What Bishop Oyedepo said

SIR: It was with utter shame and disappointment that I read the comments reportedly made by Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith Church and some other Methodist Bishops on the issue of Ibrahim Babangida in a story titled “Ghost of June must haunt Babangida, says Oyedepo” (The Guardian, Tuesday, May 4, page 3). Bishop Oyedepo by his remarks, has simply portrayed himself as a dictator who would not tolerate any contrary view or opinions in his church. How can he then be talking about democracy when he told his congregation that his views were orders that must be obeyed and not suggestions.

As a man of God, one would have expected him to realise that God in his mightiness does not force human beings, being mortals to obey him. The impact of his remarks exposed the manner in which most Men of God and religious leaders run their institutions as personal enterprise. Even though I am not here to hold brief for Babangida neither am I a politician, I strongly feel that individuals and indeed Nigerians should make critical decisions through the ballot box and not by religious or ethnic views. I can only compare the actions of these religious leaders as that of the pot calling kettle black.

I never saw any of the religious leaders mobilising their members against Obasanjo’s bid for third term -so where were they? What is now their moral justification for singing out Babangida for cruxifixion? Is one sin greater than the other? I think the time has come, when the Men of God should do more to turn Nigeria to a Godly country instead of the religious country that Nigeria is currently. They should mind Spiritual things and leave politics to politicians. They should learn from the wise saying of Jesus Christ when He said “give unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar and unto God, what belongs to Him.” Bishop Oyedepo’s so-called orders to his members is therefore in bad faith and purely undemocratic.