Public Revolt Imminent In Nigeria

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Public Revolt Imminent In Nigeria - Pastor Bakare

Written by Kunle Oderemi and Adewale Ajayi Saturday, 04 August 2012

FIERY cleric, Pastor Tunde Bakare has declared that the revolt of the Nigerian people was imminent against their oppression and deprivation by the authorities.

Bakare, who spoke to Saturday Tribune in Lagos, said the Arab Spring, which swept away some leaders in the Horn of Africa, would be a child’s play because of the prevailing situation in Nigeria.

Citing the last public protests across the country over fuel subsidy fraud to corroborate his claim, the lawyer and pastor of the Latter Rain Assembly, said it was obvious that Nigerians had realised that their destiny was now in their hands.

He noted that, “They don’t need any serious galvanisation any more. The forces of oppression and deprivation in the land had already galvanised the people unknown to them. Look at the turnout in Ojota [in Lagos State] during protest against the removal of fuel subsidy. It will be a child’s play compared to what will happen in the days to come. In fact, the Arab Spring will be a child’s play when the poor people of this country rise up to say enough is enough; when they can‘t take it anymore.

“I saw one placard in Ojota and a similar placard in Abuja lifted by people who I do not know, but it had the same message that said, ‘one day ,the poor will have nothing left to eat, but the rich, you are pushing the people to the wall,’ he noted, adding “when that happens, the proverb in my village would have been fulfilled, which is that the poor man cannot sleep because he is hungry, and the rich man cannot sleep because the poor is still awake .”
On the criticism that he was mixing religion with politics, the cleric faulted such claim, saying he had maintained his principle from the military era because the situation in the country remained precarious.

“I opened the Webster dictionary to look at what partisan means. It is one who advocates and supports a party, a principle and a cause. So, anybody that is not partisan is lily-livered. That is a fact, because he has no opinion.

“Check the antecedents of the man that you are calling critical. I have always been like this. Check my roles in the days of the military, either under Ibrahim Babangida or late Sani Abacha. Why was I being arrested, harassed and interrogated in those days? Has the message changed?”

Describing as a circus show, the ongoing arraignment of suspects over the fuel subsidy saga, Bakare asserted that the prosecution was not designed to achieve justice.