The political rivalry between Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State and his predecessor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, came to the fore again yesterday at the funeral service for the mother of the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, Madam Maria Taiwo Abati.
At the occasion which held at St. John’s Anglican Church of Egba Diocese, Igbein, Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, the duo tested their political popularity. Governor Amosun, at the church service, openly expressed his disgust at the loud ovation that greeted the mentioning of Daniel’s name as part of the dignitaries at the occasion.
The rivalry played out just as the presiding minister and Bishop of Egba Diocese, Anglican Communion, Rt. Reverend Emmanuel Adekunle, recommended that government as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must carry out a medical test to ascertain the mental status of every political office seekers before their assumption of office.
The rivalry started when Dr. Reuben, the officiating minister, invited Dr. Reuben Abati to give his speech at the funeral service.
In the course of his speech, Abati recognised the dignitaries that graced the occasion which included the former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku; Minister of Information, Labaran Maku; Chief of Staff to President Jonathan, Mike Oghiadomhe; the host governor, Ibikunle Amosun as well as former governor of the state, Daniel.
A deafening applause had greeted the recognition of Daniel by Abati such that he (Abati) had to wait for a while for the applause to subside before he could continue his recognition of dignitaries at the event. But apparently disgusted by the applause that greeted the recognition of Daniel, Amosun, in his remark did not recognise Daniel.
Rather, he drew the attention of Abati to what he described as “politics in the church”, in apparent reference to the action of “supporters” of Daniel.
Amosun wondered why supporters of political office holders could turn the house of God to a campaign ground for support.
The governor however, charged the clergy to always use the advantage of the pulpit to educate politicians to play their political gimmicks outside the church premises, lamenting that such wasn’t the kind of politics which the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, bequeathed on South-West democrats.
“I have listened to the sermon of the presiding Bishop, Emmanuel Adekunle; when I was called here, I saw that our people were clapping, but I didn’t know that Reuben has become a politician because I discovered that there are some politics going on here.
“This is the first place in Nigeria where we have the first church and the first Bible, so we should do everything to keep that proud legacy.
“Churches are not where we turn to campaign ground, this is Ogun State. Popularities are tested not inside the church but on the street, in the market where the masses are. Coming to church where people clap; it is not of Ogun standard; this is Ogun State, we should not do that here. “In the days of the late sage, I know he would not come to the church and ask members of the congregation to start clapping.
Again, Late Papa Awolowo would not come here and inscribe his names all over the church properties”. Earlier in his sermon, the presiding Bishop, Adekunle, had passionately appealed to government and others in position of authority to ensure that political office seekers present their certificate of psychiatric fitness before being allowed to vie for any position.
Apparently referring to the political crisis rocking Rivers State where members of the State House of Assembly reportedly threw caution into the wind and broke the mace, Adekunle urged both INEC as well as already elected politicians to compulsorily make their appointees undergo medical examinations to include psychiatric test before they are allowed to assume office.
“They are not representing us well; and I want to beg those in authority, especially in INEC. If any of them wants to contest any political office, let it be included in the requirement that they must submit their medical reports to ascertain if they are mentally alright to hold such offices.”
In his speech, President Goodluck Jonathan charged mothers across the country to provide good tutelage for their children to ensure orderly and peaceful society.
Jonathan, who was represented at the occasion by his Chief of Staff, Mike Oghiadomhe, lamented that lack of the desired good upbringing on the part of mothers was responsible for all the vices currently being experienced in the country.
The president described the mother of his SA on Media and Publicity, Madam Abati as an epitome of the desired motherhood as evident in Reuben. “The bible says by their fruit we shall know them and Reuben is the fruit of mama. He clearly tells us who mama was, not just what I read in the biography because people can make up stories and put in biography.
“But I just started by giving you my personal experience of the son of mama. Looking at the biography, I saw that she didn’t just produce an intellectual who later turned a journalist, she produced a geologist; produced a chartered accountant; produced civil servants that showed her dedication to family lives and upbringing of children…”
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