Adekunle M. Richard is the Senior Pastor and President of Power on the Rock International Ministry, also known as Rock Chapel in Lekki, Lagos. He was an accountant before he veered into ministry work. In this interview with Isaac Ngumah, he shares his thoughts  on sundry issues

 

Many people believe the last one year of the present government is nothing to write about. Do you subscribe to this view?

Well, we have not seen anything tangible as of today. Things are expensive. There is inflation everywhere and there is no coordination. The reintroduction of the old national anthem is not what we need now.  There is hunger in the land. I am not saying that this government is solely responsible for all this  But governance is continuity. Until some set of people are held accountable truth for the misgovernance of this nation, we won’t make progress

Look at the Buhari government. A lot of money was stolen during his tenure. He should be held accountable. If that is not done, we will only be playing to the gallery.

Could we then say the corruption of the past government and the huge debt on  ground are the reasons the present government is not making headway?

The president is in the same party as the former president. I presume their party has a manifesto or an agenda. Leadership is all about solving problems. He has no excuse. Even if he inherited an empty treasury, he is supposed to look at how the problem can be solved rather than complaining or compounding it.

People who have stolen money should be asked to account for the money stolen. They should be in the EFCC detention. Until we start doing something radical about those who steal government money, we are not get anywhere and nothing will move in this country.

What then can you say about the economic policy of the government?

The truth is that many of these foreign economic policies have never worked for Nigeria and Africa. The reason is that there are no structures on ground and no infrastructure that can contain such foreign policies. It is also so because 75 percent of the people are not elite. A policy that will incorporate this set of people and make them productive must be the type that is localised and that fits into what we have on the ground. The economic team has to begin to develop home-grown economic principles

Would you say the security situation is better?

There is an improvement in the southwest, south-south a little improvement in the southeast. But the northeast still has serious security challenges. I believe every security problem can be tackled Internally. Remember during the Abacha regime, Abacha said if there is an insurgency anywhere if it lasts more than two weeks then there is somebody in government that is behind it. So government should look inward to solve the security challenges.

I think the idea of state police is also overdue. The ratio of policemen to the teaming population of the country is scandalous. Besides our security men are not well motivated and they are not well equipped. But then like I said, we need to localise our security architecture by introducing state police. It is only the local man who will know how to track local criminals because he understands the terrain more than any other.

Let’s talk about the church. How will you assess the effort of the church in these trying times?

No nation can do without the church. I believe the church is making a series of efforts to reduce hunger in the land. Many churches and denominations have taken care and are taking care of a lot of people. Apart from that the church is praying for the nation, praying for everyone, and also taking care of the welfare of the people and doing a lot in education, etc. The church does not make noise because all we do is to the glory of God not for the praise of men.

How has your ministry journey been so far? 

Well, ministry is about God’s calling if you are called by God, He will back you. But if you call yourself you will live to regret it. I never thought in my life that I would ever become a pastor but GOD called me into the ministry over two decades now. The truth of the matter is that there are challenges in the ministry. And if you are not grounded in God when the challenges come they sweep you off.

Another issue is integrity with God and your relationship with Him, The world will pass away but the word of God remains forever. We must also realise that it is very difficult to predict human beings except the Holy Spirit speaks to you, people will castigate you desert you, etc. but rejoice they did the same to Christ and his apostles.

What God encourages us to do is to be focused. There are so many challenges but heaven is what we are looking for not material things, salvation of the souls is the most important thing. People banking on material things are just wasting their time.

What area did God call you into?

My focus according to the mandate that GOD has given to me is to propel people’s faith and stir their desire to love God more. I strongly believe that outside God you are on your own. I would say we are called principally to soul-winning. healing ministry. deliverance and preaching of the word of God. As far as I am concerned if God can use me to raise the dead, heal the sick, etc. then I am okay. That is what gives me joy

What are the things God has done through you? 

I have not made any impact. It is God’s impact. I am just a vessel being used by God. It is the level of your submission to God and how far you have worked with God that will determine how God will use you I cannot say it is my power I cannot do anything by my power I am a human being it is just God that is doing everything.