I HAVE been around for some years but never can I recall such a time like this in the epoch of Nigeria. For a people that purport to be religious, are we out to see unusual and uncommon happenings in the political history of the nation? In our message “Celebrating two Great Generals” put out in April, we did say that Religion is not an issue.

What we as a Charity, Voluntary and Community (CVC) organization meant then and still mean now is that no one should use religion to corrupt Politics. Without a doubt, there is a huge sentimentality in religiosity. And if we let that cloud our judgment and political operation, we corrupt Democracy.

The theological development of this does not belong in this article. Actually, I’ve written a book, published in Britain and soon to be published in Nigeria in which I argue vehemently for the role of religion in our world. In my follow-on articles and writings, I’ve said that the world cannot survive let alone prosper without religion.

And we have seen various manifestations of the truism of this saying in various occurrences in different parts of the world. And I say authoritatively that there are many more to come.

In my book under reference, titled: Truth (knowledge) Based Religiosity Series Volume 1 World Religions (Theory and Practice), I have postulated what I call “The Convergence Theory”. This also will soon be published, definitely before the second volume of the series of the encyclopedia.

What I am saying is that the president and vice-president should practice what I call “Clear water Religiosity”. And I am pleased to see that happen on the day of the inauguration of the two leaders. A Muslim prayed an Islamic prayer and a Christian prayed a Christian prayer. I say encore to that. Let’s continue with that spirit right through the period of the administration. And if that happens, religion should not be an issue.

There is always a clamour from Nigeria to the Nigerians in the Diaspora to come home and contribute to the developing of Nigeria. So, much as we want and strongly desire to get stuck with the development of Nigeria, there is always a clarion call from Nigeria itself for its absconded citizens to return home in one shape or form and contribute to developing Nigeria.

Apart from running charitable programmes and projects, we want to work with various governments both at the state and central levels. We consider certain amnesties so basic and fundamental to good governance that they cannot and should not be allowed to drift all over the place. They need tight grip on their planning and execution.

Electricity supply, generation, distribution and marketing. We are asking the government during the first 100 days to put out to the nation a road map that will guarantee electrification of the entire country of Nigeria during the next four years. To do that the government has to stand up to the dealers in generator business. There must be a plan to phase them out during the next four years.

We as a charity organization want to have the details of all the companies that are now running power generation, so that we can monitor their progress and performance. Weights and Measures: The legislators should enact laws that make tampering with set measures a crime; hoarding fuel or charging above the government fixed price should be a crime. Workers, should be paid their wage/salary when due, and default should be made a crime.

Roads should be maintained in motorable state all the time; and not left till it has fallen into total disrepair so that the contract has to be re-awarded again. INEC did a reasonably good job during the last election, but they could do better. Their failure to deliver PVC to every citizen in the country over a whole period of four years is not good enough. That means that they failed to deliver. Now, we don’t know who to blame for this, whether the chairman, his staff, the public or the logistic complexity. We want to work with them, and that we will do voluntarily for free. We want to be involved in the total logistics.

Is it true that the police force buy their own uniform, not paid their salary up to three or more months? How can they be corruption free? There are instances of government pensioners not receiving their pension three, four years after retirement. And our politicians collect their own even before they step out of office. What a heartless treatment of fellow citizens. What is even heart-breaking is that a good number of pensioners have died on their journey between Abuja and their local residences after retirement.

We are building palaces all over Abuja trying to impress the developed world that we are something. And immediately on the outskirt of Abuja fellow Nigerians are picking food from rubbish heaps, and so also they do in Lagos, a city of Excellence!

• Pastor Moses Owolabi, 82, is President, Trust Nation Builders.