TUNDE BAKARE; PULPIT OR CULPRIT ASSIGNMENT? By Rotimi Johnson
Speaking
from both sides of the mouth is an idiomatic expression but after
critically studying Pastor Tunde Bakare's attack on Yoruba leaders and
support for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, I concluded that this is more than just
speaking, he is living on double standard; promoting vices and virtues
I
make bold to declare that I have nothing against Jagaban's aspiration
and I think it's too early for a Yoruba politician not in his party to
declare or against him; let's see his opponents first. However, seeing
the way my former Pastor took a swipe at the Yoruba leaders, I posted on
Facebook that he needs our prayers as Christians. Not for supporting
Asiwaju but for how and where he did it. So, let's analyse his public
statements about the same subject and see how much of integrity can be
ascribed to him.
Evidently from the last video, Pastor Tunde
Bakare didn't say anything about Asiwaju Tinubu that was new but he
tried to justify some of these things. In justifying them, he stated
many facts but they contradicted his initial stand on same person:
In
June 2011, Pastor Tunde Bakare claimed a bastard can't rule the Yorubas
and he was referring to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. In 2020, he is saying
those holding to such opinions are stupid and rancorous. Do we now
conclude that Pastor Bakare was only being rancorous when he was
attacking Tinubu? Remember, he claimed those opposing Tinubu are envious
of him and they have not achieved what Tinubu has done. To me, it's not
about who he supports but his person as vessel of honor.
In
October 2019, Pastor Tunde Bakare claimed; "Unfortunately, Nigerian
people, you celebrate your villains and crucify your heroes.” 14 months
after, the same man is justifying why Asiwaju is a clean thief and
learnt it from Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. The painful part of the sermon
was when he charged his congregation or listeners to go and make their
money too. Sincerely, that was no longer issue of whether Asiwaju stole
or not, it was an issue of endorsing stealing public funds, but make
sure you are not caught. Hmmm! That coming from the pulpit calls for
prayers.
In November 1999, Pastor Tunde Bakare declared in a
Sunday service how the then candidate of PDP would be killed before he
could be sworn in as President. I was in the service that day and to say
I was embarrassed by that sermon is an understatement. I invited two of
my cousins to Church the first time that day but I had to apologise to
them because the message was from the flesh, not the spirit of God.
Coincidentally, I shared the revelation I had before coming to Lagos on
how God told me Obasanjo has won already because I was planning and
praying for how to help him win.
This same Pst Bakare that didn't only
speak against Obasanjo then but wanted him dead is the same person
canvassing for Tinubu on the basis of tribe. I remembered how Pastor
Tunde Bakare openly admitted in 1988 or thereabouts that he needed
prayers and asked virgins and old women to come forward and pray for
him. I think he needs to repeat that same exercise now because a single
vessel can't spout both cold and hot water at the same time.
In
early 2020, I saw this live interview on Channels television on how
Pastor Tunde Bakare was so sure of his becoming President Buhari
successor. Though he didn't affirm that God told him so and that was
fair enough but for him to come to the public and declare something
contrary without reference to the initial position is like playing on
the intelligence of his congregation or listeners. Again, I think this
is an issue of integrity, not about who he is supporting.
My
suspicion: The way Pastor Tunde Bakare read out that particular aspect
of his sermon gave me the impression he was under duress and what he was
to say was written out for him; that's in the manner of the Mafia
operations of silencing their voliceferous oppositions. To butress my
suspicion, Pastor Tunde Bakare stated all the things he complained about
same Tinubu but condemned vehemently those holding same views in the
message. The issue then is what has he done wrong or what does he want
from the power that be? If that's the case, he still needs our prayers
because that is big compromise..
As much as I wish Asiwaju
well in this particular aspiration, claiming that he fought many battles
for the Yorubas and won is a lie from the pit of hell. What I expected
Pastor Tunde Bakare to do was to see to how he would broker peace among
the Yoruba leaders and encourage them to support Asiwaju or whoever he
thinks, not condemning the tribal leaders because of Asiwaju because
whether we like it or not, they are influencers and part of the
electorate.
Leadership Quote: "People of integrity and
honesty not only practice what they preach, they are what they preach". —
David A. Bednar
Sincerely, I would love to
campaign for a Presidential aspirant if given the opportunity but
integrity matters in how we go about it. Truly we all have past like
Pastor Tunde Bakare said but the integrity of the messengers is very
crucial to the success of the campaign. In this particular case, there
is a big question mark before the personality of the messenger.
Rotimi Johnson Ojasope
ANIPR, Fellow-IPDCRM
rotisbon2@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment