How Pastors Preached Hate Against Buhari – Adesina

In the run-up to the 2015 general elections, former president Goodluck Jonathan “had gone ‘church-hopping’, …visiting major congregations and secretly campaigning for votes”.

This is part of the disclosures in the long-awaited memoir: “Working With Buhari: Reflections of A Special Adviser”…authored by Femi Adesina, former special adviser on media and publicity to then President Muhammadu Buhari.

Comprising 433 pages in 30 chapters, Adesina recounts how one Pastor Bosun Emmanuel had recorded and circulated an audio tape branding the All Progressives Congress (APC) as “Muslim/Jihad party and candidate Buhari as a precursor of the anti-Christ”.

He also recounted how Bishop David Oyedepo and then president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, predicted that Jonathan would win the 2015 election and how in 2018, the former called on his members to “lynch any Fulani” found around their church. Other preachers mentioned for similar false prophesies and predictions included Pastor Paul Enenche, David Ibieyomie, Primate Elijah Ayodele and Pastor Paul Adefarasin.

However, Adesina acknowledged the roles of Pastor Chris Okotie of the Household of God Church and WF Kumuyi, General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church whom he described as “remnants of pastors who stayed true to their callings, not joining the mob”.

In a review copy available to LEADERSHIP, Adesina said his memoir is mostly about the “soft and humane side and other human-interest stories around his principal, inviting those who are adept at economics, fiscal and monetary policy, and other fundamentals of government to write their own accounts.”