By Godwin-Maria Utuedoye
Rt. Hon. Rev. Francis Ejiroghene Waive is the current member representing Ughelli North, Ughelli South, and Udu Federal Constituency at the National Assembly of Nigeria.
He is currently serving his second term tenure and is still aspiring for a third term tenure of four years each. If he wins, it means he will spend twelve years leaving his original vocation as a clergy.
Constituents and his followers seem bothered and asking why the sudden neglect and abandonment of God’s altar and the televangelist ministry through which he has once claimed to be a medium of winning souls to God? Could it be that politics and its many lies, deceits, corruption, and betrayal are now better than he is still jostling for a third tenure?
Rev. Waive needs to understand that his true calling lies in the pulpit, not in the green chamber of the national assembly.
With his feminine-like voice, Rev. Francis Ejiroghene Wiave became popular through his Radio program on Voice of Delta FM station, and maybe once every Saturday. According to him, he was called to join politics to change the narrative of poor representation by subsequent representatives, and so, his venture into politics was gladly welcomed and accepted by all, as against the choice of Hon. Solomon Awhinawhin of the then PDP and others. So far, his representation according to his constituents has some flaws but not without some positive results.
He has been accused of being so stingy, poor in empowerment initiatives to constituents, and making many unfulfilled campaign promises. He was described as a son of God who had abandoned his God for politics. This assertion is considered true because in Nigeria, you hardly see a politician who is not corrupt, and there is no way the Rt. Rev. Francis Ejiroghene Waive would convince anyone that he has not received a bribe or been influenced since his first term as a representative in the national assembly.
Constituents have also condemned his empowerment if constituents describe him as a man who wants everything for himself but thinks less of the people.
However, aside his poor empowerment performances, he has been praised for his outspoken and vibrancy in moving and contributing to some notable bills and motion of interest to his constituency among which is the bill to establish the Federal Medical Centre Ovwian which he initiated and had also being assented to by the president and also a bill for for the establishment of school of midwifery at Otu-Jeremi.
Though with the juiciness in politics coupled with the influence and the money involved, it is always difficult for Nigerian politicians to let go of power once they hold unto it, but one could have thought that as someone who claimed to have come from the pulpit, Rev. Waive would have had enough conscience to say, let me step aside now that the ovation is loudest. That aside, he would have remembered the flocks Christ has entrusted into his care. How long will Rev. Waive abandon a calling he claimed has come from God for politics? Is he telling us that he was not originally called by God?
Often, we criticized politicians who held on to power without relinquishing, but it is surprising now to see a General Overseer and Founder of a ministry holding on to power. As 2027 approaches, the constituents of Ughelli North, Ughelli South, and Udu Federal Constituency need to reflect on whether they want a leader who is focused on serving the people or someone more interested in holding on to power for personal gain. It is time for Rev. Waive to prioritize his spiritual calling and return to the pulpit where he can truly make a positive impact on people’s lives. It is not too late for Rt. Hon. Rev. Francis Ejiroghene Waive, to reconsider his priorities and make the decision to step aside from politics in 2027. The pulpit, not the green chambers, needs him more than ever. His early romance with the Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori even before the defection of the Governor to the APC is an indication of a man of God who have tasted power with all the juicy affluence involved and never wants to go back to the altar of God, where maybe, he has regarded as a ‘poor altar’.
First was a gift of a Prado Jeep from the governor to a man who had several cars as a member of the House of Representatives, this was followed by the endorsement of the governor. Yes, he had the right to endorse whoever he wished, but staying too long in a position shouldn’t be the attitude of a man who claimed to be winning souls for Christ. He cannot do the work of God in the green chamber, and he has not done anything for God since his first day in that house. Waive should leave the stage now that the ovation is loudest and give a chance to others to represent.
