A foremost preacher and President, Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association Incorporated, Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, on Wednesday, flayed the presidency over its backlash on the General overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pst. Enoch Adeboye.
He noted that the Redeemed pastor is entitled to express his reservations.
Adeboye has recently told the Federal government to restructure Nigeria as soon as possible as that would address some of the agitations from different quarters, adding that failure to do so may lead to breakup of the country.
Unsettled with the statement, President Muhammadu Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu described the statement as ‘unpatriotic’, saying Buhari’s administration would not succumb to such ‘threats and intimidations.’
But Rev. Ukpai in an interaction with journalists on Wednesday in his office, said Pst. Adeboye is a man of God and must have seen reasons he made the statement, therefore should not be attacked.
“Adeboye like every other person should be allowed to say his mind. I don’t think he is not entitled to his opinion, he is a man of God and not a small boy, he must have seen the civil war and these things made him make the deductions,” he said.
Also, speaking on the Company and Allied Matters Act, CAMA, where it was stated that the federal or the State government can take over the leadership of a church that has crisis, the Cleric simply queried, “you mean for governments to take over the trustees of the church if there occurs problem in the church, then who will take over governments when there is crisis among them?”
On 2023 Igbo presidency and the realisation of Biafra as championed by the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, and the Indigenous people of Biafra, IPOB, he said such agitation is not the solution to Nigeria’s problems.
He, however, he emphasised that it is normal and proper that every zone should be given the chance to lead adding that the South East has not led Nigeria before and should be given the opportunity.
He also gave an assessment of Nigeria, saying that he is disappointed that at 60, there are still divisive elements holding the country apart.
According to him until we begin to love one another and respect one another, we would not make any meaningful progress.
“In Nigeria we are all in a hurry to reach where are going to, so much so that we have no regards for others, no time for others and no love for others.
“As a nation until we love one another,we cannot notice one another, only when we love that which we have, that we can develop. But in Nigeria, we don’t care whether others eat or not. If we have no respect for one another, it also means we don’t care whether others exist or not,” the cleric lamented.
Reacting on the non payment of workers salaries by some Nigerian governors, Rev. Ukpai said any governor that refused to pay the salaries of workers is just like an ‘armed robber.’
