THE past week has not been a fine one for the rightwing Pentecostal Christian movement in Nigeria. And by extension, the moral burden of Nigeria’s  ruling class and all our compatriots who swear loyalty to these two sets in our nation’s firmament, also got heavier.
Almost as if coordinated, two heavy scandals fell on the laps of two of the most notable representatives of rightwing Pentecostalism that have shaken their sureties in the most profound manner, exposing the serious moral dilemma associated with the scandals of the past couple of days. Early last week the report broke that two unnamed Nigerians and an Israeli security contractor based in Abuja, were held in South Africa, for attempting to illegally import into South Africa the sum of $9. 3million in cash.

Pastor Chris Oyakhilome; Ayo Oritsejafor; Enoch Adeboye; David Oyedepo and Mike Okonkwo
The said sum of money was allegedly packed in three suitcases and had been ferried into South Africa in a Bombadier Challenger 600 aircraft. It turned out that the plane in question belonged to the National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor. It is not only the prominent position that he occupies as the leader of Christendom in Nigeria that was brought under sharp focus as a result of the embarrassing story from South Africa, but his place as the expression of Aso Villa-at-prayer or more explicitly, the religious arm of the Jonathan presidency, added fuel to the scandal.
By Wednesday last week, a thoroughly compromised Nigerian government sloppily announced to their South African counterparts that the seized money was to procure arms on behalf of the Nigerian security services. It seemed that the South Africans were not convinced by the explanation with their authorities being quoted as saying the explanations were “flawed and riddled with discrepancies”.
Consequently, the Asset Forfeiture Unit of the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) of South Africa obtained a court order to freeze the money, because the illegal importation had breached the country’s laws that dealt with transfer of foreign exchange of such proportion.
The NPA further showed that Tier One Services Group, the company that the Nigerian government claimed to be procuring arms from, was neither authorized to sell nor rent military hardware. The Nigerian government’s explanation was hogwash! Tier One Services Group apparently issued an invoice to a Cyprus-based company, ESD International Group Ltd., in respect of the procurement of armaments and helicopters for delivery to Nigeria.
But South African investigators said the time the invoice was prepared and the time money was brought into their country “threw up some serious issues of intent”, according to VANGUARD newspaper of September 18, 2014.
Nigeria’s image was brought to an all-time low by the incident but people seemed more shocked by the connection of the CAN President, Pastor Oritsejafor, with the episode, no matter how tangentially, and despite his denial and the spirited defence of his position by some commentators. In a statement, signed on his behalf, by one Bayo Adewoye, it was stated that “we can confirm that he holds an interest in Eagle Air Company, the aircraft in question is not operated by Pastor Oritsejafor”. It added further that: “the aircraft has been leased to and is operated by Green Coast Produce Limited”. What is conveniently forgotten here was that when faceless members of his church donated the aircraft to him, Oritsejafor had stated that it was for the purpose of doing God’s work.
But the lease out of the plane didn’t resemble anything spiritual; pardon my ignorance of these matters, but it appeared more like the service of mammon: at least in the moment that it was caught ferrying money illegally into South Africa. And when efforts have been made to excuse the illegality, what came to mind is the level of outrage that would have been deliberately generated, if the plane had belonged to the Sultan of Sokoto, and two Northern Muslims and a Saudi citizen (for example!) had been caught ferrying such sums around the world! Those who have defended Pastor Oritsejafor, like Femi Fani-Kayode, would have ratcheted up anti-Northern and anti-Muslim hysteria, while calling for the breakup of Nigeria, as he regularly does!
And to show the level of ruling class irresponsibility, the House of Representatives could not even probe the issue, when it sat on Tuesday this week. A voice vote was enough to kill the plan to examine the scandal. The “Honourable” members preferred that Nigeria was smeared and brought to disrepute abroad, than the truth of the situation be brought out in the open. The individuals caught up in the illegality are far more important than Nigeria!
The mess is even more criminally obvious in the culpability associated with the collapse of  a building in Lagos, that belonged to Senior Pastor TB Joshua’s Synagogue Church of All Nations. As I write these lines on Tuesday night, the death toll has climbed up to 115 people. South African President, Jacob Zuma, in response to the tragedy, told his grieving country that: “Not in the recent history of our country have we had this large number of our people die in one incident outside the country”.
South Africa’s SUNDAY TIMES newspaper of September 21, 2014, incredibly reported how chaos, incompetence, lies and the refusal of Pastor TB Joshua’s church and the Nigerian authorities to cooperate in the rescue attempt, all conspired to deepen the tragedy.
While TB Joshua preferred to tell the absurd story of a mystery plane which hovered over the building and the story took a more bizarre turn, with allegations of an attack by Boko Haram, the authorities in Lagos state, through the Commissioner for Physical Planning, Toyin Ayinde, had revealed that the 5-storey building had no government approval for its construction. Similarly, Ibrahim Farinloye, of NEMA, pointed out, that church officials prevented rescuers from accessing the church: “some of us were even attacked (by church members)”. The church members were also hostile to journalists and smashed at least one television camera.
Farinloye was quoted by SA’s SUNDAY TIMES as saying that rescuers lost the two or three critical hours immediately after a disaster when most lives are saved.
It was amazing that two days after the collapse and with casualties mounting, TB Joshua was telling the congregation on Sunday that: “they were trying to scare you from coming to this church. Don’t be scared, you are not the target, I am the target. I know my hour has not yet come”. As the report added, it took him 30 minutes into the televised sermon, before he mentioned the dead!
And to underline TB Joshua’s far-reaching influence, the Lagos state governor who visited the church, disappeared through a backdoor, in order to avoid the media.
Similarly, President Goodluck Jonathan, with an eye on the 2015 elections, visited TB Joshua at the weekend. It was more important to be on TB Joshua’s side than to demand justice for the 115 people who died as the tragic episode was shrouded in mumbo-jumbo, about a “mysterious plane hovering” and an alleged Boko Haram attack.
This is the sorry pass that our country has been taken today, by an alliance of obscurantism; a coterie of rightwing religious bodies and their incredibly rich pastors, primates, overseers (as we have seen in these two different but interrelated scandals) and our irresponsible and unpatriotic ruling elite!
This alliance resides at the lowest moral depth of society, because on the one hand, the rightwing nonspecialists exploit a genuine spiritual need amongst Nigerians, who are caught up in the soulless world of neoliberal capitalist uncertainty inhabited by the demons and principalities of poverty, underdevelopment, insecurities, violence and economic deprivation. On the other hand, they are in cahoots with a ruling elite whose choices have largely fostered the hopelessness that the Pentecostal denizens exploit.
They are the two sides of oppression for the Nigerian people and so need and reinforce each other constantly and therefore carry the same moral burdens. It should therefore not surprise us, if the lives lost at General Overseer, TB Joshua’s Synagogue Church of All Nations, end up counting for nothing and never find justice; just as they are spiritedly sweeping under the carpet, the illegal ferrying of $9.3million in Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor’s plane.
These are scared cows living above the laws of the land; furthermore, they are friends of President Goodluck Jonathan and will shortly be expected to carry out important spiritual assignments, for Jonathan’s 2015 re-election project. That is why they DON’T GIVE A DAMN that lives were lost or monies were illegally exported from Nigeria!
The Scotland referendum

I don't know what else to add to this write up. In fact, I don't think there's anything to add. Now I know why Rev King was caught by the law (though I wouldn't bet against him getting the judgement quashed in the nearest future): he wasnt big enough. If he was as big as the fatter cats, that case would have died a natural death.

If BRF whom most people feel is a bit more bold, articulate, exposed and refined is trying to avoid this case in Lagos of all places where even military dictators have been defied in the past because of politics, then Nigeria should just disband the justice system for it is dead already. It only remains a requiem for it.

I doubt there's hope for this country....I very much doubt it because the signs aren't good. The institutionalised church is now firmly in league with the government. George Orwell had Nigeria in mind when he wrote his classic. Considering how that novel ended, there's little to be optimistic about.

^
i think BRF stands to lose more than gain in pursuing this. It can easily spiral into a religious crisis. BRF is muslim. Moreso, if the S.A. government is looking into it, it is an issue between the federal governments. Why should he punch above his supposed weight and make more enemies for himself, his party and their political aspirations?

Image123: ^
i think BRF stands to lose more than gain in pursuing this. It can easily spiral into a religious crisis. BRF is muslim. Moreso, if the S.A. government is looking into it, it is an issue between the federal governments. Why should he punch above his supposed weight and make more enemies for himself, his party and their political aspirations?

@the bolded.

As a honest Christian and a patriotic citizen, what do you think should be the primary concern? Protecting political interests or seeking justice for the helpless citizens whom he swore an oath to protect when he took office?

Do you think human lives are expendable items on the altar of political expediency?

Since Fashola became governor, have the courts ever convicted a Christian of any wrong doing? If the answer is yes, what is special about this instance?

Candour:

@the bolded.

As a honest Christian and a patriotic citizen, what do you think should be the primary concern? Protecting political interests or seeking justice for the helpless citizens whom he swore an oath to protect when he took office?

Do you think human lives are expendable items on the altar of political expediency?

Since Fashola became governor, have the courts ever convicted a Christian of any wrong doing? If the answer is yes, what is special about this instance?

i was speaking for him, not me. i just stated why i think he'd not pursue 'justice', i'm not here to defend the why. Fayemi might explain better, this is Nigeria and some people know what it takes to rule Nigeria. Fasola isn't Gani, i hope you know the difference in Nigeria's politics.

Image123:
i was speaking for him, not me. i just stated why i think he'd not pursue 'justice', i'm not here to defend the why. Fayemi might explain better, this is Nigeria and some people know what it takes to rule Nigeria. Fasola isn't Gani, i hope you know the difference in Nigeria's politics.

Pls stop speaking for him. You're doing a bad job of it. Even thieves and kidnappers have a 'cogent' reason why they do what they do. After all this is Nigeria where jobs are not available and no electricity to run a good business. Will you excuse someone who robs or abducts you brandishing that reason?

God won't come down to right the wrongs in this country when you and others make excuses for leaders based on religion, tribe or whatever. If BRF can't prosecute because he's Muslim, he should vacate the seat for the christian deputy to do the job.

Image123: ^
i think BRF stands to lose more than gain in pursuing this. It can easily spiral into a religious crisis. BRF is muslim. Moreso, if the S.A. government is looking into it, it is an issue between the federal governments. Why should he punch above his supposed weight and make more enemies for himself, his party and their political aspirations?

There is a lot more that can be said about the OP than Fashola, Mr Devil's Advocate. But even if your "defence" must be limited to Fashola's very irresponsible action, your argument still falls flat on its face.

Anyone that knows anything about Lagos political life would know that the religious card is about the last thing that is used in debates in that state. A culture that is most prevalent in the whole of the south west.

I honestly expected more from him and his action only reveals the incredible influence that these religious fat cows hold on the public, including our leaders. And people cannot understand that we are the ones that empower these men who then return to oppress us.

When God told Samuel what the king they asked for will do to Israel, he was not only informing them, he was telling us too what will befall us when we turn ordinary men to tin-gods in the name of men of God and religious leaders.

Hopefully the South Africans have learnt from this. I hope Nigerians do not experience a greater tragedy, somewhere, most likely, on the Lagos Ibadan express way, before we discover that the God of heaven has not placed human salvation in the heights or in deep; but that our salvation from sin and life ills is very near us which we all can receive by simple faith.

I notice that Image123 avoided comments on the malfeasance of our celebrity Pastors and their unholy associations with political leaders. I really do hope that you can understand now why anyone questioning the rubbish these men preach is a man in a right spiritual frame of mind: because it is their fruits, their actions, not words or "anointing", that reveals who and what they really are.

^
Your friend begged me to stop speaking 'for' Fashola, which i honored. The APC political party where Fashola is currently one of their 'shining light' is sitting on religion. They're not likely to want to lose some Lagos votes because some religious zealots spread some propaganda about Fashola persecuting christians. There's about NOTHING for them to gain from such fight at this time, also he would be punching supposedly above his weight.
i'll stop there, don't push it.

Image123: ^
Your friend begged me to stop speaking 'for' Fashola, which i honored. The APC political party where Fashola is currently one of their 'shining light' is sitting on religion. They're not likely to want to lose some Lagos votes because some religious zealots spread some propaganda about Fashola persecuting christians. There's about NOTHING for them to gain from such fight at this time, also he would be punching supposedly above his weight.
i'll stop there, don't push it.

I understand why you cannot go beyond critiquing Fashola, even though the OP said a lot more than Fashola. It's better you stop as you have suggested; you are the one that doesn't have capacity to push beyond this. If you think you do have capacity to do so, let's discuss the OP beyond Fashola.

Image123: ^
Your friend begged me to stop speaking 'for' Fashola, which i honored. The APC political party where Fashola is currently one of their 'shining light' is sitting on religion. They're not likely to want to lose some Lagos votes because some religious zealots spread some propaganda about Fashola persecuting christians. There's about NOTHING for them to gain from such fight at this time, also he would be punching supposedly above his weight.
i'll stop there, don't push it.

@the bolded. As if you have anything to say on this issue beyond your skewed interpretation of the fashola connection.

See me 'begging' you again "pls stop speaking for fashola. You're doing a very bad job of it"

What I only hear from friends in my country that that pentecost churches never speak for the poor people in nigeria.

I know it from my country that the both big churches are the first to speak when there will be a law that is against the peole with less money or that they speak for the families with kids or the less privilige, when they read this they cannot belief it.

I just see the luxury birthday celebration of one of this pastors. I never saw this in my country.

Pentecost pastors didnot know how poor people have to live in nigeria.

I know that i south america and middle america there where christian pastors who help the poor who fight for the poor.

Normaly a real christian pastor must be a voice of the poor and the less privileg but not take a man under his cover who take money from the poor people.

What i always read is that poor people who steal go to kirikiri and rich who steal get a beter job or become pastors.

Candour:

@the bolded. As if you have anything to say on this issue beyond your skewed interpretation of the fashola connection.

See me 'begging' you again "pls stop speaking for fashola. You're doing a very bad job of it"

A certain fellow said "I don't know what else to add to this write up. In fact, I don't think there's anything to add. " Do you know who that was?
I gave my thought on why Fashola wouldn't want to pursue anything. You then begged me to please stop. Anyway you interpret that, it is what you did.

Image123:

A certain fellow said "I don't know what else to add to this write up. In fact, I don't think there's anything to add. " Do you know who that was?

It is I. What's your point?

I gave my thought on why Fashola wouldn't want to pursue anything. You then begged me to please stop. Anyway you interpret that, it is what you did.

If it'll make you sleep well tonight, see me 'beg' you again "pls stop speaking for fashola, you're doing a veeerryyy bad job of it"

Candour:

It is I. What's your point?




If it'll make you sleep well tonight, see me 'beg' you again "pls stop speaking for fashola, you're doing a veeerryyy bad job of it"

You claim not to know what else to add to the OP. You also do not think there's anything to add. Why do you criticize another for not saying anything on the issue?
i'd advice you do not increase the blood pressure of your friend with the consistent pleas.

Image123:

You claim not to know what else to add to the OP. You also do not think there's anything to add. Why do you criticize another for not saying anything on the issue?
i'd advice you do not increase the blood pressure of your friend with the consistent pleas.

I'm not critisizing you for not saying anything on the matter. Its your right not to have any opinion but pls don't use your lack of opinion as an excuse to deflect from the matter at hand. You mentioning possibility of religious crisis in Lagos over this issue shows how truly lacking you are of any meaningful opinion on this matter so try to stick to your resolve not to say anything over this issue.

Also for your information, Anybody who develops high blood pressure because of the posts or opinions of you of all people on NL is a sissy and truly deserves it.

So once again "pls stop speaking for fashola, you're doing a veeerrrryyy bad job of it"

Candour:

I'm not critisizing you for not saying anything on the matter. Its your right not to have any opinion but pls don't use your lack of opinion as an excuse to deflect from the matter at hand. You mentioning possibility of religious crisis in Lagos over this issue shows how truly lacking you are of any meaningful opinion on this matter so try to stick to your resolve not to say anything over this issue.

Also for your information, Anybody who develops high blood pressure because of the posts or opinions of you of all people on NL is a sissy and truly deserves it.

So once again "pls stop speaking for fashola, you're doing a veeerrrryyy bad job of it"

have the last word, you deserve it.

Image123:

have the last word, you deserve it.

Mtchewww......b4 nko?