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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Culture & Society

Pastor Adeboye not expected to lead protests, says film producer Bamiloye

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Gospel film producer Mike Bamiloye defended Pastor Enoch Adeboye's remarks on national security, stating it's unreasonable to expect an 84-year-old to lead protests.
  • Bamiloye clarified Adeboye's 2020 march was a coordinated church response, not a personal political act, and emphasized the church's role in praying for the nation.
  • The Redeemed Christian Church of God also clarified that a viral photo of Adeboye holding a placard was from a 2020 prayer walk, not a political demonstration.

Gospel film producer Mike Bamiloye has defended the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, against criticism regarding his stance on Nigeria's security challenges. Adeboye had urged the government to eliminate terrorism within 90 days or resign, sparking debate.

And for all those who are expecting an 84-year-old man, servant of God, to lead a protest against a government, this does not make sense by virtue of his age and by the mandate of his calling.

— Mike BamiloyeEvangelist Mike Bamiloye explained why it is unreasonable to expect Pastor Enoch Adeboye to lead protests.

Bamiloye slammed bloggers and critics for misrepresenting Adeboye's position, asserting that the cleric has consistently spoken against societal ills. He dismissed the expectation that an 84-year-old minister should lead street demonstrations, calling it nonsensical given his age and calling.

Addressing comparisons to a 2020 march by Adeboye, Bamiloye explained it was an institutional response, not a personal political stunt. He stated it followed instructions from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) for churches to protest insecurity, which Adeboye complied with by leading his denomination.

And for all those who said he led a protest… it was the instruction of the CAN and PFN for every church to stage a protest against insecurity of the nation and he complied and led his denomination too, just as some other churches did.

— Mike BamiloyeMike Bamiloye clarified the context of Pastor Adeboye's participation in a 2020 march.

"Our major responsibility as the Church of God is to continually pray for the peace of our nation and the intervention of God in the government," Bamiloye wrote on Instagram. The RCCG Public Relations team corroborated this, clarifying that a viral photograph of Adeboye holding a placard was from a 2020 prayer walk under the Buhari administration, not a political demonstration. The church reiterated Adeboye's neutral political stance, encouraging members to exercise civic duties without endorsing any party.

Our major responsibility as the Church of God is to continually pray for the peace of our nation and the intervention of God in the government.

— Mike BamiloyeMike Bamiloye stated the primary role of the Church in national affairs.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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