Pastor Tunde Bakare’s Solution For Boko Haram Insurgency

Posted by African Examiner Articles/Opinion, Featured Contributors/Columnists, Latest Headlines Saturday, August 2nd, 2014

Saturday Xtra:: By Oyewale Oyelola

In Nigeria when you are upright, diligent, unique, rugged, fearless and above all to stand alone when majority are going other way, people will call you names and even describe you as a controversial person.

Pastor Tunde Bakare is a trained lawyer and the serving Overseer of Latter Rain Assembly in Lagos. Many Nigerians see Pastor Bakare as being controversial due to his objective and unbiased opinion on national issues.

Pastor Tunde Bakare

In 2010, He founded ‘Save Nigeria Group’ to challenge cabals holding the nation to ransom due to the prolonged sickness of late President Umar Musa Yar’adua who did not transfer power to the vice president before leaving the country.

This led to some kind of political tension in the country as weekly Federal Executive Council meeting did not hold for about two months while the late president was away for treatment and President Jonathan, then the vice president was been intimidated by Turai Yar’adua and other cabals in power.

It would be recalled that series of protests and rallies across the country led to introduction of ‘Doctrine of Necessity’ by the senate, which resulted to confirmation of Jonathan as Acting President.

Just like every other Nigerians who condemned the assassination attempt on General Muhammed Buhari last week, Bakare the running mate of Buhari, the Presidential candidate of defunct CPC during 2011 general elections described the act as an attempt to split Nigeria.

Bakare in his sermon on July 27, 2014 x-rayed Boko Haram insurgency in the country and offered solutions to the raging insecurity situation in Nigeria.

He actually go biblical by tracing terrorism to radical elements among the sons of Ishmael.

According to him, “The root of religious conflict in the world is the battle of the children of Abraham-between the seed of Sarah whereas the world has come to its wits end as to how to resolve this age long battle of the seeds, we know and we have declared it to this house, that God, having chosen Isaac, as in genisis 21:12…for in Isaac, your seed shall be called, God has a plan for Ishmael.”

He noted that we must look beyond religion to tackle Boko Haram Insurgency and terrorism in the country.

Bakare highlighted religion, oppression and injustice like the extra judicial murder of former terrorist group leader, Mohammed Yusuf in 2009, zoning deprivation and economic deprivation as root causes of insurgency in Nigeria.

The convener of the save Nigeria Group charged federal government to fight Boko Haram to stand still, “After all, the Kingdom of God suffers violence and only violence can take it by force. When the bullets are real, we do not need toy guns or toy soldiers, we need capable soldiers and superior weapons of war. No nation can win the war against terror with kids gloves.”

I hope the federal government will listen to voice of wisdom rather than set unrealistic date always. For example, the Council of State just on Thursday set December deadline for end of Boko Haram Insurgency in Nigeria, How realistic is that deadline?