Pastor Tunde Bakare, the Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, delivered a compelling message to his congregation on Sunday, shedding light on the pitfalls of what he referred to as “Emilokan” politics. This Yoruba phrase, which translates to ‘It’s my turn,’ gained immense prominence when President Bola Tinubu invoked it during his pre-election campaign in 2023.
Addressing the congregation during a State of the Nation broadcast at the church in Ikeja, Lagos, Pastor Bakare cautioned against the authoritative undertones of the “Emilokan” narrative. In his thought-provoking discourse titled ‘Vice, Virtue & Time: Three Things That Never Stand Still,’ the clergyman brought attention to the potential dangers of this politics of entitlement.
“I am reminded of the caution I sounded to Nigerians in January 2023, in my address titled ‘Bridging the Gap Between Politics and Governance,'” he said. “I warned that the ‘Emilokan’ type of politics could foster an imperium presidency, prone to leaning into dictatorship and showing intolerance towards dissent.”
Pastor Bakare’s remarks were in response to recent events, including the arrest, detention, and prosecution of the suspended Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, and the detention of the former head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The DSS apprehended Emefiele in June, citing “suspected fresh criminal infractions/information” as the basis for his prosecution. The Federal High Court in Lagos has scheduled a hearing for August 15 to consider Emefiele’s application to halt his trial initiated by the Federal Government through the DSS.
Expressing his concern, Pastor Bakare highlighted the need for professionalism and adherence to the rule of law in the actions of the DSS. He stressed that the handling of the Emefiele case has sparked discussions about due process and the equitable application of justice. This, in turn, has shed light on the President’s approach to the fight against corruption.
Pastor Bakare emphasized that while it is essential to hold Emefiele accountable if he is found guilty, the war against corruption must not target political adversaries alone. He suggested that other significant challenges facing Nigeria have not received the same level of attention.
Concluding his message, Pastor Bakare acknowledged that Emefiele might have made errors in managing the country’s monetary affairs but urged against making him a scapegoat, considering that his actions would likely have required presidential authorization.
