorrow’s needs, they will be no better than other leaders. The concern of this government must be how to deliver on their promises and not on the broken promises of those they replaced.
“Furthermore, all elected leaders need to remember that the offices they occupy were made possible by Nigerians who made all kind of sacrifices in the last elections. What sacrifices are they now making? It is time to cut down on all frivolities. It is not only citizens who should bear the brunt of the times. Let all public officers show respect for the nation by cutting out all the non-essentials including travels, fleets, and appointments.
“Finally, Nigerians must take charge. We must become more than partisan commentators, tribal affiliates, and religious exponents. It’s time to turn our collective oppression into passion for true freedom. We must transcend our political induced fences to close ranks against those who use our votes, our offices, our resources and our goodwill against us. It is time to turn our collective frustrations into collective actions that will turn the tide.”
However, urging Nigerians not to give up hopes owing to the current state of the nation, the cleric said: “Let me assure all Nigerians that we will not only survive this season, we will become a better nation. We will triumph over our plunderers. We will conquer our conquerors. Just as the word of the Lord came to Samaria in 2 Kings 7:1-2, where God turned around the situation in that region for good, Nigeria will also thrive again.”

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