By Mfon Offiong
Every Nigerian state can be a Rwanda which has about 12 million people. In that country, Okada is still a means of transportation. They are not rich but clean and organized.
Unlike here, in Rwanda religion is regulated. Kaduna governor tried to do the same here but was shouted down by those praising the East African country today. This time last year, 8,000 official and unofficial churches, as well as 100 mosques, were closed in Rwanda for failing to comply with health, safety, and noise regulations.
Rwandan authorities had indicated that such shutting down of houses of worship will continue until congregations meet the strict requirements of a new law adopted by Rwanda’s parliament on July 27, 2018.
Shut churches included four in 10 denominations belonging to a nationwide association of 3,300 Pentecostal churches.
“The latest requirement: Pastors must now have a degree in theological education from an accredited school. The law also prohibits church leaders from urging their followers to fast for lengthy periods—like Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness—in order to better secure God’s blessing; authorities claim this is a form of starvation,” says a report.
The Fact is, Bishop David Oyedepo for example and many others can’t do what they are doing in Nigeria in Rwanda.
Even opposition politicians in Nigeria are not left out. Femi Fani-Kayode can’t do what he is doing in Nigeria in Rwanda. We know how opposition figures simply “disappear” over there. And how they are prevented from making foreign trips.
Back to Rwanda: Abia or Akwa Ibom for instance, “Christian states” controlled by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has the resources to become a Rwanda, but what do we have? Near irresponsible citizens who can’t hold their governors accountable just because they were told by the opposition and the clerics who benefit from them, that there is an islamization agenda somewhere championed by President Buhari.
Therefore, their so called Christian governors can steal their resources and leave their states undeveloped and they don’t care. Their fixation is on a phantom islamization and fulanization agenda, herdsmen propaganda and abuse of their president who by the way, is more upright than them. If Rwanda comes to Nigeria, how many of them will be left standing?
*Offiong, a management consultant wrote in from Abuja
