"Pastors With Private Jets An Embarrassment To Christianity", Says Bishop Kukah-The Nation

The acquisition of private jets
by Christian leaders
diminishes the moral voice
of the church in the fight
against corruption, the
Catholic Bishop of Sokoto
Diocese, Most Rev Matthew
Kukah, declared yesterday.
He spoke against the
backdrop of the presentation
of a private jet to the
National President of the
Christian Association of
Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo
Oritsejafor, by members of
his church during the
celebration of his 40th
anniversary in the ministry
penultimate Saturday.
Kukah, who was guest
speaker at the annual
Founder’s Day Anniversary
lecture of Providence Baptist
Church in Lagos, described
exhibition of such opulence
by church leaders as
embarrassing.
The fiery cleric who spoke on
‘Church and the state in the
pursuit of the common
good’, said: “The stories of
corrupt men and women
being given recognition by
their churches or mosques
as gallant sons and
daughters and the
embarrassing stories of
pastors displaying
conspicuous wealth as we
hear from the purchases of
private jets and so on clearly
diminish our moral voice.”
Kukah, who was represented
by the Administrator of Holy
Cross Cathedral Lagos, Rev.
Monsignor Pascal
Nwaezeapu, also expressed
displeasure with the
perceived closeness of the
CAN leadership to the
corridors of powers.
He said such alliance will
weaken the ability of the
church to speak the truth to
elected public office holders.
According to him: “CAN has
become more visible in
relation to national prayer
sessions, pilgrimages,
alliances with state power
and so on.
“Unless we distance
ourselves, we cannot speak
the truth to power. We
cannot hear the wails of the
poor and the weak. We
should not be seen as
playing the praying wing of
the party in power.”
He challenged the church to
speak against corruption in
low and high places, saying
such responsibility must
never be jettisoned for any
reason.
Apart from Orisejafor, other
church leaders who own
private jets include Founder
of Living Faith Ministries,
Bishop David Oyedepo;
General Overseer of
Redeemed Christian Church
of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch
Adeboye; Founder of The
Redeemed Evangelical
Mission (TREM), Bishop Mike
Okonkwo and Pastor Chris
Oyakhilome of Christ
Embassy Church.