Our attention has
been drawn to Pastor Tunde Bakare's comments over the weekend on the
person of President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, First Lady, Dame
Patience Jonathan. Sadly, his comments were replete with ad hominem
attacks and insults against the first family. Christian Awareness
Initiative of Nigeria (CHAIN) is glad that the first family have chosen
not to respond to Pastor Bakare in kind but to be guided by the
principles taught by Christ which center on tolerance in the face of
provocation.
Christian Awareness Initiative of
Nigeria, however wishes to make known that while we respect Pastor Tunde
Bakare, we do not wannt the impression created that he s soeaking for
the body of Christ in Nogeria. We are immensely grateful to Pastor Tunde
Bakare that he conceded in his sermon that the "God factor" made
President Jonathan President. Seeing as he admits this, we would like to
commend Numbers 23:8 to Pastor Bakare which says as follows "How can I
curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the
LORD has not denounced?".
We are also appreciative of
the fact that Pastor Tunde Bakare said any agenda to "balkanize the
nation would fail". It is curious however that Pastor Tunde Bakare never
thought it wise to make such a comment in all the multiple times that
Boko Haram threatened the unity of Nigeria but rather chose to make this
prayer in respect of the so called 'Ogoni Declaration of Self
Governance' which Mr. President condemns and which the governor of
Rivers state, Rotimi Amaechi, has rightly described as treasonable. Are
we to take it that Pastor Tunde Bakare is not as concerned with the
activities of Boko Haram
Reading Pastor Bakare's
comments where he said "Now, it is the turn of Otuoke people, and they
are declaring autonomy", we feel it might be pertinent for him to study
the map of Nigeria or take a crash course in elementary Nigerian
geography because Otuoke is not in Ogoni Land. Otuoke is in Bayelsa
state while Ogoni land is in Rivers State. Not to hold a brief for the
President, we however do not want to people of Otuoke to think that we
support this hasty generalization. Perhaps after soberly considering the
statements he made, which libeled a whole community, Pastor Tunde
Bakare may think it wise to apologize to the people of Otuoke for
maligning them unjustly.
Finally, we appeal to
President Jonathan to be open to constructive criticism and take time to
consider and learn from constructive criticism especially coming from a
man of God, however, based on our reading of the Holy Bible, Christian
Awareness Initiative of Nigeria does expect that such criticism should
be truthful and calculated to help the target grow. Certainly, our
reading of the scriptures does not prepare us for intemperate language
from a man of God. We wish to say to Pastor Tunde Bakare what the bible
says in 2 Timothy 2:24 which is that "And the Lord's servant must not
quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not
resentful."
We note the language that Pastor Bakare
chose to use against the President, but as the President is also a
Christian well acquainted with the message of self control taught by the
Lord Jesus Christ, we urge him to pray for Pastor Tunde Bakare that God
in His infinite wisdom would continue to bless him and his and increase
him in the knowledge of God.
Pastor Caleb Ma'aji
Christian Awareness Initiative of Nigeria (CHAIN)
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