Cleric Slams Nigerian Pastors, Speaks On CAN Being Partisan

Rev. (Dr) Ola Ayankeye, deputy president (Academics), Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary (NBTS), Ogbomoso, has attributed the challenges in Nigeria to the failure of churches to preach undiluted gospel.

Ayankeye said this on Monday in Ogbomoso ahead of the 2019 NBTS Ministers’ Conference.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ayankeye attributed the security challenges rocking the nation to failure of the church to reach out to unbelievers and speak truth to power.

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“You know when people don’t understand God, they behave anyhow. So to “Guard the Gospel” here is talking about getting yourself equipped, understand, apply, teach and lead the gospel.

“If you do that, others will see you and learn from you in a way that they will want to live their lives to ensure transformation of the society.

“By that, all the problems we are facing will be reduced drastically,” he said.

The cleric affirmed that recklessness on the part of the leadership and the following was because several Nigerians were not spiritually grounded, stressing the need for the nation’s leaders to work with the church to restore its fortunes.

Ayankeye debunked insinuations that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) was involved in partisan politics, saying that the association was only playing its role as a stakeholder in the nation’s project.

“When we say partisan politics, has CAN ever planned to take over Aso Rock? No. The fact that the one who is wrong is not from my tribe doesn’t make me an enemy of that person.

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“So, because the person speaking does not belong to us, therefore, he is partisan. But if he is speaking what I want to hear, he is not practising partisan politics. Is that what we are saying?

“Objectivity should be allowed in our polity so that whatever anybody says should be considered rather than the person saying it. We should value issues rather than personality.

“CAN should continue to be what it is. To be CAN does not mean it should not speak about what is going on in the country. If CAN does not speak, then, it is not playing its expected role,” he said.