RE: WEAPONS HARAM: A FEW GOOD MEN…
This week’s Column had wanted to unveil those readers’ reactions but, as it turned out, the debate is still the prevailing music in the village square and it has become apparent that there are quite a number of prominent patriotic citizens among our compatriots who are willing to stand up and be counted for this […]
This week’s Column had wanted to unveil those readers’ reactions but, as it turned out, the debate is still the prevailing music in the village square and it has become apparent that there are quite a number of prominent patriotic citizens among our compatriots who are willing to stand up and be counted for this country. So we stand down readers’ reactions just yet and listen to these few good men:
CATHOLIC BISHOPS
The Catholic Bishops Association of Nigeria has called for a thorough investigation of the $9.3 million cash-for-weapons deal in South Africa involving two Nigerians, an Israeli and a jet belonging to the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor. In an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, leader of the Catholic bishops, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, condemned the scandal, saying it was capable of tarnishing the image of Christianity and Christians in Nigeria: “They should take proper action. If anybody is found culpable of any wrongdoing in the matter, he should be duly sanctioned. How will they go and buy arms without using Air Force aircraft but that belonging to a civilian? To us, this is wrong…Even the government on its part was wrong if it’s true that they didn’t declare the money before entering South Africa. To hire CAN president’s aircraft for the deal is tantamount to tarnishing the image of Christianity, because people will say that it is Christians that are conniving with the president to do that, and no matter what, people will say may be Christians are planning something. We want to say that we’re not part of it; we don’t know anything about it.”
GEORGE AKUME
Senate Minority Leader George Akume has accused Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor of undermining the sanctity of CAN, saying: “The circumstances surrounding the incident suggest that those ferrying the money did it in open breach of Nigerian and international laws. South Africa has already established a prima facie case of criminality involved in the questionable misadventure. Pastor Ayo’s arguments are unsustainable because he has vicarious liability at several levels. One, the vessel used for criminal activity belongs to him. Secondly, he commercially leased the vessel to Eagle Air, which is a company he holds an interest in, and which in turn further leased same to the company that converted it to commercial use with his full knowledge and approval. The chain of ethical liability is unbroken. How will the pastor explain his involvement with people engaged in the murky waters of international arms trafficking? The three passengers arrested in South Africa with the aircraft were not on pastoral visit to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. The CAN president is working to destroy the little credibility that is left of CAN. All Christians must rise against such acts.”
FESTUS KEYAMO
Human rights activist and Lagos lawyer Festus Keyamo has picked holes in the position of the Federal Government regarding the $9.3 million cash that was seized by the South African Police, describing it as not only ludicrous, but also laughable. He faulted the government’s decision to transact a business involving a large amount of money in cash without declaring it to the South African police. Keyamo therefore posited that: “Any transaction the world over that is done by cash in a huge volume like this and in this manner can only point to one thing: it is an illegal transaction or a transaction for an illegal purpose that is meant to be untraceable.” According to him, the incident can best be described as a covert, illegal operation that went horribly wrong, adding that: “The position of the Federal Government is a cock-and-bull story meant to be shoved down the throat of Nigerians, but some of us are not fools.”
PROPHET OLAGUNJU
CAN President Pastor Ayo has totally lost focus by propagating the gospel of Goodluck Jonathan 3rd Term rather than the gospel of Christ, according to Prophet Wale Olagunju, the Presiding Bishop of Divine Seed of God Chapel Ministry, Sasa, Ibadan. Prophet Olagunju in a release issued in Ibadan said the mere fact Pastor Oritsejafor accepted the ownership of the aircraft and the Federal Government accepting the ownership of the huge money is enough evidence to prove that the Pastor has lost focus. “How will Oritsejafor explain to the world, with the fleet of Presidential Jet in the country, the federal government could not use any plane other than the one belonging to him for this unholy job? The action of Oritsejafor has tarnished not only Christianity in Nigeria, but also the name of Jesus Christ who the Pastor professed to represent…”
ROTIMI FASHAKIN
Social commentator and politician Rotimi Fashakin has berated the leadership of CAN over its backing of Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor whose jet was impounded in South Africa after the discovery of millions of dollars. While blaming the Christian body for making itself a subject of vilification and ridicule over its rash and rushed reaction over the matter and defending the indefensible, Fashakin said the current CAN leadership is a disappointment: “It is unbelievable that this is the same CAN that John Cardinal Onaiyekan led with so much poise and dignity. CAN has sunk to such abysmally low level of indignity because of the characteristic gangsterism displayed at the apogee of its leadership. Little wonder the Catholics have opted to stay away until this indignation and affliction be over-past.”
BAYO OLUWASANMI
“How could Oritsejafor reconcile Jesus’ teachings and principles with his greed for riches and his association with Aso Rock? The Oritsejaforgate is one of the reasons why we should engage the Nigerian Church with its spiritually dysfunctional pastors in the difficult conversation about their corruption, unjust enrichment, and their collusion with the government to oppress the poor. In a country which the ‘have-nots’ have become pauperized, the involvement of Pastor Oritsejafor in arms smuggling and currency trafficking reminds us how the likes of Oritsejafors stand in stark contrast to the teachings of Jesus. How could Oritsejafor reconcile Jesus’ teachings and principles with his greed for riches and his association with Aso Rock? Jesus demonstrates over and over again that materialism is the great enemy of spirituality. Jesus’ warning on the dangers of affluence is deafening: ‘No one can serve two masters … you cannot serve God and mammon.’ How can Pastor Oritsejafor serve God and Aso Rock Mammon at the same time? How much money did Aso Rock pay for leasing his jet? Contrary to the claim by Word of Life Bible Church congregants that the jet was a birthday present to their pastor, many Nigerians believed it was a gift from Mr. Jonathan bought with tax payers’ money.”
So there! But then, a close scrutiny of all these commentators would indicate that they are mostly from the ‘left’ side of the debate, which leaves us with a loaf of bread well-baked on one side, but raw flour on the other. Meaning, supporters of the Federal Government’s viewpoint, of which Pastor Ayo is a direct beneficiary, would scream that these Oritsefargate Condemners are from the ‘Opposition Camp’. So, are we still on the starting line? We, therefore, also loudly call: “ARE THERE A FEW GOOD MEN ON THE OTHER SIDE?” If not, then this is tragic, and we MUST all do something in 2015 before they do us “TSIYAR NASARA SAI ZA SHI GIDA!” And there is no better time as now, coupled with our personal journey through Allah’s trials, for us to continue reciting HasbunalLahu wa ni’imal Wakeel!Still on the Weapons Haram Debacle, or ‘Oritsejarforgate’ as a commentator has aptly coined the scandal, many readers have written in to comment and ventilate what is mostly anger. This week’s Column had wanted to unveil those readers’ reactions but, as it turned out, the debate is still the prevailing music in the village square and it has become apparent that there are quite a number of prominent patriotic citizens among our compatriots who are willing to stand up and be counted for this country. So we stand down readers’ reactions just yet and listen to these few good men:
CATHOLIC BISHOPS
The Catholic Bishops Association of Nigeria has called for a thorough investigation of the $9.3 million cash-for-weapons deal in South Africa involving two Nigerians, an Israeli and a jet belonging to the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor. In an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, leader of the Catholic bishops, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, condemned the scandal, saying it was capable of tarnishing the image of Christianity and Christians in Nigeria: “They should take proper action. If anybody is found culpable of any wrongdoing in the matter, he should be duly sanctioned. How will they go and buy arms without using Air Force aircraft but that belonging to a civilian? To us, this is wrong…Even the government on its part was wrong if it’s true that they didn’t declare the money before entering South Africa. To hire CAN president’s aircraft for the deal is tantamount to tarnishing the image of Christianity, because people will say that it is Christians that are conniving with the president to do that, and no matter what, people will say may be Christians are planning something. We want to say that we’re not part of it; we don’t know anything about it.”
GEORGE AKUME
Senate Minority Leader George Akume has accused Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor of undermining the sanctity of CAN, saying: “The circumstances surrounding the incident suggest that those ferrying the money did it in open breach of Nigerian and international laws. South Africa has already established a prima facie case of criminality involved in the questionable misadventure. Pastor Ayo’s arguments are unsustainable because he has vicarious liability at several levels. One, the vessel used for criminal activity belongs to him. Secondly, he commercially leased the vessel to Eagle Air, which is a company he holds an interest in, and which in turn further leased same to the company that converted it to commercial use with his full knowledge and approval. The chain of ethical liability is unbroken. How will the pastor explain his involvement with people engaged in the murky waters of international arms trafficking? The three passengers arrested in South Africa with the aircraft were not on pastoral visit to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. The CAN president is working to destroy the little credibility that is left of CAN. All Christians must rise against such acts.”
FESTUS KEYAMO
Human rights activist and Lagos lawyer Festus Keyamo has picked holes in the position of the Federal Government regarding the $9.3 million cash that was seized by the South African Police, describing it as not only ludicrous, but also laughable. He faulted the government’s decision to transact a business involving a large amount of money in cash without declaring it to the South African police. Keyamo therefore posited that: “Any transaction the world over that is done by cash in a huge volume like this and in this manner can only point to one thing: it is an illegal transaction or a transaction for an illegal purpose that is meant to be untraceable.” According to him, the incident can best be described as a covert, illegal operation that went horribly wrong, adding that: “The position of the Federal Government is a cock-and-bull story meant to be shoved down the throat of Nigerians, but some of us are not fools.”
PROPHET OLAGUNJU
CAN President Pastor Ayo has totally lost focus by propagating the gospel of Goodluck Jonathan 3rd Term rather than the gospel of Christ, according to Prophet Wale Olagunju, the Presiding Bishop of Divine Seed of God Chapel Ministry, Sasa, Ibadan. Prophet Olagunju in a release issued in Ibadan said the mere fact Pastor Oritsejafor accepted the ownership of the aircraft and the Federal Government accepting the ownership of the huge money is enough evidence to prove that the Pastor has lost focus. “How will Oritsejafor explain to the world, with the fleet of Presidential Jet in the country, the federal government could not use any plane other than the one belonging to him for this unholy job? The action of Oritsejafor has tarnished not only Christianity in Nigeria, but also the name of Jesus Christ who the Pastor professed to represent…”
ROTIMI FASHAKIN
Social commentator and politician Rotimi Fashakin has berated the leadership of CAN over its backing of Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor whose jet was impounded in South Africa after the discovery of millions of dollars. While blaming the Christian body for making itself a subject of vilification and ridicule over its rash and rushed reaction over the matter and defending the indefensible, Fashakin said the current CAN leadership is a disappointment: “It is unbelievable that this is the same CAN that John Cardinal Onaiyekan led with so much poise and dignity. CAN has sunk to such abysmally low level of indignity because of the characteristic gangsterism displayed at the apogee of its leadership. Little wonder the Catholics have opted to stay away until this indignation and affliction be over-past.”
BAYO OLUWASANMI
“How could Oritsejafor reconcile Jesus’ teachings and principles with his greed for riches and his association with Aso Rock? The Oritsejaforgate is one of the reasons why we should engage the Nigerian Church with its spiritually dysfunctional pastors in the difficult conversation about their corruption, unjust enrichment, and their collusion with the government to oppress the poor. In a country which the ‘have-nots’ have become pauperized, the involvement of Pastor Oritsejafor in arms smuggling and currency trafficking reminds us how the likes of Oritsejafors stand in stark contrast to the teachings of Jesus. How could Oritsejafor reconcile Jesus’ teachings and principles with his greed for riches and his association with Aso Rock? Jesus demonstrates over and over again that materialism is the great enemy of spirituality. Jesus’ warning on the dangers of affluence is deafening: ‘No one can serve two masters … you cannot serve God and mammon.’ How can Pastor Oritsejafor serve God and Aso Rock Mammon at the same time? How much money did Aso Rock pay for leasing his jet? Contrary to the claim by Word of Life Bible Church congregants that the jet was a birthday present to their pastor, many Nigerians believed it was a gift from Mr. Jonathan bought with tax payers’ money.”
So there! But then, a close scrutiny of all these commentators would indicate that they are mostly from the ‘left’ side of the debate, which leaves us with a loaf of bread well-baked on one side, but raw flour on the other. Meaning, supporters of the Federal Government’s viewpoint, of which Pastor Ayo is a direct beneficiary, would scream that these Oritsefargate Condemners are from the ‘Opposition Camp’. So, are we still on the starting line? We, therefore, also loudly call: “ARE THERE A FEW GOOD MEN ON THE OTHER SIDE?” If not, then this is tragic, and we MUST all do something in 2015 before they do us “TSIYAR NASARA SAI ZA SHI GIDA!” And there is no better time as now, coupled with our personal journey through Allah’s trials, for us to continue reciting HasbunalLahu wa ni’imal Wakeel!