Obasanjo Versus CAN

Comfort Obi

Not a man to run away from a fight, or any controversy, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has again found himself smack in the middle of a tango with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). This is the second time Obasanjo would publicly tango with CAN. The first took place in Jos when he was in office as President. On a visit to Jos to look for peace in the blood-soaked Plateau State capital, Obasanjo lost it. I forget now what the chairman of the Plateau State CAN said. But whatever, it stung Obasanjo and he called the CAN chairman an idiot. And when CAN protested, he said to it: “CAN my foot.”
For a Christian, and especially one who says he is a born-again Christain, Obasanjo's outing in Jos was unbecoming. And his tango with CAN rankles. The former President must count himself lucky that he is a Christian. Were he to be a Muslim, Obasanjo’s penchant to rightly, or wrongly, ridicule his religion would have put him in trouble with Muslim clerics. However, in the instant case, I align with Obasanjo. I may not agree with his choice of words, but I truly don’t see where, and how he went wrong. To me, CAN simply indulged in making a mountain out of a molehill. More like killing an ant with a sledge hammer. And the result is the disgusting exchange of words between some CAN members and Obasanjo. Here is the story.
Speaking penultimate Thursday at the Leon Sullivian Dialogue on Nigeria, in the USA, Obasanjo was asked about the sudden disengagement of Professor Maurice Iwu from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). His answer: “With all due respect, if Jesus Christ could come to the world and be the chairman of INEC, any election he would conduct will be disputed.” Some Christian leaders took offence. Taking the lead is Bishop Mike Okonkwo, the presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission, TREM. He doubted Obasanjo’s antecedents as a Christian, and also doubted his claims as a born-again Christian. Okonkwo was quickly followed by a Roman Catholic cleric, Monsignor Gabriel Osu. The two and others insisted that by dragging the name of Jesus Christ into Nigeria’s often flawed elections, Obasanjo had committed blasphemy. They said Obasanjo needed deliverance. And that he needed counseling. Okonkwo called him a baby Christian, and assured, “if he comes to my church, I will consign him to the children’s section. If Jesus Christ were to conduct an election in Nigeria, there will be no complain. It will be perfect.”
The Secretary of the Kaduna State Chapter of CAN, Rev. Joseph Hayab, who addressed journalists on behalf of CAN, spoke in like manner. “This is totally blasphemous of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by a person whom God had on several occasions, delivered from the valley of the shadow of death."
I don’t know how Obasanjo who recently took a degree in, I guess Religious Studies, or something close to it, felt after reading the reaction of some of the Christian leaders. But nobody needed to wait long. Obasanjo never lets any “garb” get by him – it doesn’t matter how long it takes him. And it doesn’t matter who said it. He bidded for an opportunity, which quickly offered itself a couple of days later at the International Wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport.
Nosey Parkers all – no wonder Obasanjo cosigned them among those who need deliverance – it was journalists at the airport who gave Obasanjo the opportunity to tackle CAN. Asked what he felt about the reprimand from CAN, he quickly retorted: “They, the Bishops, like you Journalists, should first deliver yourselves.”
Truth, dear readers, is that I don’t understand what the bickering is all about. Obviously, the religious leaders who reacted strongly felt that Obasanjo had used the name of Jesus Christ in vain. They are conscious of one of the Commandments in the Holy Bible which beseeches us not to use, in a frivolous manner, the name of the Lord. “Thou Shall not use the name of the Lord in vain,” the Commandment warns sternly. But this is a commandment thousands of Nigerian Christians break several times a day. Any little argument, the name of the Lord is invoked.
They swear falsely by His name. They steal using His name. They defraud people using His name. And in this mad age of miracle churches and prosperity, they perform false miracles using the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And nobody has seriously rebuked, or cursed them. Instead, their congregation grows by the day. Several streets, especially in the South, boast of over six churches each. And these are all miracle churches, duping people, performing false and fake miracles using God’s name. Churches become family businesses. The husband is the head, the wife, the deputy head, and their children treasurer and financial secretary. Children, young girls and women are constantly defiled, raped and assaulted. Some of them get killed for ritual purposes in the church. What has been the strong, united, opinion of CAN on such everyday atrocities? What is CAN doing to stop innocent people from trooping to such devilish churches. Surely, it is those churches, and their members, that Obasanjo had in mind when he lumped all Bishops and CAN members together as needing deliverance.
Obasanjo was not talking down on Jesus Christ, nor would he think of doing that. The Obasanjo we read everyday in the newspapers may be foul- mouthed, and full of inelegant language, but he would not dare talk down on our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. When he made the statement in the USA, what he was clearly referring to was the penchant of Nigerians to dispute every election result. He was neither questioning the expertise of Jesus Christ, or His infallibility. That was clear enough.
But having said that, may I appeal to the former President, considering how volatile issues of Religion are0 in Nigeria, to make a deliberate effort at avoiding making comments that seem to rightly, or wrongly, question his faith. His constant bickering with CAN members is neither elegant, nor tidy.