THE General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor E.A Adeboye, has said only God knows Nigeria’s next president.
Adeboye made the submission on Thursday, at the just-concluded two-day Bible study programme organised by the University of Ibadan (UI) Christian Family Fellowship, at the International Conference Centre, UI.
Citing an example of a highly-placed ambassador who requested to know his opinion about the political future of the country, Adeboye said people waiting for his opinion concerning where the presidential pendulum would swing in February 14 needed not bother themselves, as his opinion did not matter, but that of God.
“Do you know that if we talk more about Jesus than we do about politics, God will take care of politics? One great ambassador asked what my opinion is about what is going on, I said my opinion does not matter. He said that was not what we wanted to hear. I said my opinion does not matter, because what God is going to do is what He will do,” the septuagenarian cleric stated. He said: “When you say you are on the side of a politician, you are on the wrong side ever possible. Because politicians never tell you the truth and you can quote me. Tell them that I said so. Politicians know how to say ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ at the same time.”
The annual event started on Tuesday, at 4:00 p.m with other sessions held at 6:00 a.m and 4:00 p.m of Wednesday, as well as 6:00 p.m on Thursday.
Adeboye, who has kept his distance from making public statements on issues relating to the forthcoming general election, while teaching on “Obedience to God’s commands,” enjoined Christians to spend more time preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to unsaved souls rather than politics.
Quoting from the scriptures, he reeled out nine areas to include: Giving, Tithing, Purity, Transparency, Forgiveness, Love, Evangelism, among others where Christians should ensure they walk with God.
Adeboye contended that if Christians focused more on preaching the Good News and winning souls to populate God’s Kingdom, God would take care of the political situation of the country.
He admonished Nigerians to engage more in profitable pastime than dissipating their time and energy on which political candidate was good or bad, saying no human being was good.
“Do you think God is sitting down in Heaven and scratching His head on who should win (the general election)? That has been settled before we were born. Don’t waste your energy discussing this one is good, that one is bad. Is there any human being that is good?” he queried rhetorically.
Adeboye said Christians should focus on telling God in prayers that His perfect will should be done in February, saying they should also understand that God could use even His enemies to carry out His will if need be.
“Ask for the perfect will of God for the elections, instead of worrying over who will win. God can use His enemy to fulfill his will.
“There are many of us who want to know the details of who will win the next elections, who is going to be president, who is going to be governor, …just say, Father let Your perfect will be done.
“What’s God’s perfect will? That if the fellow, who is going to come to power is going to be God’s enemy, it will be part of His perfect will. Because occasionally when God wants to move you to where He wants you to be, He may need to use an enemy. Joseph would never have fulfilled his destiny if his brother had loved him,” the man of God explained.
To drive home his point that politicians should not be trusted because of their penchant for double-speaking, the humorous lecturer-turned cleric told the congregation about the story of three characters among which were a Hindu, a Jew and a Politician whose car broke down at night after embarking on a journey and they had to pass the night at a farmer’s abode.
According to him, “Three people were in a car and the car broke down at night. So, they went to a farm to stay. And the farmer said “well, I I have two beds, but the third would have to go and sleep in the barn. And the first one that went to sleep in the barn, I think a Hindu or so, very soon he came and said “sorry I can’t sleep in the barn because there is a cow there and the cow is our god and I can’t sleep with my god.
“So, the Jew said I can go and sleep there because cow is not my god. But very soon, he came back and said “oh, I’didnt know there is a pig there, a pig is an unclean animal to us. I can’t sleep with the pig.”
“And the third person said “no problem, cow or pig whatever, is not my problem. And he was a politician. He went to sleep and very soon, there was a knock on the door. The farmer opened the door and found the cow and the pig standing by the door and they said “we can’t sleep in the barn because there is a politician there.”
“So, the farmer asked them “why”? They said “because by tomorrow morning, we will become liars.” And he said to them ‘how come?’ And they said ‘because he’s (politician) been with us for just five minutes and he has promised us so many things. He promised us that as soon as he gets home, he would air-condition the barn, he would give us colour television…. .’ Do I need to say more?” the man of God concluded amid an applause from the congregation.
It will be recalled that Pastor Adeboye, in his New Year prophecy to the nation, has said he would keep to himself what God told him what would characterize the political atmosphere of the year, but added that “By the end of the year (2015), many will say “all is well that ends well.”
