Posted on 09/05/2005 7:06:07 PM PDT by sionnsar
Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Peter Jasper Akinola, on Saturday looked President Olusegun Obasanjo in the face and told him that he was harsh and inhuman going by the policies of his administration.
Akinola who was delivering a sermon at the final church service for the late Madam Oyindamola Adenuga, mother of Otunba Micheal Adenuga, chairman of Globacom, at Saint John’s Anglican Church, Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State, said majority of Nigerians had been impoverished following the harsh policies of the Obasanjo administration.
The cleric who also chided the president for coming late to the service, 45 minutes behind schedule, challenged him to constitute an independent body, devoid of ministers and other political ‘jobbers’ to gauge the true feelings of the generality of Nigerians about his government.
He noted that while very few people were enjoying the government’s agenda, majority of Nigerians were suffering as a result of the administration’s reforms which he said lacked human face.
He observed that since the government began to pursue its economic reforms; the economic lives of the common man have been paralysed.
“I believe in reforms, but they must have human face. People are suffering, and the president seems not to be bothered,” the clergy stressed.
According to him, “the president may not know because he only flies about without being at home to know how people fare in the country.”
Akinola who did not spare the president for coming late to the ceremony, chided him for keeping him and other members of the congregation waiting for several minutes.
The president had actually arrived the church, venue of the programme, 45 minutes behind schedule causing the congregation to murmur as his entourage arrived the church at about 10.45 a.m for the service slated for 10a.m.
Akinola who was unsparing in his chastisement of the president’s action urged the president to accord God the same respect he paid to “Aso Rock duties.”
“You kept the Primate waiting for 45 minutes, if you are to be in the Villa, you will come earlier,” he admonished President Obasanjo.
Responding, Obasanjo apologised profusely, saying it was not in his character to go late to events, let alone a church service.
He added that there were two people he would never argue with in his life, and the two people according to him, were the priest on the pulpit and a referee on the field of play.
He said there was a marked difference between a priest economist and a practical economist as he had made a pastor who is also his friend to realise in his discussion sometime ago.
Traditional Anglican ping, continued in memory of its founder Arlin Adams. May God protect Peter Akinola.
Indeed. And yet, this may say something about Nigeria as well, that Akinola felt free to chastise the president.
even He may not be Enough.
Oh, I don't know .... John the Baptist said much the same sort of thing to Herod.
Of course, Akinola's most pressing problems have less to do with economic reform, or Obasanjo turning up late, than they do with the increasingly violent Nigerian Islamic groups, who are seeking to impose sharia(sp) law in that country. The real question is how an episode like this will affect Obasanjo's willingness to do something about it.
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