Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on New Media, Reno Omokri, has replied the outburst of a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir El-rufai, on the leader of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor.
The chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, had accused the preacher of supporting corrupt politicians, wondering why Oritsejafor would not take a cue from other CAN past leaders, including Cardinal Anthony Olubunmi Okogie, who fought tirelessly for the unity of the nation.
In his latest statement, El-rufai noted that “a time when many people kept silent in the face of human rights abuses, Okogie faced down the military government and told them some home truths.”
“It didn’t matter if the victims were Muslims or Christians; it didn’t matter whether they were from the north or south; CAN fought for all Nigerians. Okogie had the moral authority to act, and did so with dignity, to the admiration of all of us.”
He also hailed past heads of the religious group for using “their moral authority to defend the rights of all Nigerians even during the most brutal military dictatorships or corrupt and inept civilian administrations,” listing Archbishop Peter Jasper Akinola, the Reverend Sunday Mbang and Cardinal John Onaiyekan, as “shining examples of faith in action, with compassion for the oppressed and chastisement for the tyrants.”
El-rufai further described Oritsejafor, as someone “who prefers earthly gains and ostentatious lifestyle of private jets!”
In his reaction to the comments, Omokri on Friday stated that people who criticize Pastor Oritsejafor for being too aggressive in his defence of Christians and his beliefs forget that never in the history of Nigeria have Christians been under the magnitude of attack witnessed in recent years.
The presidential assistant who bore his mind on his Facebook page, said “Before anyone adds his tongue in support of Pastor Ayo’s critics, take a minute to consider the burden he bears when religious places of worship are burnt, God fearing Nigerians are killed and tens of thousands displaced from their homes and business.”
He said it would have been the easiest thing for Pastor Ayo to sit down in Warri and release platitudes as was done in the past, adding that “when you are faced with something you have never faced before, you must do something you have never done before.”
Continuing, the aide “It would be sad if elders in Christendom & Islam allow one man’s uncontrolled tongue setback the growing understanding between our two faiths.
“I am not ashamed to say however that may God bless Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and the Sultan of Sokoto and give them the wisdom to withstand provocation in these difficult times,” Omokri prayed.
Earlier in the week, the Middle-Belt Forum through its National Youth Leader, Jonathan Asake, warned El-rufai, to control his tongue and allow solutions to be found to the challenges of insecurity in the country instead of “insulting the sensibilities of Nigerians.”
The former member of the House of Representatives, in a statement noted that the one-time head of Bureau of Pubic Enterprise, BPE, is expected to act and talk responsibly, especially on issues concerning national challenges like insecurity.
“Nigerians have given him the opportunity to serve the nation as FCT Minister. Therefore, he shouldn’t destroy what he has done, just because he is no longer part of the government. He is bent on destroying the government because he has lost out of power. El-Rufai should stop talking like a Street Boy or like an Area Boy,” Asake said.
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