2023: Nigeria not a Christian – Muslim State – Ijaw Religious leader

The Chief Superintending Officer, Supreme Egbesu Order, an Ijaw religious organisation, Apostle Prince Bodmas Kemepadei, insisted that only competence and leadership capacity and not religious considerations should be the yardstick of choosing leaders in the country.

He said if Nigeria continued on the path of religious dichotomy, then the country would be headed for anarchy, stressing that no religious group had the right to lay claim or rights over the seat of power.

Kemepadei queried: “Is it not sad to hear people advocate that the seat of Nigeria’s power be rotated amongst two religious sects in a secular state like Nigeria having people with diverse religious beliefs?

“Is this fair? Is this not injustice?

“We should be talking about competence and not religion. If we continue on this path of religious dichotomy, then we are heading towards anarchy. No religious group has rights to lay claims or rights over Nigeria’s seat of power.

“I am of the traditional religion; if the country begins to operate a Muslim-Muslim ticket or Christian-Christian ticket or Muslim-Christian ticket, then what is the fate of other religious sects? Are we not Nigerians, don’t we have the franchise to vote and be voted for?”

He warned that religion should be totally separated from politics, saying that if people were interested in religious leadership, they should do so in their religious institutions and not with Nigeria as a state.

He said Nigerians should focus on development, capacity, experience and other ingredients of leadership and not religious differences which is a mere diversion.