BEFORE THEIR ANTI-HATE SPEECH BILL

AND HE FAILED ME AGAIN!

2003 General election was one of the most violent in the history of Nigeria. Olusegun Obasanjo (OBJ) openly asked PDP goons to consider the election a do-or-die affairs, States like Kano and Lagos were able to resist the Abel Guobadia’s enabled rigging environment while the bulk of the states in the southern part of the country moved under PDP’s Umbrella. Lives and properties were lost for Obasanjo and his crew to get their mandates. By the end of these atrocities, OBJ and his clique looked for someone to come and give some legitimacy to their blood spillage; Pastor Enoch Adeboye did the job by praying for Obasanjo during the inauguration- He called OBJ the Prophet Elisha of Nigeria whom God has specially ordained. I was raised a Catholic and have a brother that is a clergy, my understanding of a man of God prior to that day was that you must understand when Politicians are trying to launder their battered image by taking advantage of your legitimate influence. To understand what Obasanjo was doing, one have to study Julius Caesar’s visit to Rome’s Temple after crossing the Rubicon- legend has it that Caesar bribed the Priests to get a fair hearing days earlier, white doves were smuggled into the foyer and released as a sign that the gods support his crime of leading Roman Soldiers into the City. With scared Roman citizens watching, Caesar got a perfect P.R stunt while the crowd were made to believe their Gods were on Caesar’s side. Obasanjo knew what he’s doing and Papa G.O as Adeboye is fondly called should have seek the inspiration of the only person higher than him, ‘’Papa G.O.D’’- before honouring that invitation. Obasanjo enjoyed the support of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), in fact he was endorsed by the then President, Mike Okonkwo. Meaning the violence and rigging was endorsed by the highest Christian Bodies in Nigeria. I picked this event up and argued for hours with friends that Adeboye should have turn down the invite; some told me that probably Adeboye didn’t know that the election was rigged; some claim he wasn’t aware of the violent in the Northern Part of the country that reshaped the demography in cities like Kaduna and Kano; some claimed Adeboye as a man of God must not take side in Political issues and must play a fatherly figure; some told me that Adeboye is too holy for a sinful guy like me to Judge; some claimed I was doing this because I am a catholic (I was still a wonderful church-goer back then). I realized that by my upbringing; I was in minority and there was no need bickering over something that is considered normal in our society.

Pastor Adeboye made two moves in the last twelve months that drove me towards writing this piece; his stage-managed resignation and the visit to President Buhari in London last week. On both occasions he stood on the side of the oppressors against the common man including those that attend his church. His resignation was a farce, planned to apply pressure on the Federal Government. Some days after the announcement, Papa G.O addressed his Church members again and asked them to go and get their Permanent Voters Card (PVC). Now, the Governing APC understood what Adeboye was saying better than the church members because a problem with the Redeem Church couple with their poor performance while in office will cost them their stronghold in the Southwest. Buhari and APC made their moves by sacking Jim Obazee for applying a government regulation- a very important legislation that I am sure most Nigerians are yet to go through it. The Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN) and the National assembly were trying to introduced Corporate Governance into our religion establishments just like Emir Lamido Sanusi did during his first years as CBN Governor; three bank MD’s had done over 10years as head of their respective banks and this was not consistent with global standards-. Sanusi asked them to go despite the fact that some of them were the highest shareholders in their respective Banks. The role of the legislation that Mr. Obazee was trying to enforce was in the area of insecurity as the law applied to Islamic foundations and groups as well- in fact, national security influenced that piece of legislation more than Religion. Saudi Arabia/Sunni Wahhabism (The Grandfather of Boko Haram & Al-Qaeda), were our main targets when the Bill was passed by the 7th Assembly. So, in a way to satisfy Pastor Adeboye, Federal Government sabotage our war on terrorism and a government official lost his job. During this controversy, the likes of Femi Fani Kayode and a host of other fifth columnist framed the issue as a war on Christians, which wasn’t the case here. PMB & APC bowed to pressure from Adeboye and his acolytes. By sacking Jim Obazee, Pastor Adeboye got ‘’His Church’’ back, something Bank owners like Tony Elumelu, Jim Ovia & Akinfemiwa couldn’t achieved since Bank Customers are not loyal like Christian Followers. Our Church Owners had ‘’their Properties’’ incorporated under the Company & Allied Law Matters Act, but didn’t want these entities to come under the rules and regulation of the FRCN. So, different rules for churches and normal citizens- just like different quality of lifestyle between our Collective Elites (Politicians & Religious figures) and their followers.

Last week was pay-back time; Pastor Adeboye went to London to see President Buhari and give legitimacy to his continued absent from home and persecution of those protesting that he should return home or resign. Don’t get me wrong; that the President is sick, is not his fault; but a President that feels his countrymen don’t deserve to know what is wrong with him, shouldn’t be visited by a decent man, talk of Nigeria’s finest Minister. Pastor Adeboye cannot tell me that he’s not aware of the treatment that Nigerian Police & rented hoodlums gave to those that were protesting against President Buhari’s continue stay in London before embarking on his visit to London; he cannot tell me that he didn’t notice the violent that spread across the country and the bloodbath that got Obasanjo reelected in 2003- including his Church members that were displaced from states across the North; He cannot tell me that he’s not aware of the systematic attempt to clampdown on freedom of speech by President Buhari and his team in the guise of ‘’Anti-Hate Speech Bill’’; he cannot tell me that he’s not aware that President Buhari failed to comment when RCCG member & wife of a Pastor, Mrs. Eunice Elisha was murdered in cold blood by Muslim Youths in Kubwa, Abuja for preaching in public.

Truth is, Adeboye and PMB probably don’t understand how modern society works. Adeboye complains on how morally loose we are becoming; but, seeing him with elements like OBJ & PMB is the reason why a lot of youths are running away from the Gospel- the only thing saving religion in Nigeria today is poverty and absent of quality education. PMB is complaining about our online speeches, but forgets this is not 1985- the world has move forward, he can send DSS to arrest my in Calabar, but he cannot stop the Nigerian kid residing in London and New York. Religion and Society thrives when there is consistency on the side of leaders, Adeboye cannot asked my generation to lead a holy live when he’s frolicking with our Oppressors. Clergies in America will not stay mum if Trump asked Police to beat Anti-White Supremacy Protesters neither would they visit a sick America President that is not ready to have a honest conversation with citizens about his health challenges. Clergies in South America supported the leftist movement during cold war even if Rome chose to side with the oppressors as usual.

Just like Martin Luther King Jr, our religious leaders must be told that their position on social issues and their ability to consistently apply their influence when injustice comes up will determine how their message is received by a group of youths that are learning best practices from other climes. Julius Caesar got a ‘’favourable show’’ from the Priests when he visited the temple just like Pastor Enoch Adeboye called Olusegun Obasanjo Nigeria’s Elisha in 2003; but, just like Rome’s Priests couldn’t save Caesar during ‘’Ides of March’’ when Brutus and his gang struck- so too the Prayers of Adeboye and co could not stopped Obasanjo from seeking a third term in power. Obasanjo was stopped by our ‘’Sinful Senators’’. Our religious leaders must be careful when hanging around Politicians- because, their fates might not be different the day the plebs decide to go after our ruling dubious elites. We are living in those days already, only those that don’t keep track of events still take them serious, the revolt against the upper class will only start the day we are ready to turn our back on religious leaders that have allowed Politicians to launder their battered profile in their Temples- I doubt if we can achieve this before Adeboye and PMB gag us!

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