The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Continental Overseer for Continent 3, Pastor Joseph Odesola, has appealed to Nigerians to stop pressuring the church’s General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, to publicly attack President Bola Tinubu.
Odesola, in an article published by Impact Nigeria on Monday and shared on his X page, said Adeboye would speak on the nation’s political and economic challenges when he believed it was the right time.
He said some Nigerians were not simply waiting for Adeboye to speak, but had already decided what they wanted him to say.
“Some people are waiting eagerly for Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye to speak about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. But it appears that they are not merely waiting for him to speak; they already have a script they want him to follow.”
Odesola said a religious leader should not speak merely to satisfy public expectations.
“A man of God does not have to speak simply because people are demanding that he speak,” he said.
“There is a difference between speaking because the crowd is shouting and speaking because one has something meaningful to say. There is also a difference between political commentary and prophetic responsibility.”
He urged Nigerians not to turn religious leaders into instruments of political campaigns, stressing that the church should be able to challenge those in government without becoming an opposition platform.
“A genuine servant of God should not become the mouthpiece of any political camp,” Odesola said.
He added that criticism did not have to come through insults or anger.
“Truth does not become more powerful because it is delivered with insults. A curse does not become a prophecy simply because it is pronounced from a pulpit. And anger should never be mistaken for spiritual authority.”
Odesola acknowledged that Nigerians needed religious leaders to speak on poverty, insecurity, unemployment, rising living costs and other national problems.
“Nigeria needs voices that can tell the government the truth without hatred. We need voices that can challenge opposition politicians without fear,” he said.
“Let Pastor Adeboye pray. Let him listen. Let him discern. And when he has something he believes God has instructed him to say, let him say it with the courage of conviction.”
He concluded: “Don’t write his script for him. He will speak when he believes he should speak. He will pray when he believes he should pray. And if God has not told him to say what the crowd wants to hear, he should have the courage to say nothing at all.”
