Cleric chastises political elites, other Nigerians over comment on Buhari’s return
National Publicity Secretary of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop (Dr.) Emma Gospel Isong, has chastised Nigerian governments at all levels, the political elite and other Nigerians over comments and activities (jubilations) made on the arrival of President Mohammed Buhari after spending over 100 days outside Nigeria for medical vacation.
Bishop Isong who is the General Overseer of Christian Central Chapel International lamented attitude of Nigerians as it concerns the arrival of President Buhari, “the President has simply return back, I don’ know why people are making noise about President’s return, to me, It is very primitive and the man is the President of Nigeria, he is back to his job after his medical leave.”
Speaking with our correspondent on phone on Tuesday Bishop Isong said “We shouldn’t spend one minute discussing anything about this man; he is only back to his job. That is not the first time he has gone out for medical leave. My Prayers is, let no International community listen to us, Father, don’t let America, Europe, Germany and many others listen or watched what we are doing here over the return of President Buhari, in Jesus Name, Amen” he prayed.
He said, may they not hear that we beat drums and dance just to welcome our President that come back from London for medical treatment. “If I was to step out of my House for the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital for medical treatment and when I come back, my children and everyone started lining up playing drums to welcome me, no, no no that is not it.
“We do not need pomp and pageantry for a man whom we employ in 2015. People should allow Mr President to rest, to focus, there is too much distraction on that man, there is too much political sycophancy, if we don’t have what to do, we should all go out for farm and stop laziness, it is one form of primitiveness and laziness that is affecting us.”
According to him, Nigerians should have thank God that he recover but should not be under pomp and pageantry, we should be sober, give thank to God for the return of Mr President, please it has nothing to do with public holiday, “I don’t know what we are making out of our democracy.
“We like making noise, we make noise too much because we make too much noise, not much is done after the noise, nothing, this is not the first time we have change mantra, we have green revolution mantras, we have operation feed the nation mantras, I don’t get excited, we are going fashionable politically and socially, fashionable without being economically reasonable, we are not translating English to practical approach that can put food on the table of Nigerians” he fumed.
Bishop Isong regretted that political class are not translating government policy to things that can put food on the tables of Nigerian. And on corruption fight, he said “I always believe in the fight against corruption, you know I am a member of the United States Embassy, Religious Leaders anti corruption committee, we are in conjunction with religious leaders in fighting corruption.
“I hope we are not using anti corruption as a slogan, it is not something of a political party, I hope it is not a trend that will fail after sometime, can we make it a culture, can we stabilized it, can we make it a point of patriotism not instrument of political vendetta?”
Edem Edem, Calabar
