Tunde Bakare to Tinubu: ‘Stop playing God, act now to save Nigeria’

Serving Overseer of The Citadel Global Community Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has issued a stern warning to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to embrace humility, listen to counsel, and “stop playing God” amid Nigeria’s deepening political and socio-economic crisis.Delivering a fiery state of the nation address during a church service in Lagos on Sunday, Bakare lamented that Nigeria is edging dangerously close to becoming a mafia state under the current leadership.He criticized the government’s response to the nation’s mounting insecurity and economic troubles, calling for immediate and pragmatic actions instead of continued reliance on prayers alone.

“People of faith have prayed to the point of weariness, and any call for prayer now appears to be a mere religious ritual,” Bakare said. “Unless pragmatic steps are taken immediately, the rage of the poor may trigger social, economic, and political worst-case scenarios.”Highlighting the rising tide of violence, kidnappings, and killings—particularly in Plateau and Benue states—the cleric warned that without urgent intervention, Nigeria risks a full-blown breakdown of law and order, potentially forcing an overstretched military into further domestic deployment.



Reflecting on his earlier counsel to the government in January, Bakare said, “Dear Nigerians, the past few months since that admonition have shown that those responsible for steering the course of our nation lack the humility and character this moment demands of leaders.”He condemned what he described as a “descent into tyranny” and “brazen abuse of power,” noting actions such as the Senate’s controversial suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and President Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, later ratified by the National Assembly.READ ALSO: Tinubu’s second term campaigns amidst poor performance“Our so-called leaders are determined to turn Nigeria into a mafia state,” Bakare said.

“The two main contenders in this ongoing institutional immorality Olympics are the executive and the legislature.”In a call for deeper reforms, Bakare proposed mandatory psychological evaluations for all political aspirants, asserting that sound mental fitness is essential for anyone seeking to hold public office.He further outlined a roadmap for national recovery, urging the government to launch a coordinated program focused on economic stabilization, debt reengineering, structural reforms for geo-economic industrialization, and inclusive growth.

Central to this vision is the establishment of a Consolidated Value Investment and Development Fund—an idea Bakare first mooted during the COVID-19 pandemic—which he now simply calls “The Fund.”“The Fund must be anchored on sustainable development principles, rejecting the volatile dependence on oil prices or the predatory trap of endless loans and foreign handouts,” he stressed.Bakare concluded his address with a direct plea to President Tinubu: “Think deeply and reflect on these words: ‘No man is wise enough nor good enough to be trusted with unlimited power.

’ Please, stop playing God.”As frustration grows among Nigerians weary of insecurity and economic hardship, Bakare’s words have resonated widely, amplifying calls for decisive leadership and urgent reforms to prevent Nigeria’s fragile democracy from total collapse.The post Tunde Bakare to Tinubu: ‘Stop playing God, act now to save Nigeria’ appeared first on National Daily Newspaper.

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