A Call for Action on Security and Diplomacy
During the November Holy Ghost Service at the Redemption City Campground, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, expressed his concerns regarding a section of President Bola Tinubu’s October 1 Independence Day speech. He criticized the content of the speech, particularly the part that claimed security in Nigeria was under control, suggesting that the person who wrote it did not have the president’s best interests at heart.
Adeboye stated, “I almost spoke last month when I heard the speech of my in-law (Tinubu), particularly that section that spoke about security. I heard him saying all is well now, that displaced people have returned to their villages. I almost said the one who wrote that speech does not like him.” He emphasized that while the president inherited Nigeria’s security challenges, the focus should now be on taking decisive action to resolve them.
“Our President inherited this problem. I am an applied mathematician; I am only interested in getting the problem solved.”
He also urged the Federal Government to address insecurity and the alleged killings of Christians in some parts of the country with wisdom, diplomacy, and decisiveness. “If I am asked to make suggestions, I will say quietly to the governments to move wisely, diplomatically. I have cousins. There were times in Nigeria when Christians and Muslims were living together. I have families that are Muslims till date. When I was little, I ate sari with them, and I still eat my breakfast, but the issue of religion started when politics came into religion.”
Adeboye noted that he had privately advised past presidents on the security crisis but emphasized that his role was limited to offering counsel. “All the presidents who were around when this trouble started, whatever I discussed is top privacy. I have done my best behind the scenes, but as I have always told you, you can only advise a Commander-in-Chief; you cannot command him. But I have tried. God is my witness.”
He further called on Tinubu to take firm steps against terrorism by holding the service chiefs accountable for results. “What should we do now? If I was asked to make suggestions, I would say quietly to our government: move fast, move diplomatically, move wisely. Find a way to convince the President of America to please delay his actions for about 100 days, and then come home and tell our security chiefs to get rid of these terrorists within 90 days or resign.”
Adeboye recalled that former President Muhammadu Buhari once gave a similar directive but did not ensure it was carried out. “There was a President, Buhari, who issued such an order. He called the service chiefs together and said, ‘Get rid of these Boko Haram people or resign.’ He ran with that advice, but he did not follow through because he gave the order as the Commander, but he did not follow up. The work was not done after three months, so I went to see him. I asked him, ‘Why did you not proceed with your threat?’ One thing came out of the meeting which will lead me to the advice.”
He stressed the importance of dismantling the networks financing terrorism. “When giving orders to the service chiefs this time around, he should make it clear to them they are not only to eliminate the terrorists but also eliminate the sponsors, no matter how influential they may be.”
Adeboye warned that Nigeria should tread carefully in its international dealings, noting that no global power would defend the country in a crisis. “When I say our leaders should move diplomatically, we must take note of the fact that if America should attack us, China is not coming to defend us. Likewise, Russia and Britain. All the so-called world leaders, they will talk and condemn what America has done, but they won’t help us.”
He emphasized that this was not a time for political debates but for practical action to protect lives. “This is not the time to joke. This is not the time for grammar, not time to argue, is it suicide or kidnapping? This is not the time to say it’s not Christians alone; Muslims are also involved. Innocent people are dying.”
Adeboye urged the government to seek diplomatic means to buy time and strengthen its internal security response. “Let the government use diplomatic methods to convince Trump to give us 100 days of grace to call our service chiefs to perform within three months or resign. Now, where do you come in?”
He concluded his message with hope, saying that peace would eventually return to Nigeria. “I shared with you, my children, that God said this will be a remarkable year, that the wind blowing last year will be more violent this year. Any time we have meetings like this, God picks the topic. By this time next week, we will be having the Holy Ghost service in Abuja. He gave us the theme, ‘Fear not,’ that months ago, before Trump spoke. One way or another, there will be peace again in Nigeria.”
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