TheCable

The president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, has placed curses on those he called desperate politicians “who are seeking power by all means”.

He was speaking on Sunday at the the 54th independence anniversary interdenominational service held at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, and attended by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The senior pastor of Word of Life Bible Church, Warri, was caught in a controversy recently when his private jet was used to fly $9.3 million to South Africa reportedly to buy arms.

He denied involvement in any deal, saying the aircraft had been leased out to a charter company.

But opposition politician, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) said the involvement of his jet was an indictment on the clergyman.

Speaking at the interdenominational service, Oritsejafor said “the punishment of God” would come upon “desperate politicians”, whom he did not name them, warning that if they escape God’s wrath, “their children and grandchildren may not be as lucky”.

He declared: “There is a consequence for the actions we are deliberately taking to trouble this nation. Nigeria is being troubled by Nigerians. Even if outsiders do, insiders are accomplices. Repercussion will come.

“God’s judgments are coming for troublers of Nigeria. If they escape, their children or their children’s children may not. There must be a reward.

“Wives, instead of covering up your husbands’ madness, warn them not to start the madness in order not to bring unnecessary judgment on yourself and children. You will not get away with it. The judgment of God will find those troubling Nigeria.”

He also expressed optimism that the country would not sink despite the challenges currently facing it, saying an unseen divine hand created Nigeria, that Jesus is also in the same boat with Nigerians and the fact that Jesus who heals the sick can also calm any storm.

President Jonathan and his wife, Patience, at the service

Oritsejafor said the same God who preserved the nation from a 30-month civil war “is more than capable to save it from the hands of Boko Haram”, adding that all financiers of the sect would be exposed soon.

He blamed corruption for Nigeria’s woes, saying it does not fall from heaven but could be traced to greed which had poverty mentality as its foundation.

This, he said, is why corruption is everywhere both in high and low places.

Meanwhile, Jonathan has again reassured Nigerians that the nation would overcome its challenges, adding that God was aware of the problems and would bring Nigeria ‎out from the woods.

He blamed lack of unity among Nigerians to challenge the perpetrators of terrorism.‎

He has also called on “highly placed politicians” to struggle for political space “with caution”.‎

He said: “The only thing is I appeal to all of us Nigerians to be united. If we are united, there is nothing we cannot conquer. Take the case of Ebola and this is a good example that all Nigerians must learn.

“When (Patrick) Sawyer brought Ebola to Nigeria, it was in Lagos that this incident happened and in terms of politics, Lagos is an opposition party but the central government is the ruling party.

“From Lagos, Ebola moved to Rivers state and this is also an opposition party’s state. But because all Nigerians fought Ebola irrespective of political persuasion, irrespective of religion, or ethnicity, we defeated Ebola.

“We appealed to people to stop shaking hands, and as individuals, Nigerians became very hygienic. It was not just one person, or Mr. President or the governors, or other officials, yes they did their work, but we defeated Ebola because all Nigerians agreed to fought the war against Ebola. That is the strengthen of unity.

“Some of the challenges we are having, whether kidnapping or the greatest problem we are having which is terror, is because all of us have not united to fight these challenges.”