Gbajabiamila urge men of God to join politics like Rev Waive to make Nigeria a better place

By Ovasa Ogaga,

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has called on men of God to join politics to make Nigeria a better place.

Gbajabiamila made the call in Abuja while speaking during the launch of a book titled “Road to the House” written by a member of the lower chamber of National Assembly, Rev. Francis Waive, (APC, Delta).

The speaker, who said he initially wondered how the author would combine religion with the murky waters of politics, added that he realised that the lawmaker was inspired by his passion to serve people.

He encouraged those who were afraid of joining politics to learn from the experience of the author who contested against all odds.

He said: “You can’t divorce the book from the author. When I just met Rev. as I fondly call him about nine months ago. I couldn’t connect the two. How can you be an Honourable member and Reverend Father? But I got to know him as I continue to relate with him. He was one of the earliest new members I related with.

“He struck me as an upright person. As I got to know him, I understood perhaps why he even wanted to delve into the murky waters of Nigerian politics. On the floor of the chambers and outside the chambers, his mien and disposition on national issues are perhaps what I will encourage those of you who are out there and don’t want to come to politics to learn at his feet even as young as he is in politics.

“I have picked up some things from him which he didn’t even know. I have picked up passion for what you do. Some people say I have passion for what I do and I believe I do.

“But his own passion, he even loses his cool sometime as I see him doing that especially as a man God. You see politics is already robbing off on him. A few weeks ago, he displayed a kind of passion he has for his people from Delta when an issue came up about the establishment of an institution. That was the first time I saw him lose his cool. For those of us on the floor that day, I think a lot of people were surprised. I think it is the same passion he has for God that he has brought into politics. As many men of God should come and join us on this side so that we can make Nigeria a better place. That is the example he has set.”

The Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, described the author as a good representative of his constituency with whom he had been synergizing to serve and uplift the people.

According to Omo-Agege, “for the first time, he is the real representative of my people. He is my project. He is Urhobo Project. And he is Delta Project. For some of us, we were privileged and lucky to have identified him early enough.

“We felt it’s time to bring the best material, someone who will come and do exactly what the framers of the constitution envisaged – representation not appointment or employment – but somebody who will come and do that. We didn’t take our decision in isolation.

“We were privy to most of his writings. I speak for myself. We have read so much about his writings and we are aware of his radio programme. I kept wondering who he was.

“He was an equal opportunity critic. But be that as it may, he never say anything good about PDP. Even those of us who were in opposition, it’s not enough to endear yourself to him. You have to do something that indicated your patriotism, and desire to represent your people well to get his acknowledgement.

“If you ask me to mention my best investment till date since I became a senator, some people will say I have done this road, I have done this and that project. But I will tell you that my best investment, my constituency’s best investment is Honourable (Rev) Francis Waive.

“He has only been in the National Assembly for less than nine months, he has left his footprints everywhere. We have not had that with other people. With him, there is no competition between him and I. It’s always what do we do to uplift our people.
We have had synergy in idea and service delivery to our people.

He added that supporting Rev Waive political aspiration has become one of his best political decision, saying that the best is yet to be seen from the clergy, now politician.

The author, Waive, in an interview, said the book was written as a contribution to the development of democracy and an encouragement to others to join politics.

Asked about what inspired him to go into politics, he said: “God and the fact that I have always had a push that it can be done differently. And it can be done differently. Like the Deputy Senate President said, I have always criticised whatever I see in the polity that is not good. Having done that for years, I thought it was time to show an example that it can be done differently. So, that is what brought me into the game. And God, having given me victory, I suppose to document for others that it’s not rocket science. Everybody can it. To me, this book is my contribution to the development of our democracy to encourage good people to go into politics.

“To me, politics is not a dirty game. It’s just that there are so many dirty people who play it. And that is why I wrote the book. Some of us can play it and play it clean and good.”