He spoke against the backdrop of the presentation of a private jet to the National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, by members of his church during the celebration of his 40th anniversary in the ministry penultimate Saturday.
Kukah, who was guest speaker at the annual Founder’s Day Anniversary lecture of Providence Baptist Church in Lagos, described exhibition of such opulence by church leaders as embarrassing.
The fiery cleric who spoke on ‘Church and the state in the pursuit of the common good’, said: “The stories of corrupt men and women being given recognition by their churches or mosques as gallant sons and daughters and the embarrassing stories of pastors displaying conspicuous wealth as we hear from the purchases of private jets and so on clearly diminish our moral voice.”
Kukah, who was represented by the Administrator of Holy Cross Cathedral Lagos, Rev. Monsignor Pascal Nwaezeapu, also expressed displeasure with the perceived closeness of the CAN leadership to the corridors of powers.
He said such alliance will weaken the ability of the church to speak the truth to elected public office holders.
According to him: “CAN has become more visible in relation to national prayer sessions, pilgrimages, alliances with state power and so on.
“Unless we distance ourselves, we cannot speak the truth to power. We cannot hear the wails of the poor and the weak. We should not be seen as playing the praying wing of the party in power.”
He challenged the church to speak against corruption in low and high places, saying such responsibility must never be jettisoned for any reason.
Apart from Orisejafor, other church leaders who own private jets include Founder of Living Faith Ministries, Bishop David Oyedepo; General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye; Founder of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), Bishop Mike Okonkwo and Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of Christ Embassy Church. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Clearly, politicians are buying their way into the hearts of all that have a say in the nation. If they cant get to you, they cast you in bad light. Thats bad! But what is worse is if they can get to you, you become a prostitute, always defending the master. Pastor Oritsejafor has demonstrated that he no longer have clean hands in what is happening. Infact, he has first hand information of how things are, but looks the other way because his bread and butter are guaranteed.
ReplyDeleteJust tell this so called man of God not to fly on top of my roof bcos who know when
ReplyDeleteGod will teach them lesson about there nonsensical Private Jet at the expense of there dying church members .
One of this man of God wife has best boutique in street of London .
Dont you know that this people has bastard money both from clean and unclean source.
To donate to church account is very easy to get money from church when you are in problem is very tough , if you will ever get.
I am sick and tired of this naive assumption that private jets can be acquired only by corrupt means! And that once you have one, it ends your support for the poor. Yet, none of these emergency advocates for the poor have demonstrated a history of caring for the poor more than any of the God's Generals they malign. The Bible is very clear on the issue: "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Luke 6:38. God has sent every believer to "Go into the world and preach the Gospel..." Mark 16:15, and those who have been faithful in this regard will be enabled to accomplish even more. God is not a fool!
ReplyDeleteWhat's the noise with this private jet thing? Let me ask if the catholic bishop have ever received a birthday or annivasary gift before. If he has then why this noise or is it because its a jet this time or where is it written in the bible that one cannot receive a gift of a jet. If this people have personal beef its ok but I hate to see it anchored on a gift presented to somebody. We have all received gifts at a point in time in our lives, be it birthday gift, wedding gift,Christmas gift, Valentine's and annivasary of any kind.
ReplyDeletesince you never get your own jet yet you will talk this kind jealousy in this country
ReplyDeletePlease, who is the founder of catholic Church?
ReplyDeleteSo he shouldn't speak the truth because he doesnt have one? if he desires one , he can, he only chose not to be wicked and Exploit his Members.
ReplyDeleteREUTERS and their yeye report. What are they saying self. Are they Boko Haram too? May God bless this nation.Long live Nigeria. Soldiers too should enjoy human right cos they are Human.No be so!
ReplyDeleteI pity Nigerians....5 billion gift to somebody in the name of God and you find nothing wrong...no wonder we are as backward as we are...so where is the moral standing of the church, if at the end of the president or governors term, they are given jets as gift. I'm you guys will be one of those that will be shouting corruption from rooftop. It beggars belief that its ok do something with church money, that you cannot do with taxpayers money. Please educate yourself and seperate fact from fiction.
ReplyDeletePlease, can someone help me answer this question. Who is the founder of Catholic church?
ReplyDeleteThanks and God Bless.
The founder of the catholic church is JESUS CHRIST, Frm Peter the first apostle and first pope".
DeleteSome pharisees are out to teach us their bible. Ofcourse, to remind us of the number of jets Christ had eventhough he had no job xcept teachn us the bible while people around him moan in agony of hunger, deprivation, xploitation, oppression, illness, joblessness and all manners of lack. Gift and Jealous indeed. Pregnant virgins. Pls teach me ya Bible while Christ spends billions of cash donations, tithes and offerings browsing the universe. Yes! Teach me. Bootlickers
ReplyDeleteChurch has been commercialised, what baffled me most is that, the member will contribute money for a developmental project which they will never benefit, e.g schools
ReplyDeleteWho is this Man/Woman that gave the Gift ? What is his/her sourses of income ? Where is his/her businesses location ? How much deos he/shr pay as tax perannum ? EFCC pls help to answer this riddles
ReplyDeleteAm so concern about the jet issued as gift, this signifies that church has shifted form it teachings, and i can remember that jesus christ didn't use jet and we try to emulate his way of life, and i know that the so called pastors are aware that half of the church congregations are very poor, so accepting the jet in any kind, shows that he welcomes corruption. So shameful, pastors your the worst corrupt people we have now.
ReplyDeletePastors,bishops n all manner of religious leaders n ostentatious shows of wealth while their congregations are living in lack n want can't be justified in any way,form or manner. Churches build skools n d poor members of d church can't afford to send their kids there, #Godiswatchingyou
ReplyDeleteThe church has been turn to something else. Shame to materials church leaders.
ReplyDeleteGod will judge. only Him will Judge our corrupt Pastors. The school issue is a shame,few of d churches remember d poor and widows.
ReplyDeleteGod will judge. only Him will Judge our corrupt Pastors. The school issue is a shame,few of d churches remember d poor and widows.
ReplyDeletePastor Oritshejafor has demonstrated his greed, and the church members, their synchophancy in this issue. The jet should have been kept as church property with the church name written and registered with so church members could benefit from it. This would have helped to dilute the controversial responses from the public.
ReplyDeleteI really don't grasp ourge challenge with someone being given a gift! If his church members deem it fit to contribute to buy their own pastor a jet, it's their own problem, mores it was unsolicited for.
ReplyDeleteSultan who heads Islam has a jet, yet no fuse about. When did becoming a Pastor confine one to poverty?
I also understand that some are in it for money, it does not in any way undermine the genuine ones.
I want to urge the Christian leaders to emulate Christ. He told many parables about wealth and spoke about thanks offering to God yet He had never taken any offering money to himself to live comfortably. He who is a leader must be the servant of all. Jesus told the richman who kept the commandment of God to sell all he had and give the proceeds to the poor and not to Himself, and then follow him. Elisha rejected the offering of Naaman to show that freely you get the gift of God and freely you shall give. Pastors should remember that we preach crucified Christ which according to paul is foolishness to a carnally minded person but to the spiritually minded a wisdom of God. Or else how will you explain He, Christ- the leader- washed His apostles feet.
ReplyDeleteLet the owners of Jet tell the truth. They should tell you cost of maintaining one and what it costs to keep one inside a hanger. Then U will understand while its so outrageous and ridiculous. Am very sure nobody who made his or her money from hard sweat will contribute n buy a jet when he doesnt even own one. This is where d likes of NPF,ICPC n EFFC shud were it a developed nation or better a nation not thriving in corruption. PH Dude
ReplyDeleteIt is so bitter that especially in this part of the world,we're still far from rational reasoning or common sense.The same people who give us the impression that the path to heaven is very narrow and rough are the same people who request for posh cars and extravagantly furnished apartments when they resume work at any new post. People have failed see that they vehemently refuse to practice what they teach. About gifts,most of the expensive gifts given today in churches are given by very sinful men. They forget that Christ attached more value to the very little gift offered by a poor widow,today in our churches,the reverse is the case. You are humilated openly when you don't give lavishly to the church. Some churches even give detailed guidelines as regards the lower limits they can accept. I am a christian & I am talking from expirience. Today most of the members adopted into noble positions in the church today are either based on your financial and material contribution you have made to the church or expected to make. Some of us have wisened up but many are still in the dark. Just like the crooks say "MUGU NO DEY FINISH,IF ONE MUGU DIE,TEN OTHERS ARE BORN THE SAME SECOND". I have said this bcos new churches spring up everyday & the funny thing is the proprietors of most of these new churches are pastors who have broken away from already existing churches for reasons of dissatisfaction with financial conditions given to them or simply because they feel or know they can make more if they establish on their own. When they make enough money from their congregation,they establish schools. Schools that can hardly be affordable to members of the same congregation that contributed the money from d little they didn't have.We forget that in the past,missionary schools offered education at affordable rates to the poor,their medical outfits offered healthcare almost free of charge to people. Today the reverse is the case.It's a shame that none these myriad of men of God are ready to die the way each of the apostles of Christ died proclaiming the truth. They rather take Gifts from these evil men so that they can find solace in their so called house of God. They seem to forget that ordinarily,accomplices are most times considered as guilty as offenders if not more guilty........Chris A
ReplyDelete