The Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, emphasized the importance of dialogue in addressing Nigeria’s challenges.
According to The PUNCH, the cleric asserted this on Wednesday during the Wilson and Yinka Badejo Memorial Lecture 2024, held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The event honoured the late Wilson Badejo, former General Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel Church, and his wife, Yinka.
Bakare’s keynote address, themed ‘Cultivating a Culture of Dialogue: Nurturing Understanding in a Culturally and Socially Diverse Nation’, highlighted the need for open communication and empathy over confrontation.
He criticized politicians for not sharing the economic sacrifices of ordinary citizens, stating, “All parties must approach the dialogue table with open minds, effective communication, and empathy. Open and honest communication helps to establish transparency, making intentions and actions clear. When leaders communicate transparently, they demonstrate that they have nothing to hide, and that builds trust. Empathy is a bedrock of dialogue. It requires us to see beyond our own perspective and seek to comprehend the experiences of others.”
Referencing the #EndBadGovernance protests, Bakare noted that economic hardship affects everyone regardless of religion or ethnicity.
He argued that political struggles often mask economic issues, saying, “Hunger does not ask whether you are a Muslim or a Christian, male or female, Yoruba, Hausa, Fulani, APC, PDP, or Labour Party.”
He also criticized the lack of distinct ideologies between the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, citing Governor Godwin Obaseki’s switch from the APC to the PDP without ideological conflict.
Bakare, who ran in the 2022 APC presidential primary, has been vocal about his disappointment with the ruling party.
He previously stated that the 2023 election results indicated public discontent with the APC.
He lamented that the party had strayed from its founding principles.
An author and Public Policy Advisor, Debola Deji-Kurunmi, opened the event by calling for unity amidst Nigeria’s diversity. She envisioned a nation built on the strengths of its different cultures and languages, urging individuals to make impactful changes within their spheres of influence.
The event, organized by the Wilson & Badejo Foundation, also celebrated the achievements of the foundation, which has supported youth rehabilitation and provided numerous scholarships.
Highlights included the presentation of the Stewardship Excellence Award to Rev. Peter Ameadaji, Managing Partner of PAC Solicitors, and the awarding of scholarships to 52 university students.
Notable attendees included the General Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel Church, Rev. Sam Aboyeji; Chairman of the foundation, Rev. Akin Akeju; and Vice Chairman of the foundation, Femi Badejo.
