The Lead Pastor at The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Living Seed, The Bridge, Ikeja, Lagos, Leke Adeboye, has advised the Nigerian government to focus on grassroots needs and prioritise citizen engagement.

Speaking in an interview with The PUNCH on Sunday during a crusade titled ‘Jesus in the Park,’ held at the Ikeja City Mall, Adeboye explained that political officeholders needed to maintain their engagements with the grassroots, just as they did while seeking political offices.

“The situation we are in today didn’t start recently; we are suffering the after effects of bad governance and poor judgment. It will take the help of prayer and the support of everyone to improve things. When politicians want to get elected, they go everywhere, hold town hall meetings, and campaign vigorously.

“Once they are in power, they should return to those people, continue holding town hall meetings, and stay engaged. You can’t feel the pulse of the people if you don’t check

“My advice to the government is to revisit and address past issues and communicate with citizens about their actions. This way, people will understand why things are the way they are, how long it might take to see changes, and how to be patient. The same energy used during campaigning should be applied when in office. Politicians should come to the grassroots, local governments,” the cleric said.

While speaking on the idea behind “Jesus in the Park,’ he said, “The goal is to move the church community outside its four walls and preach the gospel to the world. The best places to reach people on a Sunday are supermarkets, malls, and shopping centres.

“Every single time, Jesus would share His message, heal the people, and feed them. So, we decided to share a message with the people, pray with them, and provide free medical checkups for everything from eyes and mouths to eyeglasses. We will also feed them at the end.