By Korede Akintunde, ABUJA —
In a hard-hitting critique of Nigeria’s leadership and religious institutions, the Bishop Theologian of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) and Bishop of Ilesha Diocese, The Rt. Rev. Prof. Dapo Asaju, has declared that the nation’s political class has run out of ideas to move the country forward.
Speaking during an interview on ACNN TV, the outspoken Bishop Theologian and former VC and ASUU Chairman, described prominent political figures, specifically naming President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, as belonging to a “wasted generation” with nothing left to offer the populace.
Bishop Asaju maintained that Nigerians remain a good and willing people who are ready to follow upright leadership, but lamented a total vacuum of genuine direction at the helm of affairs.
“Nigerians are good. If they have a good leader, they will follow them. But today, there is nobody to follow,” Asaju stated. “Who is running? Tinubu? He has nothing to offer. Atiku Abubakar? Nothing to offer. These are people who are… I don’t want to be insultive to people in government, but they are a wasted generation.”
Turning his sights toward the religious sphere, the Bishop expressed dismay over what he described as widespread compromise within the Christian faith. He observed that the Church in Nigeria possesses the sheer demographic strength to demand good governance and “throw them out of the way,” but remains ineffective due to internal disunity and moral complacency.
Asaju accused several Christian leaders of abandoning their prophetic mandate to speak truth to power in exchange for government patronage.
“Those who are to fight have dropped their weapons,” he lamented. “We have Christians leaders who cannot speak truth to power; Christians who are compromising, collecting money from government and cannot criticize them because they are building large congregations.”
Warning of grave consequences if the status quo persists, Bishop Asaju stressed that church leaders are failing the ordinary members who look up to them for leadership and direction. He called for a spiritual and moral awakening, urging the Church to “cure herself” so it can produce radical believers capable of spearheading positive national change.
