Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has responded to the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo’s attack on Nigerian Pastors for not preaching against corruption.
Osinbajo had berated Pastors for failing to lend support to the Federal Government’s anti-corruption war at the 30th National Biennial Conference of the Students Christian Movement of Nigeria holding in Enugu, adding that preachers were preoccupied with preaching prosperity rather than righteousness.
In response, the CAN President, Rev. Samuel Ayokunle said although Osinbajo might have exclusive information for him to make the claim, the church had been speaking against the manifestation of corruption for a while, to no avail.
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji, Ayokunle said, “Being a pastor, the acting president may know what we don’t know and he has a right to correct those whose teaching or preaching contradicts the scripture.
“What we know is that the church must speak against evil in the land, corruption inclusive. The church has been speaking against the perceived genocide in the country, insecurity of life and property, hypocrisy, nepotism, greediness, tribalism, favoritism, treasury looting, lopsided appointments, etc.
“These are all manifestation of corruption. Corruption goes beyond greed and diversion of public money into personal hands. Whether our leaders, politicians and civil servants are listening is another thing entirely.
“Those who have not been preaching against the evil in the country should heed the counsel of the acting president and the leadership of CAN in turn tasks those in the position of authority to be sensitive to the yearning of the church for peace, security, job opportunities, good roads, affordable medical care, and an end to every form of hardship in the land.”