From Isaac Ojo
The Spiritual Head of Soul Revival Outreach, Nnewi, in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Prophet Ikechukwu Uzukwu, has criticized the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, over what he described as the cleric's defence of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Reacting to Pastor Adeboye's remarks in Washington, D.C., where the RCCG leader reportedly said President Tinubu was doing his best to address Nigeria's challenges, Prophet Uzukwu described the comments as an attempt to launder the image of the current administration before the international community.
The cleric said he was surprised that Pastor Adeboye chose to defend the government instead of speaking about the Christian faith during his appearance abroad.
According to Prophet Uzukwu, "It would have been better for the General Overseer of RCCG to keep quiet if he was not courageous enough to tell the world the true situation of things in Nigeria, where everything has totally collapsed."
He also faulted Pastor Adeboye's reported statement that President Tinubu was doing his best to tackle insecurity and did not need to wear military uniform to fight insecurity.
"President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and, as such, he is responsible for both the successes and failures of the country," Uzukwu said.
He further argued that if Pastor Adeboye or any of his close relatives had personally experienced kidnapping, he might have taken a different position on the country's security situation.
Prophet Uzukwu also accused Pastor Adeboye of being among religious leaders who, in his view, contributed to Nigeria's current challenges. He recalled that the RCCG General Overseer participated in protests against fuel price increases and insecurity during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
According to him, "Nigeria under the APC government has failed in all ramifications. The pump price of fuel has risen from about ₦160 to over ₦1,000 per litre, the naira has depreciated significantly against the dollar, and insecurity has worsened. Yet, the so-called man of God is justifying it. Pastor Adeboye's outing in Washington, D.C., is a disgrace to Christianity."
Prophet Uzukwu further alleged that Pastor Adeboye was benefiting financially from the Tinubu administration, an allegation for which he provided no evidence.
He also alleged, without providing evidence, that Nigeria's First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, pays her tithes and offerings in U.S. dollars to RCCG, claiming this explained Pastor Adeboye's defence of the administration.
The prophet further criticized Pastor Adeboye's leadership of RCCG, alleging discrimination against non-Yoruba pastors in the assignment of church parishes.
He claimed that many non-Yoruba pastors were overlooked while Yoruba pastors were allegedly given more lucrative parishes, despite what he described as the large number of Igbo members within RCCG in Nigeria and abroad.
Prophet Uzukwu also referred to an alleged agreement within RCCG that the General Overseer would retire at the age of 70, claiming that Pastor Adeboye declined to step down after reaching that age because, according to him, "God has not instructed him to retire."
Questioning what he described as inconsistencies in the church leader's actions, Uzukwu said, "He and others have reduced Christianity, the best religion in the world, to a business."
He also criticized leaders of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), claiming they had become "Politicians' Friends of Nigeria" instead of serving as independent spiritual voices.
Prophet Uzukwu concluded by saying Nigeria would begin to improve when religious leaders stopped, in his words, "calling black white and white black for filthy lucre."
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