democracy does not take care of Nigeria’s peculiarities because....

A lecturer at Lagos State University LASU, Professor Dapo Asaju has warned that the nation’s democracy as presently constituted is hanging in the air. Professor Asaju who is the first Nigerian Bishop Theologian, also said only religious environment can produce right leaders for the country.

 While delivering a keynote address on the theme: ‘Religion and the democratic sustainability in Nigeria’ at the opening the session of the 36th Annual Conference of Nigeria Association for the Study of Religions, NASR, held at Oduduwa Hall of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, the university don said honest leaders are hard to come by in the country, the development he said portends dangers for the country.

Hi words: “Since the death of Awolowo, Azikwe and Amadu Bello, have the tribes they represented been able to raise leaders that are generally acceptable to all? No. The absolute democracy the country imported from America and United Kingdom will spell doom for the country.

 According to him, inability of President Mohammodu Buhari to form cabinet over three months of coming on board, said to have been caused by the search for people of impeccable character, tells much about the total neglect of religion as guiding principle in Nigeria’s democracy.

  “Absolute democracy does not take care of Nigeria’s peculiarities because before government came to being, the rulers of people, the Obas, Obis and Emirs used to consult the Divine Being before taking decisions.What we have today are rulers that are not of God.”

 The cleric also warned leaders in the country against global rebellion against God, especially among the western nations, stressing that the world powers are using science and religion to a attack religion. He however urged religion leaders in the country to partner government in the fight against corruption and stressed the need for convocation of Christian,

Muslims conference for best of minds from the two religions to sit and proffer solutions to the challenges facing the country. The national chairman of NASR, Dr. Musa Adeniyi, in his address, said the choice of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, as the host of the event was significant because the association was formed in the institution in December, 1975. In his remarks, former Nigeria ambassador to Cuba, Senator Bamgbetan Baju, who chaired the session, said the role of religion in sustenance of democracy cannot be over-emphasised and called on leaders in the country to use religion to foster unity among Nigerians and avoid using it to cause division among the people.