It is written, a Prophet is never regarded in his own country! Even Jesus was disregarded as someone Israel ever needed.

It is costly when people make decisions based on hearsays, hasty generalizations and old wives' tales. How many of us have taken the time to actually hear these politician articulate their vision for Nigeria? In a country where we have all it takes in terms of human and natural resources, we continue to languish at rock bottom of everything else except all that's good and enviable.

Have you ever listened to British prime minister Tony Blair speak to members of Parliament, or Senator Barack Obama of the United States, or David Cameron MP of the UK, or Rep Jesse Jackson Jr (to mention a few)? Did you notice the freshness, the passion, the clarity of thought, delivery of speech and charisma these men exude? I dare anyone to mention 3 Nigerian leaders in the three tiers of government who can come close. Not since the days of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Tafawa Balewa and Chief Obafemi Awolowo have we had such inspiring leaders. Which brings me to my main point. We desperately need visionary, inspiring leaders.

What for goodness sake does it matter if he was a musician? Was former US Pres. Ronald Reagan not a Hollywood actor? (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001654/). What about Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura (former pro wrestler), or probably the most famous of all, Arnold Schwarzenegger. It is very myopic to discountenance him just because he was once a musician. More important is was he successful as a musician?

Fellow forumites, does it not bother you that we have charlatans running our country aground and we are here criticizing Chris Okotie, one of the few brave visionary leaders Nigeria has produced? I personally feel we need a new lease of life - with someone who is detribalized, not carrying any baggage from the past. Someone who has the guts to do what's right, one who can inspire passion, knowledgeable, savvy can engage his or her counterparts in other countries on any level. Wether this person is an Imam or a Reverend is totally irrelevant. Let us be thus minded.

Tony Blair (http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page4.asp
Sen Barack Obama (http://www.obamaforillinois.com/)
David Cameron (http://www.davidcameronmp.com/about.php)
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jnr. (http://www.house.gov/jackson/)

My point exactly.

i read other people's comment and it saddened me that we are yet to grasp the full meaning of the words PRESIDENT AND PASTOR.
lets b logical.. in the past we have had david of the bible being president or king or leader[all the same],so also solomon who materially was the richest man in his time...could have obtained a hummer jeep if it was availabe and abraham in terms of sheep and cattle, and even in the old days we had religious figures who were kings or presidents.. i cld go on... now lets face facts
1..we say God exists and he created the earth.
2..we say God chooses and guides leaders
3even in Britain and other countries its is d pope or bishop that ordains the president or he himself is d ruler
4why do u feel a pastor or an imam cannot rule this country?
5 okotie may be a pastor or a pop star but checking his history, he has always exhaled in any endevour he ventures into and God seems to b on his side.
6 if u didnt kno, he was one of the delegates that went to beg for mko abiola's release b4 he died. no ambition then
7 his hummer was a gift from the member of the congregation.. FACT.
8..IF WE ALL BELIEVE AND PRAY TO GOD FOR THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE.. THEN A HUMMER OR A ROCKET IS NOTHING COS IN THE BIBLE ALL GOOD THINGS COME FROM GOD.. SATAN TRIES TO CUT THIS GIFT FROM US ..
IN ALL, judging from the 45years of nigeria's existence and from other countries that dont have half of wat we have and yet doing well, ITS TIME WE PUT A GOD FEARING MAN ON THE STAND.. NIGERIAN POLITICS IS NOT THAT COMPLEX,.. THE THIEVES MAKE U BELIVE ITS COMPLEX SO WE TAKE THEIR CRAP AND SAY GOD DEY..
LETS CHANGE THE THINGS PEOPLE.. LETS VOTE FOR A FRESH NEUTRAL MIND..
B POSITIVE. VOTE OKOTIE OR ADEOBOYE OR ANY1 WHO FEARS GOD AND IS READY TO TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORN
tolu adedayo

Thanks Tolulope.

tolulope, i agree with you that we should vote someone who fears God. But considering the fact that youre naming only christian men of God, i hope you wont be disappointed if God chooses a muslim cos there are muslim that fear God sincerely too. Like seun, i dont think chris okotie can win now, maybe in some years to come. I agree he should start somewhere and maybe his local govt is even a better place to start. Politics is not moin-moin, he still has alot to learn.

David was just 17 when he was annointed king He became a WONDERFUL KING few years later. He had no experience, but he had the fear of GOD.

I know and believe God is the same yesterday, today and for ever but are we talking in the same context? i dont believe these two situations are comparable.

My point is this:

If you're talking of experience, there's absolutely no problem so far he has the fear of GOD.

OK, I agree to disagree.

hmm u r all funny.. hummer jeep.... any problem with that? considering it was a gift from a member of his church/ isnt the queen a religious head in the uk ordained by god? if God called him to it so wat is d problem with a pastor or an imam ruling us/.. after we do pray ..

I wonder oo my brother.

goodguy:

My point is this:

If you're talking of experience, there's absolutely no problem so far he has the fear of GOD.

like my fellow forumite said.. david who was just a bloody sheperd boy killed goliath in front of thousands of well armed trained soldiers who couldnt do jack..and he wasnt a warrior... experience? where God is, thats enuff experience,,, but if ure still in doubt.. he has been in politics since the 90's.. okotie was 1 of the fore runner campainers for mko abiola.... even wen the latter was jailed he was one of the delegates that went to beg for his release.. do u kno wat really surprised mi? mko is a muslim.... wat im saying is where an individual is called by God to serve his country.. wat is wrong wit that? we have termed nigeria politics as somthing out of ordinary.. lets not 4get that the so called politicians dat r there now were once little kids like we.. so why cant any1 else handle this country..

what we hav to understand is that anyone be it xtian or muslim , who has genuine deep feelings for this country can contest.. only fools would say.. no one can lead this country only the same useless set of goeats we have,,, but you all forget they too went to secondary school and played football on the street before they started claimin politician... ibb no enter bus when im small..? people.. if okotie is not genuinely doing this, then like God did for ibb, abacha.. pdp..  God will do for him.. but common sense shld let us understand that he is our best bet for now.. if any other person comes who i know doesnt have any bad track record... then we will happily vote the person.. like say the director general of N.A.F.D.A.C... mrs dora akwuyili..at least shes doing a darn good job which everyone can see.. so once there is evidence that a good egg can thrive amongst the bad.. why can't we blieve  okotie can do it? and with God on his side.. what can go wrong. but lets not also 4get that God can only give us a good person only if we ask... if he says he's available and we pray that we want ibb... God will give u ibb and your sufferings continues..

tolutope:

like my fellow forumite said.. david who was just a bloody sheperd boy killed goliath in front of thousands of well armed trained soldiers who couldnt do jack..and he wasnt a warrior... experience? where God is, thats enough experience...... lets not 4get that the so called politicians that r there now were once little kids like we.. so why can't anyone else handle this country..

My point exactly.

tolulope and goodguy, u guys have almost convinced me. its just that Nigeria is so COMPLEX! we can be very weird people sometimes. Ive heard pastor Chris Okotie speak about his desire to rule and I love his sincerity and passion. Its just that Power corrupts. I just feel its better for him to take things slow. He is such an inspiring MAN of a "POWERFUL GOD" that i dont want him to throw his spiritual calling for a presidential ambition. Because it wont be the same again if he becomes president.

hmm you're all funny.. hummer jeep.... any problem with that? considering it was a gift from a member of his church/ isnt the queen a religious head in the uk ordained by god? if God called him to it so what is d problem with a pastor or an imam ruling us/.. after we do pray ..

Is not God that ordained the King/Queen in UK, you need to do more reasearch about how they arrived at that conclusion.

As per Okotie becoming the president, there will be totoal anarchy if that should happen. We need to look at people that want to handle this country.

All past leaders have wifes and children under their roofs before becoming president, but where is Pastor Chris wife. Charity begins at home.

joftech:

Is not God that ordained the King/Queen in UK, you need to do more reasearch about how they arrived at that conclusion.

As per Okotie becoming the president, there will be totoal anarchy if that should happen. We need to look at people that want to handle this country.

All past leaders have wifes and children under their roofs before becoming president, but where is Pastor Chris wife. Charity begins at home.

wen i say God ordains kings and queens i meant it in this way... that kings and queen are Gods representatives on earth.. that wen they make a decree the people blieve its from God ..thats wat i meant by God ordains kings and queen
why do u feel okotie cant handle the country.. it is the old goats dat havent done anything since 1976 that we shld call again? .. cos we aint ready to really change.. dats d truth.. lets b factual.. okotie, or any1 who is a neutral body, i will readily vote.. u talk as if u urself cant do somethin for this country if given the chance.. we all grew up in this country and we know wat is goin on.. and for thos who are really interested in the governance of this country we know a lot that is goin on.... politics aint dirty... they make u blieve so dat we the sincere 1s can stay away.. well, not this time.. i dont mind votin any1 else as long as his record is clean
as for his wife, they are still in contact and watever happened between them was agreed on.. they never had a squabble.. she wanted to relocate permanently..and he cant leave his callin.. amongst other mutual things they agreed on...so lets not start picking irrelevant issues...do some thorough research and u will b better informed...wat i just want to clarify is dat.... i have done enuff research on this guy , even to the point of going to his church and so far, im ok wit wat iam seein and hearing....at least he has a job department for the jobless and u dont have to b a member, he has an healthcare scheme he has just started for lagos state for as little as 200 bucks u can b entitled to any treatment to the tune of 500000 .....these r things government r meant to do on a large scale....every year he gives cash award to any philanthrophist. and this has been goin on even b4 any political ambition, i could go on.. wat i just wanna say is .. i see action more than words wen he comes to him and he isnt a noise maker..... he made a comment today in the dailies encouraging any xtian who has the interest of this nation at heart to enter politics cos how can God help us if we only pray from our churches and bedroom without physically participating? is nafdac boss not doin well? is she not amongst wolves? but she will tell any1 that cares to listen dat she fears God dats why she can take up the challenges of her job.. how much more a man of God? lets stop fooling ourselves and get this country on its feet....havent we learnt enuff? no refinery.. no national air carrier.. no rail transport.. sea transport,unstable electricity..and so on.. and yet it is same leaders who hav bin there since 1976.. who r they fooling.. they dnt give a shit about us people.....like gowon said.. we have so much money we dont know wat to do wit it.. these r the same guys who r rotating it amongst themselves cos we as a nation hav not risen up to get them out... at least by votin a new face and a neutral man...as a nation,.,,, wat they did to mko will b hard to do again cos we r now tryin to practise democracy.....ill even vote for seun or good guy or any 1 of u.. once am sure u all have clean records.. its not about okotie its about a genuine person who is ready to take this people down and so far its only okotie whose got balls.. i dont see any else....do u? and pls dnt call any old goats name for mi or their affiliates and families..

alheri:

tolulope and goodguy, u guys have almost convinced me. its just that Nigeria is so COMPLEX! we can be very weird people sometimes. Ive heard pastor Chris Okotie speak about his desire to rule and I love his sincerity and passion. Its just that Power corrupts. I just feel its better for him to take things slow. He is such an inspiring MAN of a "POWERFUL GOD" that i don't want him to throw his spiritual calling for a presidential ambition. Because it wont be the same again if he becomes president.

ur fears about being a man of God and ruling at the same is not a new thing.. infact.. in those days men of God were the leaders... so it doesnt change anything rest assured.. and as for him takin it slow, he's not doing this cos he wants to please himself. wen God touches u , u would wanna do anything for him.. cos u know nothin can harm u... so relax jaftech..i bleve he can do it.. with God, all things r possible.. but lets not forget that he needs us too.. that is we who wanna see changes in this country...we r better off than uk usa southafrica put together cos they dont have half of wat we got.... lets put this country where its really supposed to b... on the world map as the world leader....tru dat.. and its not a dream...we got wat it takes... we just nid to put the right set off people and i am not talking of the mad people that hav bin there in the past and r there presently

So why is the reverend have to divorce his wife. Is this the same way he will divorce some tribes and regions.

they didnt divorce.. they had a mutual agreement to go their seperate ways.. they still see each other.. she relocated to america and he goes to see her very often... the truth is she had always wanted to relocate and he cant leave his callin and she cant stay.. amongst other things.. but they are very much in contact..that im aware of

It borders me, not because this fellow Nigerian called Christ Okotie is this badly portrayed and criticized, but on the two main grounds which this is done!

Firstly, that he is pastor. Pastor or not this man is a Nigerian like any of us and as such has the fundamental right to aspire to be the president of the country whether he “claims” God told him or not. It is only sentimental to condemn him on this ground.

Secondly, that he rides a Hummer Jeep. Note that the first person, Joftech, who first cited this in this forum, says, and I quote

i heard the man of God now cruise the town in an Hummer jeep how many
member(s) of his church have one. It's not that i have any beef against that, but i can only imagine if i would have believe in Jesus Christ today if he has been going about in sleek chariots while His disciples go about on their legs

So it is but only hearsay after all! And this ground more than any most persons have kicked against Chris Okotie. Can anyone in this forum be patriotic, kind enough to honestly, sincerely, reliably help us verify this?

I strongly feel there is another objective way to look at the participation of the likes of Chris Okotie in the Nigerian politics. There are far too many of us, young credible Nigerians, who can provide the much needed intelligent, sincere, sacrificial and visionary leadership right today, but never dare to step out for fear of one form or the other. In my opinion Chris Okotie is among the credible few taking this challenge up. We can make it from this dark to light but it will be only when the credible good Nigerians step out like Pastor Chris. His coming out is a positive development for Nigerian politics

Yes, he may not win the 2007 presidency election but to say he cannot is not an insult Nigeria and Nigerians but telling us that we as a people and nation are foolish and dumb people who do not have the capacity to learn from past costly mistakes of either ignoring or selling out our future cheaply to illiterate politicians who have put us in this mess today. We can learn and very quickly enough and vote a credible Nigerian as president come 2007.

Fellow forumites, please let us avoid undermining the capacity of Nigerians for doing things rightly. A post such as below does just that-

Becoming the president of any nation requires greasing alot of palms, the moment you can do that you have heard your result, is Pastor Chris ready to do the normal greasing.

Palm greasing “normal” to Nigerians. Majority does not agree with you I can be sure of that [I will consider you right and I wrong if those in this forum disagree with me in response to this – let’s see]. Except by "palm greasing" you don't mean bribing.

Let me end with Goodguy’s word , talking about him [Chris Okotie] buying a hummer jeep, he has the money, so there's absolutely nothing wrong in that. He buys what he wants so I don't think there's any crime in that… To those saying he could have used the money to help the poor, do u know how many poor people he has actually helped that u don't even know of?

Anyway, I wish Okotie the best in his pursuit. I hope he becomes president in 2007, though his chances are very slim.

So it is but only hearsay after all! And this ground more than any most persons have kicked against Chris Okotie. Can anyone in this forum be patriotic, kind enough to honestly, sincerely, reliably help us verify this?

It's a fact.

Politics is not for the so called Revs, that Taraba man (Rev. Jolly Nyame) has dashed the chances of Revs in Nigeria.

what r we talking bout chris can go nowhere its either he is for he has been serving God now he thinks money is next God no go gree

RE: IF CHRIS OKOTIE BECOMES PRESIDENT COME 2007.............. FIRST THINGS FIRST............ HE SHOULD ARRANGE A FREE TICKET TO HEAVEN FOR US ALL !!

RE: IF CHRIS OKOTIE BECOMES PRESIDENT COME 2007.............. FIRST THINGS FIRST............ HE SHOULD ARRANGE A FREE TICKET TO HEAVEN FOR US ALL Wink Grin!!

How many people get free ride in his Hummer?

My Fellow Country men,Pastor Chris Okotie has all it takes to be the Leader of our great Nation,and is the reason for this season .Nigeria wake up! and greet your President come 2007.We need a Leader not a ruler.
Cheer up Nigeria.Here come your King.

He will never be president

Chris Okotie, President of Nigeria: its going to be a hard one to crack , I have a cousin who goes to his church in Lagos that believes Chris would be president of Nigeria come 2007 and I’m like Bro I really do not see that happening! I might be wrong, God knows, but I gather he prophesied that he will be president of Nigeria 2003! what was the outcome? What astonished me most was that my cousin said he would never vote a Muslim president and my reply to him was THERE YOU GO.. that’s part of the reason your man cannot be president come 2007. I would think its all publicity stunt, let my name be out there nationwide, I will have people to sponsor my campaign fund and give it a try.. What does he have to loose.. he might be able to implement changes as one of the forum nit’s said but it is essential that he should start from the grass routes ad push his way up, that way he will be able to make an impact and most importantly be very clever with regards to associating religion and politics

Okotie for president...beans.
DoubleRevv is the man.

who delivers 11 times out of 10?
DoubeRevv
Yeah,you go it.

Economics and politics are two things u never can claim to have total interpretaion of. they have fooled the worlds experts and made them look like novice repeatedly. so rev.okotie becoming president is not totally impossible by any permutation. as far as we are concern, we don't know how he intends to do his political manuovers, or what his plans are exactly. politics they say, is a game of numbers, so if the poical scene throws up many aspirants, they will definately be splitting votes, and if his grammar can earn him some "advantageous few" votes, he just might carry the day. lesson here is, don't ever underrate anybody.


as for experience, did uncle sege have any administration training or experince when he was turned in to rule nigeria in 1977? and he will be quick to tell us he did well. are we forgetting that there are laws that guide most of these process except that our leaders just choose to never do them as they should be. so if anyone will be telling us okotie is not right to rule nigeria, then nobody is fit to rule anywhere in the world. not OBj who cannot keep his libido in check and has a house hold he cannot even guide.

common peeps, i believe in that man. if for nothing else, he has my vote for all crticisms he recieved on this forum.

as for experience, did uncle sege have any administration training or experince when he was turned in to rule nigeria in 1977?

I hope you did not forget that he was an army top-gun back then. All of them do undergo leadership trainings too, or do you think someone without training can lead a battalion.