Primate Elijah Ayodele
In an exclusive interview with DailyPost
on Friday, Primate Elijah Ayodele, the Spiritual Leader of INRI
Spiritual and Evangelical Church, Oke-Afa, Isolo, Lagos, who condemned
the killing of Christians cross the country, also took a swipe at those
he called 'Big Pastors' for keeping quiet in the face of unabated
attacks against the Church.
While lamenting the recent attack on Christians, Ayodele, said;
“They slit the throat of a woman preaching in Abuja; they
beheaded a 74-year-old woman in Kano; they nearly killed another poor
carpenter for not observing fast; they attacked a Church in the Niger
for holding a service on Friday, and so on.
“Nigeria is getting to the edge; no more tolerance and we are
moving on as if all is well. Last week, the Appeal Court ruled that
hijab can be worn to schools. The Sultan came out and told Muslims that
‘if anybody does not want you to practise Islam, you can fight’.
“The fact that nobody has come out to say the Sultan did not
say that means he was quoted correctly. Yet, I have not heard reactions
from those who ought to have spoken. I am not scared of anybody, I will
call names.
“People like (Enoch) Adeboye, (David) Oyedepo, (Folorunsho)
Kumuyi, and other Big Pastors that people believe so much are holier
than thou have kept quiet,” the cleric said.
While reciting instances of contentious religious issues in states, Primate Ayodele said: “Imagine what is happening in Osun State. The government said female Muslims students can wear hijab to school.
“Somebody came out to say, ‘okay, Christians too should wear
white garment to school’. The governor criticised him and so-called
Christian leaders came out to say the governor is right.
“Also, this man in Kaduna, (Nasir) El-Rufai says you must have license to preach or do public religious activities. Only
one man has been shouting…Apostle Suleman. He has been the lone voice
fighting against the government’s pronouncement. Other influential
Pastors have not uttered a word.
“Nobody is ready to bell the cat. Maybe they are thinking that they will lose rich members or their connections in power”.
“Christians are being killed. People who should be talking are
just there looking. If these killings lead to religious war, nobody will
stay. This country is playing with disaster”.
Speaking on the way forward, Primate Ayodele advocated that all hands must be on deck to forestall religious crisis.
“Even though I am still watching him, the new CAN president must take
steps to put the plight of Christians at the fore front,” he charged.
“We must harmonize in this country. There must be equity and
balance. We must respect each other’s religion. A man like me is
tolerant. I have Muslims who come to my church that I assist. We should
stop all these signs of extremism.
“There is an inter-religious boy in place. We should do more to
ensure peace exists because that is the only way Nigeria can fully
attain its potential.”
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