Afolabi Gambari
Granted that Pastor Tunde Bakare is a fiery cleric, former vice-presidential aspirant, convener of “Occupy Nigeria”, philanthropist, social critic and until 2022 a presidential aspirant. But he is not the president. Therefore, he was least qualified to broadcast what he called ‘State of the Nation’ address on April 20. However, he was still eminently qualified since he saw a yawning vacuum to fill, and he filled it. After all, the one that was statutorily qualified to make the broadcast, that is, President Bola Tinubu, was on that day somewhere in France where he had gone to fine tune strategies with which he hoped to celebrate the two years of his administration whereupon he would highlight the successes achieved within the period; although back home there was human carnage being recorded in Benue and Plateau states of more than a hundred of innocent citizens slaughtered by cold blooded killers suspected to be cattle herders. As Mr. President was largely expected to cut short his visit to Europe in sympathy, but he didn’t, Bakare weighed in from a humanitarian point, furthering the age-old saying “nature abhors a vacuum”.
Combining the roles of a president and clergyman, the combative critic began his broadcast thus: “Fellow citizens.”
He reckoned the day a special one, as he continued: “It is fitting that today’s state of the nation broadcast is being delivered to a nation in need of resurrection this Easter Sunday. In the Book of Ezekiel, the prophet was transported to a valley full of dry bones where God asked him, “Can these bones live?” I imagine He is also asking us today: “Can Nigeria live?” If we think of the mass grave in Bassa, Jos, into which over fifty of our citizens were lowered on Tuesday; if we think of the sense of foreboding, hunger, sorrow, shame, and of utter hopelessness, we may be moved in our broken humanity to answer, “No.””
So much has been said of the Tinubu administration’s ‘renewed hope agenda’ – although for the most part, it has since turned out as what it is: a mere slogan.
Little wonder, Bakare also said in the broadcast: “Yet, it is precisely in moments such as this, when hope, far from being renewed, is depleted; it is in moments like this that truth becomes as precious as oxygen to our body politic. For today’s State of the Nation Broadcast, I am borrowing words attributed to Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States of America, as my title. He said, “Let the people know the truth, and the country is safe.” Only by confronting our reality with honesty and courage can we begin the work of resurrection – not just of our nation, but of our collective broken spirits.”
Admittance of reality is what the Tinubu administration is loath to do. Therefore, confronting the reality would be a tall order or, to put it succinctly, self-deception.
Bakare continued: “People of faith have prayed to the point of weariness, and any call for prayer now appears to be a mere religious ritual. Some have concluded that we have prayed long enough, and that unless certain pragmatic steps are taken with immediate effect, the rage of the poor may engineer social, economic, and political worst-case scenarios.”
It is not impossible that the Tinubu administration has thought of the “worst-case scenarios” too. But it appears the administration has sorted that nicely by becoming a government by palliatives, having weaponised deprivation among the majority of the Nigerian people.
Still, Bakare suggested that applying palliatives merely postpones the evil day. Hear him: “To avert the full-blown breakdown of law and order in our fragile democracy, and the intervention of our already battle-weary armed forces, I offered timely counsel to the Nigerian government and led prayers for the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Sunday, January 12, 2025. My admonition, titled “A Word in Season for the Nigerian Government: A Timely Counsel in Our Season of Great Challenge and Great Need” was based on the encounter between Joseph and Pharaoh, king of Egypt, as recorded in Genesis 41. I said to Mr. President: Dear President Tinubu, please borrow a leaf from the pharaoh who ruled Egypt at the time of Joseph. This particular pharaoh showed remarkable wisdom and insight, as well as a heart receptive to truth. God strategically positioned this humble man as king over Egypt at a crucial time in world history. When he awoke from his dream, he recognised something odd was happening. As a strong leader, he acknowledged his sense of unease. But as a humble leader, he enlisted the advice of others. He summoned Joseph, who successfully interpreted his dreams. Pharaoh knew his kingdom hung in the balance, as he carefully processed God’s message through Joseph. I then went ahead to declare and pray: God is about to do something with Nigeria that will cause nations of the earth to come here and learn. May the good Lord grant President Tinubu hearing ears and an understanding heart to do what is needed for Nigeria’s turnaround and the betterment of our citizens.”
Bakare’s advice fell on deaf ears, as his broadcast showed. Hear him again: “Dear Nigerians, the past few months since that admonition have shown that those responsible for steering the course of our nation lack the humility and character this moment demands of leaders. Instead, what we have seen since the beginning of the year is a descent into tyranny and the brazen abuse of power. Those entrusted with power appear determined to destabilise what is left of our political institutions and have committed themselves to obliterating the guardrails of constitutional governance.”
Perhaps, with a tone of finality, Bakare summed the broadcast this: “From the theatre of the absurd staged in Rivers State, with puppets on strings controlled by directors in Abuja, to the dance of shame performed by the National Assembly in their rush to suspend the constitution and endorse, through the backdoor, the usurpation of powers by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; from the Senate’s shameless bid to silence Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for demanding that the President of the Nigerian Senate uphold the moral standards required of that office, to the uncouth outbursts of an undistinguished senatorial misfit who tried in vain to silence the distinguished citizens attempting to testify on behalf of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, it is clear that our so-called leaders are determined to turn Nigeria into a mafia state.”
It has to be said that Bakare did not demNor did he even say what manyNor did he said what many have not said and continue to say. The only difference is that Bakare is the speech maker here, and his words should carry some weight. There is still a snag, however: he could well have broadcast to the deaf because the individuals that he targeted are already well set in their ways.
