“I don’t want to talk to Adeboye; a pastor must rebuke a bad government” — Odumeje

Popular Nigerian cleric Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere, known as Odumeje, has publicly disagreed with Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). Adeboye had stated that President Bola Tinubu was "doing his best" to address Nigeria's security challenges.

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I don’t want to talk to Adeboye; I don’t want to talk to that man. Do you know what they call a pastor? Go to the Bible, a pastor must rebuke a bad government. They shouldn’t look to benefit from it.

Odumeje, founder of the Mountain of Holy Ghost Intervention and Deliverance Ministry, presented a contrasting view on the role of religious leaders. During a recent sermon, he asserted that pastors are biblically obligated to rebuke ineffective governments rather than seek favor from those in power. He specifically mentioned Adeboye, emphasizing that religious leaders should speak truth to power.

"A pastor must rebuke a bad government. They shouldn’t look to benefit from it," Odumeje declared. He stressed that elected officials are representatives accountable to the people, not the other way around. "It is for me to tell people the truth of what is happening, not for you. You don’t know me from anywhere. Any time you try to fight for the truth, or speak against the evil government of Nigeria, they will pursue you."

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It is for me to tell people the truth of what is happening, not for you. You don’t know me from anywhere. Any time you try to fight for the truth, or speak against the evil government of Nigeria, they will pursue you.

The Anambra-born cleric also cautioned Nigerians against praising government officials, reminding them that resources managed by politicians belong to the citizens. He argued that many Nigerians are unaware of their rights and celebrate basic infrastructure like roads, which he noted are funded by public money, not the personal wealth of officials.

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People are managing our resources and lavishing our resources, and we are praising them for managing resources that we sent them to look after for us. Governors, senators, presidents, or whatever you want to call them, they are there as your representatives. They are not there for you to serve them. They are there to serve every citizen of Nigeria, and they owe you accountability for the job you sent them to do, to serve you as a governor, a senator, or a president.

Odumeje insisted that silence on critical national issues is unacceptable, stating that politicians often fail to grasp the meaning of national development. "There has never been anything the government has done for this country. There is no development. Nothing is happening," he asserted, urging all Nigerians to remain vocal.

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I have always said this: let us not forget that there has never been anything the government has done for this country. There is no development. Nothing is happening.