The Apostolic Round Table (ART) 2025 conference was recently concluded in Lagos with sober and patriotic reflections by a team of seasoned discussants on the state of the Nigerian nation that bordered on her unity amid her ethnic diversities.

Dr. Bolaji Akinyemi, the convener of the one-day summit on Steward of Nations, in his speech x-rayed the Nigerian polity and politics with the sharp lenses of historical assessment of the Nigerian politics and the power play among the nation’s political elites, and summarily submitted that Nigerians are snared in the games of throne.

His words: “We are snared in the game of thrones and not its purpose. The capture of all leading political parties by the government of the days left us with no option, than to activate a platform to discuss: The Nigeria Journey. A clear roadmap beyond politics is needed to achieve this’ Akinyemi submitted.

Below are the excerpts from Dr. Akinyemi’s submissions in his address at the conference that attracted a large number of participants across the nation.

The Journey So Far!

I am delighted by the grace of God as the Convener of the Apostolic Round Table, otherwise, known as ART to welcome you to the Apostolic Round Table 2025, today, Thursday, the 23rd of January 2025.

Many thanks to our Host, Rev Dr. David Esosa Ize-Iyamu; a man whose labour to see a greater country led him to offer himself as a servant leader for the office of the President in the 2019 election on the platform of Better Nigeria Progressive Party, BNPP. Many thanks to the members of Jesus Evangelical Assembly

ART 2025 is Tagged: Stewards of Nation, Season 2; One Nigeria.

To all Speakers, Panelists and Participants, we are here to present the reality of our political transactions, which are mere symptoms of our existential malady! Our confrontation is the structure of our federation. Electing Saints or Sinners changes nothing! It is a trap of failure. We have hopped alternatively on two legs of political party formation and movement activation to get rid of parties or persons in power.

Restructuring this federation after the pattern and dream of our founding fathers enacted in 1963 is the ONLY WAY FORWARD! Our lesson, though not learnt. The nature of our political parties which are lacking in ideology hasn’t and can NEVER bring us to the One Nigeria that we all desire. This is coupled with the greedy nature of our elite political class, who without regard for ethics, law or humanity will do anything to get into power and remain there.

We are snared in the game of thrones and not its purpose, which King David established as: The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. (2 Samuel 23:3 KJV)

How just and God fearing are our leaders?

Please, not that there was no Christianity or Islam at the time of this writing. Interestingly, both foreign religions of Christianity and Islam alluded to the history of the King, I referenced; one as David, the other as Dawud (translated Dauda in my mother tongue); both speaking of the ideology of good governance.

Why then is it almost practically impossible to get the Davids and the Daudas in Nigeria to work together on a platform of nation building on the philosophy of the King, both religions accepted as a model for good governance?

Politics!

The biggest movement in our political history was pushed by the Obidients, embraced across tribes and tongues. It broke the boundary of religion, though, inherent in Movements are lack of political structure to win election, and from government. Movements are further known for Agenda pushing.  So, when a convenient time was found, the Obidient movement was labeled for bigotry of tribe and religion.

The success and snare of the Obidient movement must not be lost on us.

A. A Successful movement can only be built outside of the political party structure.

B. Such movement shouldn’t be personalized to avoid being tribalised and clothed in the garb of religion.

C. While it must be built huge on the social media, its existence on ground in all communities must be visible and must be tangibly felt by citizens.

An ideological Movement built for Nation Building to which candidate can present themselves, and the best of them hired and sold is the panacea to our leadership failure. This we must build between now and end of 2026. While our eyes must remain on the ball of the game; RESTRUCTURING!

Way back 2015, change Agents of the change movement activated a political alliance that birthed the political party called APC. We got a change of party and persons in power but how much of change has your life and Nigeria witnessed since 2015?

The Obidients Agenda push, was massive but the Labour Party platform was alien to the ideology of the movement and so Labour Party, the midwife that was meant to take delivery of our collective dream, ‘still birthed’ the desire of the movement.

Either now or in the future, both approaches are rigmarole of our familiar terrain, they will lead nowhere!

What is the impact of those who got to the National Assembly through the push of the Obidients movement viz a viz the Labour Party?  Has the recklessness of the legislative Arm of Government abated?

Rather, what we have witnessed is a rise of it.

A concerned Senator said to another, the budget wasn’t drafted by the President, civil servants did, but it’s unfortunate that it’s the responsibility of the President to assume responsibility and present the budget.

Given the drama emanating from NASS, can we deny the padded possibility of the appropriation Bill 2025 currently being debated for approval on the floor of the National Assembly?

Am I denying the revolution now, movement?

Not at all! The business nature of activism for profit is the greatest frustration to the true Aluta spirit that is needed to drive the revolution movement. Ask those who had invested their youthful energy in protests for a better government in the last 3 decades. At every twist and turn, they had been hijacked, used and dumped.

The capture of all leading political parties by the government of the days left us with no option, than to activate a platform to discuss; The Nigeria Journey.

Where are we coming from?

Where are we? Where should we be going?

A clear roadmap beyond politics is needed to achieve this. That, more than anything else, is our aim at the Apostolic Round Table: One United Nigeria. We are here to talk. Please, feel free to, as the saying goes: to jaw -jaw is better than to war-war. Thanks for your time.