The Christian Association of Nigeria has described as embarrassing and unfair the protest against the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, by a group of musicians.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that some protesters, including Idris Abdulkareem and Baba Fryo on Monday, staged a peaceful protest at the RCCG Redemption Camp on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
They called on Adeboye to speak up against what they termed the injustice in the country.
Responding on Wednesday in Jos through its National Director, Legal and Public Affairs, Samuel Kwamkur, CAN advised the protesters to direct their anger to people in power and not the Christian body or its leaders.
The statement reads in part, “The attention of the Christian Association of Nigeria has been drawn to the news of a protest led by some secular musicians against one of our highly respected leaders of the church, not only in Nigeria, but worldwide, the General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, over his purported silence on some unpleasant national issues and the call for his suspension from the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN.
“While we appreciate the concern of the protesters over the issues they raised and the call for a better nation, we strongly believe, as the umbrella body for Christians and churches in Nigeria, to which the Redeemed Christian Church of God and Pastor E. A. Adeboye belong, that to single out one of our leaders and members, to say the least, is unfair. The entire exercise, in our view, was ill-motivated.
“The people who staged this insulting protest against a highly revered servant of God in the person of Pastor Enoch A. Adeboye are totally ignorant of the operations of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN. It needs to be known to all that for more than once, Pastor Adebayo has addressed the press and said that as a ‘man under authority’, he cannot speak over issues that CAN or PFN have spoken about, unless by the express permission of these two bodies.
”They should direct their protest against the people in power to make the nation safer from the attacks of herdsmen, kidnappers, ritual killers, armed robbers, armed bandits and Boko Haram terrorists.
”We have no gun to fight our battles except to speak out as we have been doing and never at the same time give up praying to God who can do all things.”
On his own part, Adeboye stated that silence does not mean that he is unconcerned about national issues.
The clergy made the comment through a statement released by the public relations officer of the church, Olaitan Olubiyi.
The statement read, “The aforementioned Christian bodies had spoken on the issues of kidnapping, killing of Christians, herdsmen attacks and general insecurity in Nigeria and his position and that of the RCCG was not different from their expressed views.
“Adeboye, who said that, to be quiet does not mean that you are silent, disclosed that he had made his views on the issues known to all the relevant authorities. He declared that very soon, Nigerians shall see that God answers prayers. He enjoined all to remain calm and maintain the peace.
“The RCCG leader had always called the congregation to prayers against kidnapping, bloodshed and general insecurity at the monthly all-night Holy Ghost Service held at the Redemption Camp.
“Pastor Adeboye led the congregation in supplication for God’s mercy on Nigeria after speaking on the negative consequences of bloodshed and inhumanity.”
