*Timidity Is Not Humility”
I write this article knowing very well that many people would disagree with my opinion over this subject matter. I also know that some would certainly frown at my “audacity” to speak against some supposed “superhumans and superior beings” or global denominations like RCCG. However, I strongly believe that I’m entitled to my opinion irrespective of who or organisation that is involved.
As the debate over the announcement of some administrative changes within the RCCG last week continues, I would like add my voice to the ragging discourse.
So, let me start by saying, with all due respect, that had the well revered and highly respected, Pastor E. A. Adeboye given as his reason for relinquishing his role and position as the Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, in Nigeria on the ground of age, health – (God forbid), the need to give others the opportunity to serve or, on the ground that that is what God is leading him to do, I won’t have any problems with that. But for him to have stepped down based on an evil law, cooked up by the enemies of God and His church in Nigeria, from an assignment handed over to him by the Almighty God, through His servant, Pa Akindayomi, is to say the least, disappointing.
The truth is that it is not every bill passed into law that Christians should obey. I am of the opinion that some laws should be contested and not obeyed, especially when such laws infringes on ones faith like this very one that seek to dictate to the body of Christ on how leadership succession should be carried out.
Now, let me ask, can those behind this law tell a sitting Sultan of Sokoto to step down from being the permanent head of the Muslims in Nigeria? Or tell the Oba of Benin to seize from being the spiritual leader of the Benin people?
These exalted offices like the one occupied by Pastor Adeboye are spiritual and should be governed by theocracy, and not by laws enacted deliberately by the enemies of the Church, to undermine what God is doing in the body of Christ in this nation.
The irony of all this is that I can’t understand how a highly experienced and educated man like Pastor Adeboye could fall for this kind of blackmail. What was he trying to prove? As a matter of fact, I wrote in my book, Be Fruitful, published in 2008 that, “timidity is not humility”. And I want to add here that most of the things we refer to as diplomacy are nothing but compromise, and that an one off act of civility does not mean a person is civilised.
It was in this same country that MuslimSenators blackmailed the Nigerian Senate to pass into law a bill that supports child marriage, on the ground that the Quoran, and by extension their religion supports child marriage. Just last week, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, raised an objection against the proposed bill that seek to give women a right of inheritance to their parents wealth, he said the proposed law is not acceptable to Muslims because it is against the tenets of Islam.
And the next person to lend his support to the Sultan is the Otaru of Auchi. In fact, this paramount ruler said that he would lead a spiritual Jihad against the Senate if they try to pass that bill into law. The question is, when will our so called Christian and church leaders begin to rise up and begin to speak against laws and injustices meted against the Church of God and Christians in Nigeria?
The implications of what Pastor Adeboye did in accepting and stepping down based on this anti Church law is that, had there been no outcry against this evil law, it would have prevailed, and many other church leaders who have led their denominations for more than twenty years would have been forced to step down also.
And this would have adversely affected the church of God in Nigeria in no small measures, to the joy, admiration and applauds of the enemies of God. This would have been a repeat of the case of Apostle James who was killed, and when King Herod saw that it pleased the people arrested Apostle Peter also, intending to kill him later Acts 12:1-5.
I am a civilised law abiding citizen of this country, I believe in the rule of law and obedience to constituted authority. I also believe in praying for the nation and those that govern it, but I wouldn’t submit to or obey laws targeted at the Christian faith which it’s purpose by those who enacted them is to stifle the Church.
It’s high time that Christian leaders begin to stand up for Jesus, in all ramifications. And I must say that only few people are better placed to stand up for God and speak for His Church in Nigeria than Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, at least in the estimation of the natural man.
Another question I would like to ask is, now that this law have been suspended indefinitely, will Pastor Adeboye rescind his earlier decision, hence it was taken in compliance to this law?
I pray that those who seek to deny the Church of God in Nigeria the services of our very senior ministers of God in their rightly and God ordained capacities will never succeed.
Today they dictated to the church how many years a leader would serve and retire. The Law also said that family members cannot succeed their family members, irrespective whether they are qualified for such positions or not.
This is all because they applied the same to banks, taking away ownership of these banking institutions from the original owners who laboured and toiled from the cradle, day and night to nurture those banks, even when there is no proof that any of those banks could not honour their financial obligations to their customers. Now, their next target is the Church, and if allowed, one day they would be the ones to decide whom to choose and send to succeed any Minister whom they feel his time and tenure is up, and they will ultimately replace such persons with their own candidate.
Anyone who thinks that what I have written is irrelevant or uncalled for should read the book titled, FAITH, DESPITE KGB. The book ex-rayed the damage that government interference and meddling with the church did to the body of Christ in the then USSR. If not checked this subtle move by whoever is behind it, whether Christian or Muslim can do even worse things to the church in this nation, called Nigeria. I have read that book twice and in each occasion there is a portion of it I shed tears, literally each in those occasion. May God never allow that to happen in my own nation.
I just read Rev. Musa Asake, CAN Secretary General’s statement where he said that he had spoken to this Mr. Obaze, the sacked D.G. of FRC on this FRC code or law severally but he had remained adamant. But is CAN supposed to be begging him over this issue or take the government to court over the bill.
In this kind of senario, the Christian body ought to challenge cases like this up to the supreme Court if need be. I keep wondering why CAN did not bring this law to the court of public opinion all this while, hence they have been aware of it all this while. They waited until this damage was done before the general public became aware of it.
However, I want to give thanks to God, because what the enemies meant for evil in the stepping down of Daddy GO, Pastor Adeboye have turned to our good. Praise be God, hallelujah, amen.
Raph McJulius Enechi is a Prophet, Poet, Author and The Senior Pastor of THE BALANCED CHURCH, Lagos, Nigeria. He can be reached on Email : [email protected] Or 07089911773.
