Born on September 6, 1945 into the family of Pa Okonkwo of Ogbunike in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State, is Bishop Mike Okonkwo of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission, TREM.



He was interview by Vanguard following the celebration of his birthday. 

Below is the extract where he talked about Nigeria.

On the state of the nation

 So many things are going on in this country that we know nothing about. In fact, to hear that Chief Eric Umeofia, the tomato mogul, is the fourth largest producer of tomato paste in the world is amazing. I believe if we have more people like him in this country, youth restiveness and many social problems that we have will not be there because our youths will be positively engaged. Many people speak well of Nigeria but not many people believe in the project called Nigeria. I believe that God will raise a new generation that will believe in this country. I don’t want us to lose faith in Nigeria. Nigeria is greatly endowed by God and I know we have so many challenges as the enemy is fighting the country from different angles. We must keep praying for Nigeria and I believe that God will bring us out of the challenges we are facing. The plan of the enemy to bring confusion, violence, disintegration, bloodshed and insecurity will not succeed. Our desires about Nigeria will be accomplished.

What is your advice to government?

 They should be sincere about this issue of made – in – Nigeria goods. At times, some of the policies, as you heard the Chairman of Erisco Foods Limited said, are not pursued with honesty. You can’t be telling Nigerians to develop local content and at the same time favour those who import to the detriment of those who are making efforts to develop Nigeria and giving employment to Nigerians. So the Federal Government should really be sincere and honest to encourage Nigerian entrepreneurs.

There are calls for the balkanization of the country. What is your take on?

 Personally, I don’t subscribe to the calls for disintegration. I don’t think disintegration is the solution to the numerous challenges facing the nation. The key is restructuring. Nigeria should restructure. I have said it several times in the past: Anyone opposed to the restructuring is an enemy of Nigeria. He is not honest and is saying so because of what he is personally gaining. The truth is that restructuring is the way to go in the interest of Nigerians.

Some say the word restructure is ambiguous. What’s the colour of the restructure we’re talking about? 

The restructure people are canvassing is in line with what we had in the First Republic where the regional leaders used groundnut, cocoa, coal, palm kernel to build Cocoa House, established television stations and universities, and developed their regions. If our leaders are able to develop their states without oil and depend less on the centre for allocations, it will make for healthy competition and healthy development in different areas and the people will be better for it and more employment will be created and security would be guaranteed.

What therefore do you say to Nnamdi Kanu under whose leadership IPoB’s separatist agitation is creating tension in the country?

 If I happen to meet this young man (which I desire), I will advise him to link up with the Arewa youth, the Oduduwa group and the youths of the Niger Delta because all these people are agitating and they should together take on the political class which appear to have shown that they do not want Nigeria to move forward. They should understand that their future is being mortgaged. It’s not about secession or any ethnic stuff. We should be concerned about how we can make this country better based on unity and I believe that we can achieve more being together as a nation. To break a country involves so many things and many people will suffer in the process. I will rather we start with restructuring and let’s see how it goes and then we see whether we can now stay together or in future we go our separate ways.

If you see President Buhari, what advice will you give him?

 We should not use violence to resolve our differences. Agitations like the one we have in the South-East will come but the solution is not moving armoured tanks there. Like I said, these are not the days you use force or instruments of government to intimidate people because there are those who are willing to die. We should go to the negotiation table to resolve naughty issues. Take for instance recent appointments in the NNPC, why will people not agitate? This is one of the issues that make people agitate. You can’t give 10 slots to the North, three to the South-West, two to the South-South and nothing to the East and you want them to sleep. And you want Nnamdi Kalu not to talk again. At times, I ask myself: who are the people giving advice to government? Why are they giving such advice? I just heard of a rail project being built from Kano to Daura. What is the economic benefit of that project? We can understand the one from Kaduna to Abuja…because people who live in Kaduna can commute to Abuja daily to work. But in this case, show me the economic benefit of spending such billions to develop a rail from Kano to Daura? The states that generate these funds, we don’t have roads that connect them, how much more airport. The Asaba airport was built by the state government, not the Federal Government. The states that generate the funds do not have airports, no roads and you want them not to agitate? What’s really wrong? Is somebody playing games with people’s minds? Such things are not acceptable.

Okwu gi kwu oto

God bless you sir for saying the truth, these agitations were fuelled by the nepotic and insincere act of this government, I consider it a political blunder and a divisive tendency when this government did not choose between Amechi, Ngige and ogbonnaya Onu to be the SGF, Considering their efforts and contributions during the election even against their people, this would have gone a long way to make every part of this country feel equally represented in this country and trust me it would have doused some tensions that sprang up.
Also the recent DSS recruitment where Katina state has more slots than the entire South East, and the recent NNPC appointment which is headed by a Northerner where the North has ten slots, and South east totally excluded, like the Bishop rightly said, does he expect them to go and sleep?? Only an insane man will do that.
I am in total support to the restructuring of this country though I have my concerns about it, also I state it categorically and emphatically that what we need in this country is fairness to all, level playing ground, equity as that and that alone can guarantee peace and unity in this country and not the python dancing around. It is very natural that when ever a snake comes out, the environment is tensed and not peaceful.
Also I am concerned by the terrible precedents this present administration is setting by militarizing a democracy we fought hard to get, and also not having respect for the rule of law and other arms of government especially the judiciary, who knows the next person that will decided to tow these paths and to the extent he is willing to exploit this option.
Igbos are better off in a restructured Nigeria and that's what we are earnestly asking for.

cc, Mynd44, Airbag, ibnsultan, madridguy, holatin, thesicilian, ngeneukwuenu, nduchuks

The man has spoken very well. The FG is dividing the country faster than IPoB. Watch how the retrogessionists who were mentioned above me will come to spoil the thread.

Mitchmang add a source.

Well said Bishop Okonkwo

Because of NNPC appointment only daddy? What about other appointments that are lopsided too? Should SW agitate?

God bless Daddy.

I don't support agitation, but the ruling class by their action are instigating people to agitate.The display injustice and are ready to jail you,if you oppose them.

A classical example is the N N P C.The oil in question is from the SS/SE how do you want them to act?
May God give us a serious minded non tribalistic president whose sincerity and justice will be plain to everyone's

Bayajidda1:
cc, Mynd44, Airbag, ibnsultan, madridguy, holatin, thesicilian, ngeneukwuenu, nduchuks

Oya food is ready!

I dont even need to read from the title it shows the writer is as daft as his followers.

10 slot to the north without telling us NE NW NC.

But you are quick to separate the south into regions

Fool.

FriendNG:
I dont even need to read from the title it shows the writer is as daft as his followers.

10 slot to the north without telling us NE NW NC.

But you are quick to separate the south into regions

Fool.

its only you that is a fool did u see any name that resemble middle belt in that list if not north west and north east any way by my calculation north that produces no oil has 10 slots and south that produces the oil has 5 who is cheating who and who is a fool here
if not you.

biafrasun:
its only you that is a fool did u see any name that resemble middle belt in that list if not north west and north east any way by my calculation north that produces no oil has 10 slots and south that produces the oil has 5 who is cheating who and who is a fool here
if not you.

Mashonu ! Will you agree that Nigeria football team selectipn should be based on the same logic ? Stupid and silly Igbos everywhere. Everything not to your advantage na wahala.

So North is now one abi? No more North West, Northern East and North Central? Number one problem of South is that we never see ourselves as one but have the mentality that North is just one region