*If Nigeria is attacked, China, Russia Britain, others can’t help us
The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, on Friday, advised President Bola Tinubu to be wise and diplomatic in dealing with the United States (U.S.) President, Donald Trump.
Trump, 47th President of the U.S., had threatened to militarily intervene and save Christians who are being killed by terrorists in Nigeria.
Speaking during the November Holy Ghost Service at the Redemption City Camp Ground, Ogun State, Adeboye advised Tinubu to plead with Trump to give him 100 days to deal with the matter.
He also said Tinubu should give Service Chiefs 90 days to solve insecurity challenges in Nigeria or resign.
Sponsors of terrorists, no matter how highly placed and influential, should be eliminated, he advised.
The octogenarian cleric said: “You can only advise a Commander-in-Chief; you cannot command him. But I have tried. God is my witness.
“Find a way to convince the President of America to please delay his actions for about 100 days, and then come home and tell our security chiefs to get rid of these terrorists within 90 days or resign.
“If U.S. forces enter Nigeria, China, Russia, Britain and other powerful nations will not assist Nigeria, they will only condemn the U.S. action in very strong terms. That’s all”.
He advised the Federal Government to adopt a balanced and strategic approach to security challenges confronting Nigeria and Nigerians.
“If I am asked to make suggestions, I will say quietly to the government to move wisely and diplomatically. I have cousins. There were times in Nigeria when Christians and Muslims were living together. I have families that are Muslims till date. When I was little, I ate ‘sari’ with them, and I still eat my breakfast, but the issue of religion started when politics came into religion”.
He explained that hitherto, he advised past presidents privately on security and religious matters but emphasised that such efforts were limited since only the Commander-in-Chief has the power to take decisive action.
“All the presidents who were around when this trouble started, whatever I discussed is top privacy. I have done my best behind the scene, but as I have always told you, you can only advise a Commander-in-Chief; you cannot command him. But I have tried. God is my witness”.
He recalled a similar directive issued by former President Muhammadu Buhari, which he said was not effectively followed through.
“There was a President, Buhari, who issued such an order. He called the Service Chiefs together and said, ‘Get rid of these Boko Haram people or resign.’ He ran with that advice but he did not follow through because he gave the order as the Commander, but he did not follow up. The work was not done after three months, so I went to see him. I asked him, ‘Why did you not proceed with your threat?’”.
The Osun State-born cleric advised that any new order from Tinubu to the military should go beyond fighting insurgents. Their sponsors, financiers and backers should also be eliminated.
“When giving orders to the service chiefs this time around, he should make it clear to them they are not only to eliminate the terrorists but also eliminate the sponsors, no matter how influential they may be.
“When I say our leaders should move diplomatically, we must take note of the fact that if America should attack us, China is not coming to defend us. Likewise Russia and Britain. All the so-called world leaders, they will talk and condemn what America has done, but they won’t help us”.
Adeboye emphasised that the present moment called for action, rather than debate or excuses.
“This is not the time to joke. This is not the time for grammar or semantics, not time to argue, is it suicide or kidnap? This is not the time to say it’s not Christians alone, Muslims are also involved. The fact is clear. Innocent people are dying”.
The cleric said he was nearly moved to respond publicly after hearing a recent speech by Tinubu, whom he referred to as his in-law, particularly the portion that painted a positive picture of the security situation in the country.
“I almost spoke last month when I heard the speech of my in-law (Tinubu), particularly that section that spoke about security. I heard him saying, all is well now, that displaced people have returned to their villages. I almost said the one who wrote that speech does not like him. Somebody wrote it, but it was the President who read it. There are several people around Tinubu who are not telling him the truth. The following day, we read that a traditional ruler was killed in Kwara or Kogi”.
Adeboye stressed that the current administration inherited a longstanding crisis but must now focus on concrete solutions.
“Our President inherited this problem. I am an applied mathematician; I am only interested in getting the problem solved”.
