Independent reports that the popular preacher shared his thoughts on Nigeria's issues at the 19th Mike Okonkwo annual lecture, with the theme, 'Nigeria's Unity, Matters Arising.' The event which held in Lagos recently was done to commemorate his 73rd birthday.

Contrary to the popular belief that religion or ethnicity is the root of the problem in this country, the TREM bishop noted that politics is actually the issue here.

According to him, "The country is not getting better and it has nothing to do with religion or ethnicity. Whatever is not right can never be right. Wrong is wrong, injustice is injustice, it does not matter who is perpetrating it. But what we do here in Nigeria is once the perpetrator is from our tribe we cover up whatever crime they might have committed.

"Yes, we must come from a particular ethnicity or tribe but when it comes to national issues, we must not allow ethnicity; religion and party affiliation come to play. If somebody is going to be the president of the county, he must be ready to be the president of everyone. We must understand this or else we will be dancing to the music of the politicians. I have decided that no one is going to push me around. I will interrogate and make my decision based on the truth and not where I come from. Our problem is not tribe or religion."

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In an attempt to prove his point, Bishop Okonkwo made reference to the way things used to be.

He said, "There is a fundamental problem in this country. When an Igbo man is affected other people will keep quiet. That was not how we started to live. In the past, you can live anywhere in the country. I went to school in Offa, Saint Mark Primary school, in Offa. I do not mean the Offa of today that is more developed. I also attended Mayflower in Ikenna. My friend Dr. Wilson Badejo, the former General Overseer of Foursquare Gospel Church, is from Ijebu, he schooled in Onitsha, and he can speak Igbo very well. This was how we use to live in Nigeria in the past."

Fast Facts on Bishop Okonkwo

This preacher is the Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM).

He became the TREM Bishop on May 7, 1988. Apart from this ministry, Okonkwo is a member of the founding fathers of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), the 1st National Secretary General and former President of PFN. He is the convener of the Communion of Covenant Ministers International (CCMI), past National Vice President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

Bishop Okonkwo is also an author. He is married to Dr. Peace Okonkwo and their union is blessed with a daughter named Uche.