BY CHRISTY ANYANWU

Octogenarian, Reverend Moses IIoh is the General Overseer of Soul Win­ning Chapel, Ebute-Meta, Lagos, and an accomplished sportsman, admin­istrator, labour and social activist. His avid interest in sports, and the grace of God ac­count for his good carriage despite being above 80 years. When he comments on na­tional issues, Rev. Iloh does so with candor and insight. In the run up to his 85th birthday on February 13, he sat down for an extensive interview and liberally commented on the Ni­gerian polity.

Excerpts…

In a few days, the 2015 general elec­tions will kick-off with the Presidential and National Assembly elections on February 14. Different men God have spoken on the election. What is your perception the forthcoming election?

My understanding and what I believe re­garding the election is that Christians in Ni­geria constitute the main problem of Nigeria. This is a time for Christians to feel a bit wor­ried. In Nigeria, statistics show that we have about 80million Christians who go to church at different locations on Sunday, and they are all praying for a better Nigeria. Now what does the Bible say? Faith without works is dead. Quote clearly, when it comes to politics in Nigeria, it’s all about faith, faith, not work. The Bible has been asking, “who shall go for us, who shall we send? If you go to your church tomorrow and a Christian there, who is very honest, very bold, forthright, has dignity and he says, ‘Look, I want to go and contest for the governorship be governor, do you know what the church will ask him first, do you have money? What is money in the church for? What is the con­gregation in the church for if not to change the world?

My understanding of politics is that politics is the proper management of the affairs of men, preferably by the righteous. In Nigerian church­es today, you have over 50 million righteous people, who are doing their business straight or they are lecturing straight or they have fam­ily that are a testimony but when it comes to politics, they are as naïve as a kindergarten in politics. I want to make a political statement about the Nigerian situation by alluding to the Bible. In the Bible, the Lord Jesus Christ said, “The thief cometh not but to steal, to kill and to destroy but I have come that they may have life and have life more abundantly (John 10v10). Part ‘A’ of that scripture says, ‘the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy.’

That is the politics of Nigeria. God is seri­ously expecting Christians to come into politics and bring about Part ‘B’ of that scripture: life and life more abundantly to the people. But to­day, the Christians are so naïve. Oh, its politics of the world. But you go to the politicians to take money, you go and befriend him and you know he is a crook, you know he is evil; you know he is anti-Christ. When you pray to the Lord, you have to do something. Faith without works is dead. So, the problem in Nigeria is not Islam, it’s not Boko Haram, it’s not Ebola, but the Christians. Faith without works is dead. I hope that Christians would repent.

Let me tell you something else – we have been praying and saying, ‘Lord, change Nige­ria, we want a good Nigeria, corruption does not mean stealing money only. Corruption is not just only about stealing public money. When you say corruption, everybody’s idea is, I don’t steal money, how can you say am cor­rupt? Corruption means spoiling. When you corrupt a thing, you have spoilt it. The church itself has been corrupted. I don’t say they steal money but they have been spoilt. They have shown that they have faith, but without works. They have been praying and praying and God said I have heard your prayer, I am now go­ing to do for you what you need, not what you want. When we are praying, God is just watch­ing. When do we know what we need? What Nigeria needs is the taming of corruption and this country would become like Garden of Eden or Canaan.

All we need is to tame corruption, there is corruption in every facet of the Nigerian polity and the most urgent thing is to tame it. We have been praying and not doing anything; then God selected a Muslim, who has a very severe commitment to tame corruption. He is not a Christian, but God has seen his inside, God sees the innermost of men’s hearts and he sees that this man has an aversion for corruption, he wants to deal with corruption then he chooses Buhari to go and be president for four years to tame corruption. Why can’t Christians raise a Buhari? Why can’t Christians raise someone who comes up bold and we can identify him as being anti-corruption. And we say to him, we beg you, we are sending you; we don’t need your money. We will send you there, we will vote for you, we will give you the money, we will give you the crowd, we will give you the support, and we will give you the prayer. Why can’t 80 million people raise one Buhari?......................



http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=102698

It is all about the strength of the party, not the strength of the candidate.

Besides, why should Christians produce a 'Buhari' with his 'inconvenient' past and 'lowly' present?

'Coup plotter' - The bible speaks against this. Respect must be shown to authorities.

'SSCE scandal' - Just like the five foolish virgins. Came to the celebrations with no oil in their lamps.

Best the Christians didn't produce a 'Buhari'.

.

Because all of them christians have certificate, so there's no boohary among them.. Oga Moses hope u're cleared now

Christians can never raise a Buhari except Jonathan is gone for good...

Dem talk say 'the beautiful ones re not yet born while the ugly ones no won die'.

That's the logic, if Jonathan is out and Buhari is in. Then the next president shall be a cristian Buhari.

Nobody can say Buhari embezzle or mismanage public fund with proof aside TANoids with there useless propagandas - Rev Moses

So God was not on his side in the previous elections?

.

reality but is hard to accept because he is not referring to GEJ. until Nigerian's keep religion and ethnic aside, we might not get it right. I have the experience in 99, when a man was going for SLG in my local government under pdp. he came to our house to offer money in other to get our vote and he is my friend dad but I told them to give another family the money but we'll vote for them and they will win by God grace. they won and he became SLG and everything change for good for him. I went to the LG to present my application letter to the DPM with a recommended letter from another DPM within the state. I was qualify for the employment but when this SLG saw my application letter on his table, he became angry and walk straight to the DPM office. on sighti him, I greeted him but didn't respond and after their meeting, the DPM told me that she has try but SLG ask her to leave the job for him to handle cos am like a son to him. the local government did employ but this my town man SLG prevent anyone from his town to be employed. mu point is, if your brother is in a position, it is not a guarantee that you will be favour. he can even be the one preventing you from been favour just for his selfish reason. Buhari been a Muslim wasn't an issue but we just need someone that can feel the pains of the masses and not just the rich and the middle class. The level of corruption in this present government is nothing to be happy for. a man that stole 24 billion naira pension fund was given a fine of 700k or go to jail under our president and he became a freeman and a girl was sentence to 4 years imprisonment for stealing a bb less than 40k, and all what we could hear is for him to go back for another 4 years of corruption, self enrichment, inactive as president just because he is a christian and the opposition is a Muslim, just because he is an ijaw man and the opposition is an hausa man. the niger delta n's would have enjoy under an hausa man more than what they were enjoying under their son. I stay in bayelsa and I know what am saying. mind you that want to quote me, I don't belong to any party, but I just love the work that is been done in most if not all APC control state compare to pdp control state. they're not Saint but they're far far better than our pdp governors. we all know buhari policy and I believe he is a man that can tackle corruption. the case of fuel subsidy, the outcome of all what this government has privatise, the outcome of all the committee been setting up on this and that. we just need change my brothers and sisters be you Muslim or christian for at least 4 years. may God be with us all. Happy new month

REV, I'M A CHRISTIAN CATHOLIC PRCISELY, GOD HAS REJECTED WE CHRISTIAN BECAUSE WE ARE TOO CORRUPT , IF GOODLUCK IS A CHRISTIAN WHAT STOP HIM TO DECLEARE HIS ASSET ACCORDING TO THE LAW(SECTION140), YAR'ADUA DID IT LET GOODLUCK DO IT, YOU CAN OBEY THE GOD YOU ARE NOT SEEN, BUHARI IS ONLY PENSIONEER WHO SACRIFIES HIS 90% OF HIS PENSION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY WHAT A SACRIFIES LET DAVID MARK, OBASANJ, ETC DO IT , LASTLY WHEN BUHARI WAS THE CHAIRMAN PTDF HE REFUSE TO COLECT SALARY , HE SAID I CAN BE RECEIVING SALARY AND THE SAME TIME PENSION LET CHRISTIAN DO IT, BUHARI DIDNOT USE OFFICIAL CAR OF PTDF UNTILL HE LEFT THE OFFICE LET WE CHRISTIAN DO IT NO WONDER BIBLE SAY MY JUDGEMENT WILL START FROM HOUSE, IF JESUS COULD MAKE A GREAT SACRIFIES WHY CAN'T WE MAKE IT.

christians will never make that mistake of producing
a bigot
a terrorist
a forger.
No We don't want a Christian Buhari.....we want a Christian Jonathan.

Buhari is our choice

This is damn truth, how i hope christian communities throughout the country will learn from this and learn to be upright, not defriending corrupt govt officials and being on the side of sincere people, thats the only way we can reach lofty heights as a Nation

baybeeboi:
christians will never make that mistake of producing
a bigot
a terrorist
a forger.
No We don't want a Christian Buhari.....we want a Christian Jonathan.

If producing a Buhari is amistake as you had highlighted, then i fear for your future. If you can sit down to think and type the above,nothing stop you from thinking outside the box. Tribalism or religion aside,Gej is good but he is weak in taking some decisions for the betterment of this country,if he is not scared,let INEC prepare a level playing ground and see what the outcome of the election will be but before then,you have your future in your hands. If you believe your life is better now,give thanks to your fore fathers who made it better but make the life of your children the best so that they won't curse you in your grave when you are no more based on ur decision in 2015. Thanks.

supersonic:

If producing a Buhari is amistake as you had highlighted, then i fear for your future. If you can sit down to think and type the above,nothing stop you from thinking outside the box. Tribalism or religion aside,Gej is good but he is weak in taking some decisions for the betterment of this country,if he is not scared,let INEC prepare a level playing ground and see what the outcome of the election will be but before then,you have your future in your hands. If you believe your life is better now,give thanks to your fore fathers who made it better but make the life of your children the best so that they won't curse you in your grave when you are no more based on ur decision in 2015. Thanks.

like I said we don't want Christian Buhari.
How do you not understand that?

SeverusSnape:
So God was not on his side in the previous elections?

There is a time for everything... A Jonathan and a PDP/APC must come and show us how low we can get, suffer the consequences and get back our senses.

And finally, a Moses Iloh to speak the way he is speaking.

PS

Did you go to church today??

FrontPage please...

lalatiscalala...

baybeeboi:
christians will never make that mistake of producing
a bigot
a terrorist
a forger.
No We don't want a Christian Buhari.....we want a Christian Jonathan.

But Christians will continue to produce the likes of Ebele Jonathan, DSP, Bode George, FFK, Stella. I pity your Generation. Your mind is locked to the Clueless and I pray God Continue to run your life like GEJ is running the Country when over 20 local Governments are under control of terrorist so shall 20 % of your life be under control of your enemy, Amen.

Practically nobody goes to church in the UK (near Zero corruption)

Everybody goes to church in christian Nigeria and says IJN (look at Igboland) and yet corruption is near 100% even in the church. Pathetic.

baybeeboi:
christians will never make that mistake of producing
a bigot
a terrorist
a forger.
No We don't want a Christian Buhari.....we want a Christian Jonathan.

You already have one and your priest is apparently complaining, a Moses for that matter!!!!

This is not kid stuff. This discussion is beyond you. Your umbilical cord never dry. Still birth better pass ya type.

2undexy:
Christians can never raise a Buhari except Jonathan is gone for good...

Dem talk say 'the beautiful ones re not yet born while the ugly ones no won die'.

That's the logic, if Jonathan is out and Buhari is in. Then the next president shall be a cristian Buhari.

quote author=GBTYO post=30317647][size=28pt] And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie
- 2 Thessalonians 2:11[/size]

[/quote]

ibedun:
Practically nobody goes to church in the UK (near Zero corruption)

Everybody goes to church in christian Nigeria and says IJN (look at Igboland) and yet corruption is near 100% even in the church. Pathetic.

So corruption is exclusively a Christian vice now?

front page o....

citizenY:



There is a time for everything... A Jonathan and a PDP/APC must come and show us how low we can get, suffer the consequences and get back our senses.

And finally, a Moses Iloh to speak the way he is speaking.

PS

Did you go to church today??

No sir...
I'm not a Christian.

heywhytech1:
But Christians will continue to produce the likes of Ebele Jonathan, DSP, Bode George, FFK, Stella. I pity your Generation. Your mind is locked to the Clueless and I pray God Continue to run your life like GEJ is running the Country when over 20 local Governments are under control of terrorist so shall 20 % of your life be under control of your enemy, Amen.

20 local government areas do not equate to 20% of Nigeria.

Not until the black man decide to go back to the core Africa Traditional Religion there maybe little progress. If our politicians are mandated to take their oath of office before a shrine and not the Bible or the Quran, I think most of the problems of corruption would have been a history.

SeverusSnape:

No sir...
I'm not a Christian.

No qualms. I have made my point.

Rev Iloh's observation is a product of wisdom that comes from age, record of national service and interaction with people in society and service to God.

I do not know your faith but you have elders.....what do you do when they talk like this

PUT ON YOUR THINKING CAP

saintopus:
Not until the black man decide to go back to the core Africa Traditional Religion there maybe little progress. If our politicians are mandated to take their oath of office before a shrine and not the Bible or the Quran, I think most of the problems of corruption would have been a history.

Very economical, no tithe or offering of any kind. Few pieces of cola nuts, local gin will do. In some culture you only need salt water.
No expences to be paid to lawyers. Its effectiveness in most towns and villages are instant and without failures.

heywhytech1:
But Christians will continue to produce the likes of Ebele Jonathan, DSP, Bode George, FFK, Stella. I pity your Generation. Your mind is locked to the Clueless and I pray God Continue to run your life like GEJ is running the Country when over 20 local Governments are under control of terrorist so shall 20 % of your life be under control of your enemy, Amen.

I hope those 20 local govts are in the Christian south.
If not,may ur life be run d way Buhari is running the 20 local govts

citizenY:




You already have one and your priest is apparently complaining, a Moses for that matter!!!!

This is not kid stuff. This discussion is beyond you. Your umbilical cord never dry. Still birth better pass ya type.

tah!
Comot for road

citizenY:


No qualms. I have made my point.

Rev Iloh's observation is a product of wisdom that comes from age, record of national service and interaction with people in society and service to God.

I do not know your faith but you have elders.....what do you do when they talk like this

PUT ON YOUR THINKING CAP

What art thou insinuating??

I don't even understand what You're saying sir...

baybeeboi:
christians will never make that mistake of producing
a bigot
a terrorist
a forger.
No We don't want a Christian Buhari.....we want a Christian Jonathan.

How's Jonathan a Christian ? We are talking about born -again Christian here