File: Pastor Enoch Adeboye
The Continental Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Continent 3, Pastor Johnson Odesola, has defended comments made by the church’s General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, saying they were misinterpreted and unfairly portrayed as a defence of President Bola Tinubu over the country’s insecurity.
In a statement titled, “Pastor Adeboye Deserves Fair Hearing, Not Unfair Criticism,” Odesola said many critics relied on short social media clips instead of listening to the cleric’s complete remarks delivered at the US-Nigeria Faith Heroes Award Gala in Washington, D.C.
According to him, Adeboye never denied that insecurity had worsened in the country but acknowledged that terrorism, banditry and kidnapping had spread beyond the North into several parts of the South.
Odesola argued that the cleric’s remark that Nigerians should not expect the President to “wear khaki and go and fight” was merely an explanation of the constitutional role of a Commander-in-Chief and not an attempt to excuse government shortcomings.
“He (Adeboye) did not defend failure. He simply reminded Nigerians that political leaders provide direction while military professionals execute operations.
“Far from defending incompetence, Pastor Adeboye challenged those responsible for national security to produce results. Even more significant was his emphasis on confronting those who sponsor terrorism.
“This is perhaps the strongest part of his intervention. Terrorists do not operate in isolation. They require money, weapons, logistics, intelligence and political protection. Every insurgent group survives because powerful individuals somewhere are financing its operations,” Odesola said.
Responding to those who questioned why Adeboye should comment on national security, Odesola said religious leaders had historically provided moral guidance and counsel during national crises, citing several biblical figures who advised rulers and confronted injustice.
He maintained that Adeboye had consistently prayed for the country and offered counsel to successive administrations irrespective of political affiliation.
While acknowledging that Nigerians were free to disagree with the cleric’s views, Odesola urged critics to avoid distorting his comments.
He said the country’s insecurity crisis should not be reduced to partisan politics but should inspire collective responsibility from the government, security agencies, the judiciary, traditional rulers, religious leaders and citizens.
Odesola added that rather than condemning Adeboye, Nigerians should focus on what he described as the central message of the cleric’s intervention, namely, the need for decisive leadership, accountability, national unity and sustained efforts to defeat terrorism and those financing it.
