Odesola JF., PhD
There is something increasingly amusing about the expectations surrounding public statements from religious leaders, particularly when the nation is passing through difficult political and economic times. Some people are waiting eagerly for Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye to speak about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. But it appears that some are not merely waiting for him to speak; they already have a script they want him to follow.
They want him to insult the President. They want him to condemn him in the strongest possible language. Some appear to expect him to pronounce curses. Others seem to want something even more dramatic—a religious declaration that sounds like an I‘dām or death pronouncement.
But that is not Pastor Adeboye.
And, more importantly, that is not how a responsible servant of God should operate.
Pastor Adeboye has spent decades building a reputation for speaking from conviction, prayer, and spiritual responsibility. Whether people agree with everything he says or not, there is a fundamental principle that should be respected: a man of God does not have to speak simply because people are demanding that he speak.
There is a difference between speaking because the crowd is shouting and speaking because one has something meaningful to say.
There is also a difference between political commentary and prophetic responsibility.
If Pastor Adeboye believes God has given him a message for the nation, he will speak. If he believes he should pray, he will pray. If he believes he should counsel, he will counsel. And if he believes the appropriate thing at a particular moment is to remain silent, that silence should also be respected.
The Bible says, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). There is a time to speak, and there is also a time to keep silence.
That principle applies to everybody—including pastors, bishops, archbishops and political commentators.
The Pressure to Say What People Want to Hear
One of the dangers of our age is that people increasingly want religious leaders to become instruments for validating their political positions.
When a preacher criticises the government, those who oppose the government celebrate him as courageous. When the same preacher says something favourable about government policy, the same people may suddenly question his integrity.
That is dangerous.
A genuine servant of God should not become the mouthpiece of any political camp.
The Church must be able to speak truth to power without becoming a political party. It must be able to challenge government without becoming an opposition platform. It must be able to commend what is good without becoming a government publicity machine.
Pastor Adeboye should therefore not be pressured to insult President Tinubu simply because some people believe that is what a “bold” Christian leader ought to do.
Truth does not become more powerful because it is delivered with insults.
A curse does not become a prophecy simply because it is pronounced from a pulpit.
And anger should never be mistaken for spiritual authority.
What Exactly Do People Want From Him?
This is where the whole conversation becomes somewhat ironic.
Some people who are demanding that Pastor Adeboye speak seem to be saying, in effect: “Why is this particular pastor not speaking?”
But then one has to ask: why should the size of a church, the location of a ministry, or the title attached to a person’s name determine whether that person has something to say?
The suggestion that a person described as “an ordinary pastor” in “one corner” of the country should be instructed by somebody with a higher ecclesiastical title is itself an interesting contradiction.
If the argument is about hierarchy, then surely spiritual authority cannot simply be reduced to titles.
An Archbishop is an Archbishop. A Bishop is a Bishop. A Pastor is a Pastor. Every office has its responsibilities and honour.
But before God, titles do not replace character, calling, wisdom or obedience.
Jesus Himself warned against the unhealthy pursuit of titles and status among religious people. In Matthew 23:8, He said, “But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.”
The point is not that titles are inherently wrong. The point is that titles should never become a substitute for spiritual substance.
A Man Does Not Become Bigger Than His Calling Because of His Title
There is something we must learn as Christians: God’s assignment is personal.
One person may be called to lead a denomination. Another may be called to shepherd a local congregation. Another may be called to evangelise. Another may be called to teach. Another may be called to influence society through education, business, medicine, politics or social development.
Paul explained this beautifully in 1 Corinthians 12. The body has many members, but each member has a different function.
Therefore, we should be careful about saying, “You are only a pastor.”
There is no “only” in a divine calling.
Moses was one man, but God used him to confront Pharaoh.
David was a shepherd boy, but God used him to become king.
Amos was a herdsman, yet God called him to speak to a nation.
John the Baptist lived in the wilderness, yet kings and ordinary people heard his message.
The power of a messenger does not come from human decoration. It comes from the authority of the message entrusted to him.
Pastor Adeboye Does Not Need to Play to the Gallery
Perhaps this is the most important point.
Pastor Adeboye does not need to perform for social media.
He does not need to say something sensational simply because Nigerians are waiting for a headline.
He does not need to insult anybody to prove that he is courageous.
He does not need to pronounce a curse to demonstrate that he has spiritual authority.
And he certainly does not need to compete with anybody over who is the loudest voice in the public square.
His responsibility is much greater: to remain faithful to the assignment God has given him.
The Apostle Paul said, “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2).
Faithfulness is more important than popularity.
Sometimes the hardest thing for a public figure to do is to refuse to give the crowd what it wants.
That takes discipline.
That takes maturity.
That takes conviction.
Nigeria Needs Responsible Voices
Nigeria certainly needs religious leaders to speak.
There are serious issues confronting the country: poverty, insecurity, unemployment, rising living costs, educational challenges, healthcare concerns and the erosion of trust in public institutions.
The Church cannot pretend that these realities do not exist.
But speaking about them should not mean turning the pulpit into a political battlefield.
Nigeria needs voices that can tell the government the truth without hatred.
We need voices that can challenge opposition politicians without fear.
We need voices that can comfort ordinary Nigerians who are struggling.
We need leaders who can remind politicians that power is temporary but responsibility is eternal.
We need prophets who can speak truth without bitterness and correction without hatred.
That is a much higher standard than simply shouting at the government.
Let the Man of God Hear From God
Perhaps, therefore, we should relax.
Let Pastor Adeboye pray.
Let him listen.
Let him discern.
And when he has something he believes God has instructed him to say, let him say it with the courage of conviction.
And if he does not say what some people expect him to say, that should not automatically become evidence that he has failed.
A servant of God is not called to satisfy the expectations of the crowd. He is called to obey God.
The Scripture says, “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).
That is the standard.
So, to those waiting for Pastor Adeboye to insult President Tinubu, pronounce curses, or issue some dramatic spiritual verdict, perhaps the answer is simple:
Don’t write his script for him.
He will speak when he believes he should speak.
He will pray when he believes he should pray.
And if God has not told him to say what the crowd wants to hear, he should have the courage to say nothing at all.
After all, the strength of a man of God is not measured by how loudly he speaks, but by how faithfully he obeys God.
And perhaps that is the real lesson we should all learn.
