As the controversy sorrounding the $9.3 million seized by the South African government rages, a Benin-based legal practitioner, Ifeka Ukadike, has counselled the National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, to carry his cross instead of playing up sentiments. This is as the Imo State chapter of the association has passed a vote of absolute confidence on the embattled CAN leader.
In a chat with newsmen, Ukadike said: “My worry is that Pastor Oritsejafor is making a vain effort to drag the church into a purely personal matter involving him. It is most surprising that as a businessman, he is involved in the leasing of his private jet for such a venture. Before this deal was blown open, he never told Nigerians or the Christians what he does with the jet.”
“So, why all of a sudden is he talking about some people trying to crucify him because of his Christian belief? The situation we find ourselves right now in the country has nothing to do with any religion – Christian, Muslim or animism. I am talking about the Boko Haram that have been killing people, irrespective of their religious leanings. What is required is a concerted effort to fight them back.”
“It is not a one-man show, whereby because you are the leader of the CAN, you want to further heat up the polity. You want to further create animosity between the Christians and the Moslems. He should be able to defend himself as a businessman. He should be able to draw the line between his business orientation and his leadership of CAN. They are two different things.”
“The accusation against him is in his capacity as a businessman and not as the CAN president. When he was voted into office as CAN president, I was worried that a Pentecostal was becoming the president of CAN. We know that 90 per cent of Pentecostal church leaders are businessmen. They collect money from the congregation and they invest it for their selfish ends. Before now, the leaders of the conventional churches have led the CAN and we never heard of such scandals.”
Author: Chief Editor
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