Cleric urges reforms to tackle Nigeria’s challenges

The General Overseer of the Bible Life Church, Ajegunle, Lagos, Bishop Leonard Umunna, has identified constitutional weaknesses, ethnic divisions and corruption as the root causes of Nigeria’s persistent governance challenges.

Speaking during a recent media interaction in Lagos on Nigeria’s development, insecurity and electoral process ahead of the 2027 general election, the cleric called for reforms to address the country’s recurring problems.

Umunna also urged Nigerians to demand accountable leadership and credible elections, warning that the country would keep struggling unless authorities tackled the root causes of its political and economic difficulties.

He argued that the country should review the constitution in light of its experiences to prevent governance failures and abuses from recurring.

“For the sake of the majority, they should change that name, change this constitution,” Umunna said.

He stressed the need for authorities to respond promptly to wrongdoing and establish safeguards to prevent it from recurring.

“When you see somebody do bad, and you do not raise any voice against it, it is an offence. For the second one, it becomes approval,” he noted.

Umunna identified ethnic divisions as another major obstacle to national unity, expressing concern that competition among ethnic groups had deepened divisions and complicated the country’s political development.

“The first opposition is the problem, a very obnoxious one of ethnicity,” he added.

The bishop also lamented Nigeria’s inability to translate its abundant human and natural resources into prosperity, despite its potential to support other African countries.

“Nigeria has a lot of mineral, human, and other resources that anybody can think of. At every international event, Nigeria has always begged,” he said.

He argued that Nigeria’s persistent dependence on foreign assistance, despite its abundant resources, reflected failures in governance and the constitutional framework.

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“Nigeria has all it takes to take care of African countries, but we are the ones begging others to help us out,” he stated.

Umunna called for principled leaders who would place national interest above ethnic and political considerations and take decisive action against wrongdoing.

“Nobody should say, we don’t need such leaders now. But we need more. As the times are getting worse, we should need stronger leaders, who will not be dynamic, but yet strongly peaceful, as to say, this is the right thing,” he enunciated.

On the 2027 general elections, the cleric urged electoral authorities to identify the causes of recurring electoral controversies rather than focus solely on appointing electoral officials.

He also criticised what he described as the selective enforcement of electoral rules, warning that unequal treatment of political parties could undermine public confidence in the process.

“Everybody should raise your voice and say put these laws in order and put in place to prevent us,” he said, calling for international election observers to be allowed to perform their duties.

On insecurity, Umunna advocated appointing people who were free from corruption and ethnic prejudice to strategic positions.

“I will get like-minded people and make sure that I don’t have a corrupt person among the leaders. I shouldn’t have a tribalistic person.

“If somebody wants things to get better, they should do things better for this,” he added.

Recall that the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, had earlier in the year lamented that terrorism and kidnapping had moved beyond the northern regions and now affected the South.

The cleric urged the Federal Government and security leadership to eliminate terrorists and end the crisis within 90 days or resign.