By Saadu Umar
Do I worry about a potential president who believes and actively pray, pay, plan and plot to convert at least one of my family members and indeed every family to an extremist Christian sect – RCCG? Yes, I do worry a lot. But that is exactly what Osinbajo and his church are set to achieve.
Am I concerned about a potential president whose faith wants him to build many churches, everywhere in Nigeria, too many more than schools, hospitals, factories, etc: a church within 5-minute walking distance or 5-minute drive, depending on the town? Yes, I am concerned. That’s another agenda for Osinbajo and his spiritual father.
Would I vote for a potential president who believes and declared that “Governance is a spiritual warfare”, remove the oratory and read: a religious battle against enemies? The enemies, I assume, include me, Muslims and other non-Christians. Hmmm!
Do I like a potential president who ‘wished’ his sick principal dead so as to succeed him? No, I wouldn’t like him. Especially so that the potential president did not earn his current place in the sun – it was ‘dashed’ to him by the grace of his last principal who he has betrayed like Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus Christ. I think a betrayer is not good enough for the presidency. Because as he betrayed his principal and benefactor so shall he betray the electorates.
Despite being described by his fans as harmless, fair, just, etc it’s clear that they are just trying to downplay the things he said and the way he acted in the past. Am I sure that this dude will not turn out to be a Trojan horse for the RCCG in Aso Rock? I’m not sure given what I am hearing from many people.
It’s disqualifying for an Osinbajo when he agreed with his pastor who claimed, in terms ‘clearer than truth’, that he drove a petrol engine car over several kilometres on an EMPTY tank, or when he claimed that he cured a last stage cancer patient by praying a “simple prayer” and that he made a woman, who was medically certified sterile, conceived after he prayed a simple prayer. It’s disqualifying because Osinbajo may not be able to separate fact from fiction as president.
By the way, I like the Platonian Noble Lie but I hate the yahoo yahoo-Esque pastoral big lies.
Osinbajo is a devious divisive dude that weaponized Christianity and religionized Lagos governance to sustain the economic, educational, and political dominance Christians, enjoy over Yoruba Muslims. He is now similarly employing Christianity for political ends; in order to greedily grab the presidency and this appears to have polarised the polity pushing his 5 million-member Church to start an unwinnable political war with the 120 million-member Mosque.
RCCG’s infamous memo is mobilizing to support Osinbajo – and we know such support doesn’t come without strings attached. If the support so requires, would Osinbajo actually separate the presidency from the RCCG? The RCCG sees me as an infidel or enemy needing salvation or subjugation. (I know because my friend who goes to RCCG used to call me infidel, jokingly of course). Would I be comfortable with a serious, loyal, committed, and deeply religious pastor of RCCG as my president? No. No!
Osinbajo discriminated against Muslims in his private law office according to reports. If he discriminates in one office he will discriminate in another office. Discrimination is dangerous and disqualifying for me.
Thankfully, asides from Osinbajo’s uncountable disqualifying attributes, i don’t see a realistic path to Aso Rock for a minion without a base beyond, perhaps, the altar of Redemption Camp at Mowe. I’m kinder than Dr. Adebayo who said “Osinbajo is as bereft of a base as floating hyacinths on the river top”.
Osinbajo’s presidential ambition might just be wishful thinking born out of pentecostal dominionism and his redeemed expansionary religious motive akin to the NATO’s expansionary dreams in Ukraine which have become a problem for Europe and a disaster for Ukraine.
Osinbajo may well be part of Christians Rev Sunday Mbang described as “The nations problems and disasters for the Christian religion”; a camellion and wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Besides, why is Osinbajo’s belief relevant, is it fair to make it an issue? Yes, because behind his credentials, intellect, and innocent looks lie some scary beliefs, scarier than the golden poisonous dart frog. To be sure we ain’t no bigots, that is why we don’t have a problem with Amaechi’s faith, Umahi’s beliefs, or Fayemi’s spirituality. None of the three scares us with his religious beliefs. Compare with Buhari whose beliefs too were a critical issue in 2015.
Again, even in the USA, sometimes, the beliefs of presidential candidates can become an issue, like in 1800 when President Jefferson’s beliefs were questioned. And, recently Obama’s beliefs and connections to his pastor were probed.
More, Osinbajo thinks politics is war, it’s war without bloodshed according to Mao. And, everything is fair in love and war. Therefore, Osinbajo’s beliefs must be fair game – even if controversial.
So, I agree with Farooq Kperogi, Osinbajo is dangerous, very dangerous. Everything about him is disqualifying and he will be a disaster for Nigeria.
Saadu writes from Bauchi and can be reached at [email protected]
