2023 Polls: Start your campaigns tours in hospitals, Anglican bishop tells politicians
By Akintunde Jacobs, Akure
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Bishop of Owo Anglican Diocese, in Ondo State, Revd. Stephen Fagbemi, has tasked politicians to start their campaigns tours in hospitals saying life is very hard in this country.
Fagbemi said “Go to hospitals and schools and see what Nigeria is like. I encourage you to go to FMC here in Owo to campaign and see what the future holds.”
The cleric, who said this at the weekend in Owo during his sermon at the funeral service of late mother of Ondo state governor, Grace Akeredolu said “the poor are getting poorer. Nigeria needs a change that will ensure safety and security in villages. We need a government that understands economics. Life is very hard in this country. Let our leaders be careful to help us move things forward. The best place to start campaign is hospital.”
He told the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, that God has placed him where he is going to make a difference.
The Owo Anglican Bishop, therefore, urged Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and his siblings to immortalise their mother because she lived a life of service to God and humanity.
While Akeredolu, in his response to the sermon delivered by Fagbemi, said there were crops of politicians in the Southwest the people could be very proud of.
According to him, “We have listened to your political sermon. It was wonderful listening to the sermon. I will not contend with you but I know as politicians we are doing our best. It might not be good for everybody.
“You should also say the things we have done. Continue to pray for us so that we will do our best. We will look at it. It is not that we are not trying. We have our shortcomings. We have crops of politicians in the Southwest we can be very proud of. Not all of us shall die. We shall be here when Christ shall come.”
President Muhammadu Buhari who was represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said the life of the mother of the Ondo Governor deserved celebration.
According to him, “Today is a day of great joy. We have reached where we must celebrate one the greatest legacy. It is a time to celebrate Mama because of the great deeds. The life of Grace Akeredolu is a life worthy of celebration. She lost her husband at the age of 50 and lived up to 90. She brought up her children. She made a great effort at raising four boys.
“She did very well indeed. We must thank God because not only did she bring up her children well but all of them are successful. What we must celebrate most is her service to God and mankind. We celebrate the life of a great woman, a woman who served God well and her community.”
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the APC Presidential candidate who also spoke at the funeral service, urged Nigerians not to give up on politicians saying the ruling APC would do better.
“Thank God we are alive, there might be weaknesses and inadequacies in expectation. No one wants failure. You cannot give up on us. We will do better. We will contribute to the improvement you might want. Mama has given us the Grace of the day that she will not be the one to bury us. She had the greatest legacy of a life full of achievements,” Tinubu said.
NewsDirect reports that late Grace Akeredolu died on September 15 in her sleep and she was interred beside her husband in Owo, hometown of Governor Akeredolu.
Dignitaries present at the event included Former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi and his wife, Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State. Former Ondo state Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, former Interim Chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande, Senator Ibikunle Amosun amongst others.
