The Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has said that no amount of sermonising, fasting and prayers, casting and binding of the devils will slow down the progress of the society until members of faith-based institutions deliberately get involved in politics and participate in a process that produces leaders who pilot the affairs of the country.
Governor Otti stated this call on Saturday, while delivering a keynote speech titled “The role of the Church in Societal Transformation” at the Transforming Church Int’l, Abuja, during their ADVANCE workers, pastors & Leaders Conference.
The Governor also called on Christians and other faith-based institutions in Nigeria and well meaning Nigerians to pick interest and get intentionally involved in driving societal transformation as moral watchdogs, stressing that politics must not be ignored if getting the leadership question in Nigeria right truly matters to them..
“God cannot do for us the things he has empowered us to do for ourselves,” Governor Otti stated, emphasizing that faith without work is dead as stated in the scripture.
“As Church leaders, we should cooperate with God not to deny the younger generation of Christians the opportunities and blessings of good governance. It is easier to influence the policies of government if we are part of the government through meaningful political socialization, participation of our members in the political and electoral processes by registering as members of political parties and by voting in elections and making sure that our votes count,” Gov. Otti stated,”
In a keynote address, which focused on the critical role of the Church in societal transformation and nation-building, Governor Otti, emphasized that lack of interest in politics and political participation by those who see politics as dirty has contributed to leadership challenges in the country.
Governor Otti said that he believes strongly that the Church has a crucial role to play in answering Nigeria’s leadership question “because a journey through history, has shown the unequal resilience of the Church as a force in societal transformation,”
He referenced how “Jesus started his ministry by proclaiming the kingdom of God as good news to the poor, challenged religious and political elites, and reversed social hierarchies and inequalities.”
Gov. Otti noted that while many people view politics as dirty, it remains a powerful tool for shaping leadership outcomes and influencing the direction of society. He noted that, those who desire good governance must be willing to participate actively in the political process rather than remain passive, because it is the political process that produces leaders who formulate programmes and policies that affect individuals and ultimately determine the socio-economic progress or backwardness of society.
The Abia State Chief executive defined societal transformation as, “deep structural change in a society’s values, institutions, systems and behaviour which leads to improved wellbeing, justice, and sustainable development,” explaining that it goes beyond cosmetic reforms to fundamentally reshape how a society usually functions.
The Governor further stated that societal transformation is therefore not merely about economic growth or infrastructure development. He explained that it involves three key dimensions: Radical shift in values, because no society rises above the values it tolerates and rewards; profound change in Leadership as the quality of leadership of any society determines the direction of the society or nation; and the dramatic modification of Institutions since strong institutions are the key pillars for sustaining societal positive change and national development.”
Governor Alex Otti, who was further engaged during an interactive question-and-answer session, urged the Church to adopt a more productive approach to welfarism by going beyond the distribution of handouts to developing initiatives that create jobs, enabling members to work hard and earn a decent living.
Citing the example of the Alex Otti Foundation, which he founded over a decade ago, Gov. Otti noted that Churches can establish cooperative societies through which members can access interest-free revolving loans, among other empowerment-driven interventions.
He urged religious institutions to go beyond spiritual guidance and take deliberate steps in encouraging their members to get involved in politics, bringing the Christian values of honesty, accountability, etc to guide and shape political behaviour and outcomes in political parties through the emergence of credible candidates during elections.
Gov. Otti equally enjoined faith-based institutions to encourage their members to take advantage of the ongoing voters registration exercise to get their PVC, maintaining that faith-based organisations possess the moral authority and grassroots reach needed to influence positive change in governance.
The Governor whose performance in less than 3 years office has made Abia State a reference point for God Governance, having restored the dignity of the State from decades of ignominious past, said that politics is not dirty as most faith-based organisations see it but only dirty people bring their dirty attitude into politics.
He said that the only way to get out those who bring dirty behavior into politics is for men of integrity, honour, verifiable track record of success with second addresses, who don’t see politics as a career but a call to service to join politics, stating that, that was the reason why people like himself, as a former bank GMD/CEO, left their place of comfort to join politics to serve the people.
He further disclosed how collaboration of his administration with some religious institutions in health, education, among others, is already delivering results as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) donated a MIR machine valued at USD1 Million to the State.
The University of Port Harcourt first class economist ended his presentation with a quote from Fredrick Bertolt Brecht thus: “The worst illiterate is the political illiterate, he doesn’t hear, doesn’t speak, nor participate in political events. He doesn’t know the cost of life, the price of beans, of fish, of flour, of rent, of shoes and of medicine, all depending on political decisions. The political illiterate is so stupid that he is proud and swells his chest saying that he hates politics. The imbecile doesn’t know that, from his political ignorance is born the prostitute, the abandoned child, and the worst thieves of all, the bad politician, corrupted and flunky of the national and multinational companies.”
Governor Otti thanked Rev. Dr. Sam Oye for the support he has continued to give to his administration and family.
Introducing Governor Otti earlier, Rev. Sam Oye recalled how bad the Abia situation was, drawing from his own experience during his visits for different Church programmes in Abia and the cries for change.
He disclosed how God gave a prophecy that Aba will rise again as a star from the east, and one of the fastest growing economies in Nigeria, disclosing that as at the time the prophecy was given, he didn’t know who Dr Alex Otti was. When he finally met him and interacted with him, he saw a humble man with a heavy burden in his heart to serve his people with a difference.
He noted that even as a Governor, Governor Alex Otti has remained humble and the same man he met when was not Governor, not allowing power to change him. He commended him for the visible and impactful transformation in Abia.
The event was attended by ordained priests and men of God from different denominations.
