The Senior Special Adviser to President Muhamadu Buhari Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina has come under attack from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) over his comment on the murder of CAN Chairman, Michika local government, Adamawa State, Rev Lawan Andimi.
Recall that the president of CAN, Rev. Dr Samson Supo Ayokunle had in a statement sent to journalists on Tuesday, January 21 said the organisation is: “almost losing hope in the government’s ability to protect Nigerians especially Christians.”
But Adesina had in an article titled: Beheaded Adamawa pastor: CAN got it mixed up, berated CAN for its statement after Andimi’s murder.
Meanwhile, CAN, through the national president of Nigeria Christian Graduates fellowship, Professor Charles Adisa, has replied Adesina.
The Christian body stated that: “For Adesina, what matters is the happiness of his master not the interest of his brethren. We can’t imagine that people like Adesina cannot play Nehemiah, but continually play Sanballat over the destiny of their brethren.
“However, we understand that this is the tragedy of a man hired to market a bad product. Mr Adesina’s response is fine prose that will pass any public relations examination as a good public relations stunt.”
The statement noted that Adesina, a former senior editor at the Daily Sun newspaper, “is not the same person known to speak truth to power.”
“What an unfortunate price to pay for accepting to package and maintain a product that is not only bacterial, fungal as well as virulent, but irredeemably putrefied,” the statement added.
CAN stated that Adesina should have reflected over the concerns of CAN and advised his boss appropriately “rather than engage on insults to the association.”
“Perhaps, he does not know that sincere advice to the boss is part of the image-making programme. We think government image-makers should go on a refresher course to understand the need to advise the boss rather than always wanting to do the biddings of the boss.
“Come to think of it why can’t the image-makers advise Mr President to look into the national complaint of the need to review his security management policy with the view to changing his team in order to rejig the system? Why is Mr President giving himself out as one who does not listen to public opinion? What is special about his service chiefs that he cannot disengage them if not that they are serving his selfish interest?
“It is unfortunate that the president’s spokesmen do not understand the power of public opinion, but are well-schooled in the opposite which is propaganda. Mr Adesina should know that propaganda does not sustain any system for too long,” CAN stated.
