In his most recent column for Saturday Sun titled ‘Press Clips’, veteran Nigerian journalist Mike Awoyinfa chronicled Redeemed Pastor J.T. Kalejaiye’s explosive sermon last Sunday in which he appeared to be canvassing support for the APC Buhari-Osinbajo ticket come February 2015.,
In his message, Pastor Adeboye’s close confidant and touted to be among the favourites to one day take over Redeemed Christian Church Of God (RCCG) predicted ‘there would be a pleasant surprise in 2015 elections’, telling congregants to ‘go and mark it’.
Sounding angry with the way Nigeria is going, Kalejaiye, the regional evangelist of RCCG fumed: “Of what use is my brother, my blood brother who is not going to move the nation forward? And you want me to vote for him because he is my brother? Don’t let us deceive ourselves.”
He continued, “We have to change our system… Who is a Christian? Who is a Muslim? When I was working somewhere, my boss was a Muslim. I enjoyed under him. My boss provoked me to study further. My boss was always after my welfare. It shall be well him wherever he is today. He is a Muslim. The soldier attached to me was with me for almost 15 years. I never knew he was a Muslim. The day he opened his mouth to say “Sir, I am Muslim,” I said “What? But you follow me to the camp. You do this, you do that.” He said that when it was time to pray he would pray.
“Brethren, wake up! Who is a Christian? That somebody goes to church doesn’t make him a Christian. That somebody bears Christian name doesn’t make him a Christian. You are a Christian yet there is no employment for our youths. People who should be feeding their parents are still being fed by their parents. How many youths can get married today without the support of their parents financially? During our own time, we did our wedding, we only called our parents to come and eat. Today, our children who are 35, we are still feeding them.
“What are we saying? Let’s call a spade a spade, brethren. Things cannot continue this way. Corruption is the order of the day. You can steal and nothing will follow. That’s all… Brethren, if you don’t do something, something will do you. Wake up!”
Pastor Kalejaiye’s veiled support for Buhari comes after he appointed Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, also a high ranking Redeemed Pastor, as his running mate for the February 2015 general elections under the banner of APC.