The Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), Dr. Mike Okonkwo, has called on President Bola Tinubu to reform Nigeria and deliver the dividends of democracy, urging him to leave behind an indelible legacy.
Speaking to journalists in Lagos on Monday ahead of his 80th birthday celebration scheduled for September 6, 2025, the cleric stressed the need for the President to ensure a level playing ground for all Nigerians to aspire, work, and reach their full potential.
Lamenting Nigeria’s current state, Okonkwo noted that even a smaller African country like Burkina Faso has overtaken Nigeria in terms of development, security, and citizen welfare.
He decried the recurring killings across parts of the country, particularly in Benue State, allegedly carried out by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen. He criticized the National Assembly for failing to treat such violence as a national emergency.
“Our leaders are prioritizing politics over governance. Instead of focusing on providing good governance and delivering democracy’s dividends, they are fixated on 2027,” he said.
Citing Abia State Governor Alex Otti as an example of effective leadership, Okonkwo noted that Otti’s performance has endeared him to the people so much that he may not need to campaign for a second term.
“Go and perform! That’s all Nigerians are asking for. Give us a level playing ground. We are resilient people. Just perform, and the people will campaign for you,” he emphasized.
He expressed disappointment that President Tinubu, whom he described as a man who had fought many political battles and faced personal attacks, has not seized the moment to reform the system.
“What is stopping you from leaving a legacy and putting an end to the shenanigans in our politics? Restructure the country. Create a system where no region holds others to ransom, and where any Nigerian, from any background, can aspire to lead,” he charged.
The cleric warned against monetization of the political process, which he believes deters capable Nigerians from contesting.
“When it costs billions to contest for office, what do you expect? Anyone who spends such amounts will be desperate to recover it. That’s why we’re not getting credible people into office,” he said.
Okonkwo also dismissed attempts to blame military regimes for Nigeria’s woes, asserting that civilian governments have had more than enough time to right the wrongs but have failed due to a lack of political will.
“We’ve had enough time to fix the country. The problem is not lack of knowledge—it’s lack of will. We’re simply playing politics with people’s lives,” he said.
He condemned what he described as the silence of leadership in the face of gruesome incidents, citing viral footage of children being burnt alive in northern Nigeria.
“In developed nations, such tragedies would bring everything to a halt in parliament until a solution is found. But here, it’s business as usual,” he lamented.
On calls for a one-party system, Bishop Okonkwo described it as a joke, stressing that Nigerians are too enlightened to accept such an arrangement.
“It can never work. Even within the ruling party, there are agitations. Nigerians are no longer in the dark. Any attempt to enforce a one-party state will lead to implosion,” he warned.
He called for what he described as “drastic political surgery,” urging God to raise a leader with the courage and will to perform that task for the nation.
