Was Pastor Bakare Misquoted? – By Clarius Ugwuoha

Posted by admin Articles, Clarius Ugwuoha, Columnists, NNP Columnists Saturday, January 26th, 2013

By Clarius Ugwuoha / NNP / Jan. 26, 2013 / I have read and reread an interview purportedly granted by the revered Pastor Tunde Bakare, former running mate to Gen. Mohammadu Buhari in the Nigerian 2011 general elections and Senior pastor of the Latter Rain Assembly. I do not like to comment on religious personages, but I take this liberty of expose for the glaring inadequacies and a myopic representation I cannot ascribe to someone as immense as Pastor Tunde Bakare.

I am not comfortable with such screaming deadlines like: JONATHAN DARES NOT COME TO MY CHURCH. I have never been known to kowtow to politicians. But this kind of comment, coming from a supposed Man of God (MOG) signposts a kind of vendetta that does not depict the church Pastor Tunde presides over, as the body of Christ. Again, one gets the overwhelming message stridently clear; that this church is a private estate of Pastor Bakare’s and President Jonathan is a persona non grata vis-à-vis the aforesaid prized chattels.

It has become trendy to haul sulphonated lavae at the president of the country, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. I do not subscribe to his political ideology nor am I of the view that he has been foolproof in his handling of critical national issues. There have been, in fact, decisive lapses too innumerable for this space. But we have to recognize one incontrovertible fact. Dr. Goodluck Jonathan could never have been president without God’s anointing. And he who respects his leader respects God! It is biblical.

One other issue in that interview that sickened me was of Pastor Bakare criticizing the President for kneeling before Pastor Enoch Adeboye. I was greatly astonished that Pastor Bakare, who is supposed to know better, could say that. I am very certain he was either misquoted or quoted out of context! What is the height of our perfidy? Indeterminable. President Obama genuflected before King Abdullah Al Saud of Saudi Arabia as a sign of humility. Obama is, in all respects, the de facto world’s number one leader.

He could bow before a mere mortal. President GEJ knelt before pastor Adeboye. If GEJ represented an entire nation, as Pastor Bakare was quoted as saying, it should be understood also that Pastor Adeboye was a representative of the most High God, the Supreme Being who decided the destiny of great nations! It is, therefore, in recognition of that fact, I am certain, that GEJ knelt before the Man of God.

It is, in my view, very encouraging to see men of God embrace politics. For one thing, it would lead to the much desired renaissance in our body polity, if they play their cards well. Again, there would be the much cherished development of the country as resources would be channeled responsibly. But the antecedents of our pastors in politics leave me really sad, with the thought that they better remain in the household of God. Pastor Chris Okotie once came with the revelation that he had been anointed by God to lead Nigeria. His woeful performance at the polls gave the lie to that prediction. With Pastor Bakare thundering and rearing to go, there is little hope for the salvation of Nigerian body polity by the religiouses, if they follow this pattern of imprudence.

Clarius Ugwuoha writes from Egbema.
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