You made mistakes, ex-Aso Rock chaplain tells Jonathan

The former Chaplain of the Presidential Villa during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime and the

Founding General Overseer of the All Christians Fellowship Mission, Abuja, Rev. (Dr.) William Okoye, yesterday pointedly told president Goodluck Jonathan that he made mistakes in office and urged him to correct those mistakes if he wins the presidential election.

In a sermon to Mark Palm Sunday, Rev. Okoye said though the president has achieved so much in office, many Nigerians do not seem to appreciate these achievements.

He said the disposition by the president that he was not desperate to remain in office was a welcome relief as he does not see politics as a do or die affair.

“If God gives us another opportunity there are three things we must do: One, we must acknowledge God as our source of victory and helper. Two, review all you have done in the past, learn from past mistakes because you have done well but you must admit you have made mistakes. Thirdly, repackage the mistakes you have made so that you can launch out in full force. Every leader in public office is in a position of trust we must account for the position we have been given and do things right” he said.

Unlike the boisterous attendance that characterised the Villa chapel services in the past, yesterday’s was sparsely attended with only a few of the President’s family members and aides, Chairperson Civil service Commission, Executive Secretary National Christian Pilgrims Commission and a couple from the diplomatic community.

Reverend Okoye noted that those who said President Jonathan has not performed in his four years in office were either being mischievous or economical with the truth as his achievements were glaring for all to see.

According to him, if performance was a yardstick for election, the president’s performance would have guaranteed a sure victory, adding that Nigerians have done their bit by voting while the rest now lies in God’s hands.

The clergy whose message was titled “Victory Rest with The Lord”, and using the text from Proverbs 21:31, said there is nothing the Jonathan administration has not done to move the nation forward.

He said its only God that puts people in authority and called on the congregation to respect them.

He admonished the president that people in their usual sycophantic nature will go to various places claiming they prayed and will want to take the glory as facilitators of victory when the result goes the way of the principle, urging President Jonathan not to make that mistake but attribute the victory (if he eventually wins) to God and not to man.

“It is God that puts people in authority and we have done all we have to do, we have to look to him (God) and I believe we are going to sing a new song,” he said.

He added: “Thank God we have a President who wants to serve and not engage in do or die politics. Some of us were here during the third term agenda and I kicked against it from this alter.

“As a villa chaplain under Obasanjo, the third term agenda was not originally his idea , hence he rejected it when it was suggested. But those behind it went and repackaged and presented it to him and he bought it. When he told me I kicked against it but before you knew it he was sidelining me and so I was forced to use the pulpit to tell him God was not with him on this matter because the idea was not God’s and that was why the idea failed.

“Thank God we have a president that says I want to serve but I’m not desperate. So it is not a question of do or die thing.

‘Election not do-or-die’

“This election is not a do or die. If we loss we will go and use the experience to serve humanity. So there is nothing to worry about. I know with what this government has done if given opportunity in another four years Nigeria will be better. That is why we are not to be proud because God resist the proud”.

In his short remarks, the Aso Villa Chaplain, Venerable Obioma Onwuzurumba, expressd happiness that the elections held despite wicked insinuations that the president didn’t want it to hold because he wanted to stay longer in power.

“It was said the President will not allow elections to hold because he wanted to hold unto power but it held. A friend of mine sent me a text that God has chosen who will govern before the foundation of the world and we just voted to authenticate that person” he said.