Re: Bishop David Oyedepo said “God can give Nigeria a Female President”—An Interview by Adesanya-Davies

Bishop David Oyedepo said, “God can give Nigeria a female President” and in fact God can pick Nigeria’s next President from his Church. Speaking, he was quoted to have said fully:

“Don’t get me wrong, God can pick a president from this Church. That President could even be a female.” – Oyedepo made the remark while he spoke during a sermon at the church’s headquarters in Ota, Ogun State on Sunday 23rd. The clergyman urged the members aspiring for political positions to always seek counsel.” In the words of Bishop Oyedepo, “It is important for me to mention this to members of the church because another time is here now.”

There is currently a growing heated debate on who will take over from Buhari at Aso-Rock to become the next President of Nigeria come 2023; Thus, Presidential candidate of MAJA in 2019 presidential election, and a front line Christian female politician currently a PDP PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANT for 2023 elections has been given some compiled WhatsApp e-interview, including her reactions to the declaration of Bishop David Oyedepo saying “God can give Nigeria a female President” and “God can pick Nigeria’s next president from his church”.

Introduction and Background:

Bishop professor Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies, a linguist and educationist, has served as a university lecturer and administrator for the past 36 years. She is also a consultant, researcher, writer, poet and activist. A frontline politician, presidential candidate of Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA) in the 2019 election, she is currently a presidential aspirant on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP aspiring to be the President of Nigeria.

Excerpts:

Your Excellency, you have all the constitutional, fundamental and God given right to aspire to be the president of Nigeria as a woman, remember you are also entitled to the nomination form to contest election for free, as every other woman in Nigeria. As such, we need you to answer the following questions in reaction to Bishop David Oyedepo’s assertion that, “God can give Nigeria a next female President from the Living Faith Church”; as the PDP’s only female presidential aspirant who has declared her intention to contest for presidency in 2023.

1. Do you know Bishop David Oyedepo?

Yes I do, very well, he is the founder of Living Faith Church, Nigeria also known as Winners Chapel. He is a true, sincere and very vibrant man of God and a leading minister of God in Nigeria. He is from my state, Kwara State, “State of Harmony”, thanks.

2. When, where and how did you know him?

I knew him in the 70s, when we were young, serving the Lord fervently at Ilorin, Kwara State, at what is now known today as the Living Faith Church, (alias Winners Chapel). When he started the Church as a fellowship then, it was called FAITH LIBERATION HOUR; we were students and quite few, less than twenty, if I may recall, at ECWA Youth Centre, Ilorin. The fellowship used to be once a week, on Fridays. It was a great time of revival in those days.

3. Are you a member of Living Faith Church – Winner’s Chapel?

With what I have said right now, I am not just a member of the Living Faith Church, but one of the pioneers of the FAITH LIBERATION HOUR now Living Faith Church, from the inception in the1970s, as a student at Ilorin. Then, we all were also members of Oyun Gospel Team and KWARA BRETHREN Fellowship, and we were always praying for Nigeria.

4. What’s your testimony of him?

I have no doubt that he is a true, sincere and very vibrant man of God and with vision, mission and great calling. He is very energetic and prophetic! On a lighter note, as a young man, I could recall he always tells us “I will never work with this certificate of mine, but will only work for God.” We were very close then and I was at his wedding. His wife graduated at the University of Ife (Unife) now Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), where I also graduated in the 80s. We were attending Evangelical Christian Union (ECU) together now NIFES, with big Sis. Prof. Remi Sonaiya.

5. Do you believe his assertion, that, “God can give Nigeria a next female President from his Church?

Certainly, I believe in his assertion, with God, all things are possible, as far as it’s His will, I sure do, by the special grace of God, that He can give Nigeria a next female President in 2023.

6. How do you think he will react to your contesting?

Positively, I am sure, most Ministers knew I contested the last election and evolved as the flag bearer and presidential candidate of Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA) in the 2019 election, and even voted for me after I’d later stepped down for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar under the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) arrangement.

7. Do you see GOD in your aspiration?

Yes, sure, I have always seen God in it, giving me this courage to be so daring and focused about the aspiration, It’s not just an ambition because I am not that ambitious by nature. It’s is a vision and mission to rescue and restore and restructure Nigeria in what I always refer to as “The PMA advanced restructuring agenda. I already have a road-map for Nigeria, with an agenda and manifesto which cannot be summarised in few lines here.

8. So, what is this your dream, vision and mission for Nigeria?

I have a dream that one day a woman will become the President of Nigeria. May I put it directly also that, I HAVE A DREAM, THAT ONE DAY, I WILL EMERGE AS THE FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, AND THE DREAM IS NOW !!! My Vision and Mission is the “PMA – ADVANCED RESTRUCTURING AGENDA” – It is “Real change for real people” by me PMA when I get the Nigerian’s support. It is time to CHANGE the change!

9. What are your plans for Nigeria if God allows you to get there?

My AGENDA is the “PMA – ADVANCED RESTRUCTURING AGENDA”. As an academic, Nigeria will witness functional, effective, efficient, accessible and affordable education, which is the bedrock of any nation, as well as better governance, delivery of dividends of democracy, massive employment, accelerated economic development, improved health delivery, massive human capital development, massive infrastructural development, aggressive fight against corruption, improved welfare for Nigerian workers, and the masses, when I, PMA – CHOICE, become the president of Nigeria. As a detribalised Nigerian, services of technocrats shall be fully employed and utilised to its maximum.

10. Do you believe in restructuring?

Yes I do because, “Restructuring stems from the concept of true federalism. True federalism is a system that operates based on the shared responsibility of individual units while having a central core that binds everyone together. What Nigeria currently operates is the direct opposite, but we need true federalism.”

11. Your wish for Nigerian Women and your wish for Nigeria…?
Gender inclusion has now become imperative globally and as such in Nigeria, successful election and governance would be based on this, as the next phase of political leadership takes shape. This we can glaringly observe in the case of Kamala Harris in the last US election. A truly democratic and egalitarian society of great reputation and enviable to the entire world. Yes o!

12. Your last words please!

May I conclude again that I have a dream, that one day, a woman will emerge as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the dream is now! This is because, if Nigerians elect a female president, it will be a turning point in the nation’s history. It will also be an honour to have Nigeria’s first female president. If Nigeria can give women a chance to rule, I am sure we will never regret it.

AGAIN, I HAVE A DREAM, THAT ONE DAY, I WILL EMERGE AS THE FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, AND THE DREAM IS NOW !!!

Thank you madam,
Yours truly, Harrison Nwachukwu