Tunde Bakare @70: A model of public morality in Nigerian politics and nation

Most Christians who get involved in politics get lost in the filth of corruption. PTB was the ONLY believer who participated in the 2023 presidential election and didn’t give any delegate a dime. There were other believers who paid bribes of several billions to delegates and still lost. His contribution to Christian values in Nigerian politics is unparalleled.

Let me lay out a few specific examples:

1. In 1991 or 1992, somebody sent a green Mercedes Benz 300 or 500 (popularly called the Shagari Model in those days) as a gift to him at the then Latter Rain Assembly, Akilo Street, Ikeja. I visited him one day and saw the car covered where it was parked. When I asked why he was not using it, his response was this: ‘I need to meet the person who sent it and ask him where he got the money from.’ The sender got angry and said it wasn’t his business where he got his money. PTB had the car returned. Later, the man was caught carrying drugs.

2. When his wife, the one we fondly called Mrs. B, turned 50, 14 years ago, the governor of Ogun state who has been his friend since secondary school days donated some money at the birthday party at Sheraton Hotel, Lagos. PTB asked him publicly if the money was from his personal account or public purse. It was only accepted when the governor announced that it was his personal money.

3. When Citadel’s construction started, PTB’s friend, President Muhammadu Buhari, donated N5M. PTB asked him if the money was from his pocket or taken from the public purse. Buhari was not amused. He promptly replied: “Pastor, I can personally afford this.” PTB made the contribution public in church along with their banters.

4. When PTB turned 60 years old in 2014, somebody in the Villa sent him a brand new 2015 Rolls Royce. He asked those who brought it: “Is this a gift any Nigerian who clocks 60 gets? They said no. How do I justify such a gift from the government?” They took back their gift.

5. Just before the 2015 elections, a bag with $850,000 dollars cash was hauled into his presidential suite at Transcorp Hotel, Abuja. This was when all kinds of

people, including religious leaders, Christians and Muslims; traditional rulers across the nation were receiving such dollar gifts. He turned it down.

6. During the 2023 primaries of the APC, there was dollar rain before, during and after the exercise at Eagle Square. Men were bought like fowls and goats in the market. Only PTB didn’t bribe any delegate or trade his candidature. Others, including those who were notable believers, paid out hundreds of millions of dollars to buy delegates. Some who traded their candidature and publicly announced they were stepping down were alleged to have received as much as $2m each. PTB stood up on that platform and announced he was not stepping down but stepping up.

7. It’s normal in our clime to use proximity to power for personal profit. Nothing particularly wrong if done properly. Till the day President Muhammadu Buhari left office, he lamented that PTB has not personally benefited from any government deal or largesse. About two years before the expiration of his presidency, the president attempted to give his friend a gift. PTB had just arrived in Abuja.

He came from Lagos with his lawyer, Tope Adebayo. Only the three of us were there that day. Not long afterwards, his phone rang. It was from Tunde Sabiu, the president’s nephew and personal assistant. He said the president had something for PTB. PTB sent his lawyer. Tope came back with an envelope. It was an offer of an oil block. Many would have jumped at it calling it divine supply. PTB went back to see his friend, the president, to thank him for the offer.

And then, he told him: “Thank you Mr. President but I cannot accept this gift. It will spoil my brand. Oil block is a national treasure and if I get it just because I’m the president’s friend, then it becomes morally indefensible. Thanks but no thanks.”  PTB has demonstrated beyond measure that he is a man of conviction of steel. There are more than two dozen incidents like this but each time, he overcame them, seeing them as a test of his character and his readiness to be a leader without greed and covetousness.

Not a few people have wondered why he combines his pastoral calling with political activism. To some, these roles are mutually exclusive. In holding this view, the assumption is that pastoral work is a holy calling while politics is a vocation for sinners.

Truth be told, PTB is not a politician in the conventional traditional sense. PTB is a nation builder who is deploying the tool of politics as a means to achieve an end; an end which includes the liberation from hunger, provision of infrastructure, and security of life and property.

The bane of politics in Nigeria is selfishness and greed. Politics is often a racket, not different from gangsterism with money-making as the sole objective. What we have presently in Nigeria are merchants pretending to be leaders. We have raiders holding political offices throughout the length and breadth of the Nigerian landscape.

To the contrary, PTB is not driven by mundane or compulsive material acquisition at public expense. Rather, PTB is driven by the vision of how better Nigeria can become. And this is what informs his common mantra “Nigeria will work in my lifetime.”

PTB’s patriotism didn’t start with the Save Nigeria Group; although SNG became a veritable and potent vehicle for concrete visible action. Since the early 90s, PTB has been a watchman for the Nigerian nation, preaching, prophesying, praying and rallying many towards the Nigerian cause. He is a man uniquely burdened for Nigeria. Hardly can he finish a message without a mention of the rot in the land and proffering solutions. The truth is that PTB is not your ordinary do-gooder, political activist or politician. The uniqueness of his intervention is that he is acutely aware of his sense of destiny in being an active participant in making Nigeria a nation that will be blessed to become the envy of other nations.

Perhaps, I need to share how I came about this conviction. The year was 1991 and the venue was the church office at The Latter Rain Assembly. PTB has always been a gracious host. He offered me lunch that was delivered from ‘Pintos’ on Allen Avenue after which he saw me off to my car. Just as he turned back to return to the office, the Lord opened my eyes and mind to have a glimpse into the future. By the way, this is a gift that the Lord gives me occasionally. In this state, I saw PTB helping to fix a broken-down nation. I called him back and told him what I saw. Of course, he was amazed. He turned and walked into his office. I am persuaded that we are entering that season.

One distinguishing feature of leadership is selflessness. Unfortunately, this is oftentimes lacking within the political class. This virtue marks PTB out. When he was nominated to the 2014 national conference, he served the nation at his own expense. He was one of the few who refused the fat cheques that the government offered.

Virtually all politicians are driven by the ambition of ‘I want to be this or that.’ What drives GBB (Gbolahan Babatunde Bakare) as his precious wife, Mrs. B. (Layide Bakare) fondly calls him, is not ambition; not at all. Individuals driven by ambition are often slaves to their vanities and egos. I completely, unequivocally and intentionally trust that God will perfect all He has put in His servant’s heart for our dear and great nation. Hear PTB shout this daily – Nigeria shall be SAVED. Nigeria shall be CHANGED. Nigeria shall be GREAT.

May his prophecy for our nation come true in our lifetime and may we all be partakers of Nigeria’s great and illustrious future.