TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN!!! It’s seemingly obvious that lawlessness is gradually gaining ground in Nigeria and has equally become the order of the day, most especially from those who supposedly ought to be example to others. I so much wept over last Friday 12th September, 2014 building collapse at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Ikotun Lagos; a stone’s throw from where I reside. To worsen the situation is the flimsy excuse that was given by the General Overseer of the Church. I think it is country of ours that individuals become government of themselves; this act over the time now is rampant among religious organization in Nigeria which can’t be tolerated in any country they do visit. Please NOTE that I’m not anti-T.B. Joshua with my analysis I’m going to make hereafter as I so much respect him for his corporate social responsibility (not bags of rice or money he do give) in uplifting government infrastructures. Firstly, every word from Prophet T.B. Joshua over the incident holds no sane meaning to the ear. Who is Him or what reputation does he have for people to start targeting him? Even his Senior in the ministry in the like of Pastor Adeboye, Bishop David Oyedepo, the CAN bros Ayo Oritsejafor, Pastor Tunde Bakare considered to be a controversial Minister and host of others have not in one way accuse anyone of targeting them for casualty and yet they all have big ministry in the country and abroad. For people to pursue you it means you must have been a threat to them which I don’t think he is to anyone in this country. Also that CCTV footage showing a strange aircraft hovering the building for 4 consecutive times before the collapse is baseless when we all know the reason for the collapse was technical and architectural defect. Please that incident is never a bomb blast or chemical acid scenario, that is a foolish talk from wherever it might be coming from. We all know if it is a bomb blast, then there should be inferno – fire that come along with it. Our problem is we’ve allowed religious sentiment to becloud our sense of reasoning such that a cheap talk from so-called ‘man of God (MOG)’ easily make sense to us even when we know there is no iota of truth in it. How will a Church turn themselves as an independent entity operating aside from the Nation governance and just take law into their hand. It is height of wickedness on the Church part to upgrade the initial 2-storey building to 6-storey building without the approval of the State Government in executing such project. For my Brother, mentor whom I so much respect for his integrity, the Lagos State Commissioner of Physical Planning, Mr. Toyin Ayinde to have come on the National media ascertaining that the building was not approved by the government implies his Ministry has done great work in searching for such approval which was never in place. This has become the act of many renowned Christian Ministries in Nigeria (name disclosed) where they have turned themselves to government performing the role not assigned to them and doing their own thing in their location site. I pray the Lagos State Government to sanction disciplinary measures on SCOAN for failing to follow the due process in erecting building so that others in same act can learn their Church is still part of the Government and as such must not act independent of her. Another callous act perpetuated during the collapse is refusal of the rescue team (NEMA), Press in gaining access to the site whom many of them were brutally harassed, injured by the Church members all because they sees the Ministry as independent entity void of government intervention and T.B. Joshua came out telling the world that his members are peace loving people. How on earth can peace loving people be the one harassing innocent people? We all know that once a disaster such as this happen first set of people that get to the site are rescue workers condoning the place off and almighty gossipers – Press or Media bringing the news to public notice. Kudos to our amiable Governor Fashola who upon visiting the site yesterday Sunday 14th gave a sanction that anyone disturbing the rescue workers including SCOAN members will face the wrath of law, if not perhaps Joshua and his men will still be constituting public nuisance in not giving rescue worker chance to carry out their assignment. On a final note, if the government does not want such disaster to happen especially from SCOAN I think they should start to initiate the move in giving Prophet T.B. Joshua ultimatum in getting another spacious location that will accommodate every of his Ministry activities because I can personally tell you that location is too small to what should house SCOAN and another thing is how the Ministry is illegally snatching innocent people’s land as he keeps acquiring more land of those close to them. Another reason for this is how there is lot of stampede especially on weekends mostly Sundays in the area. ***Emmanuel Abiona is a Social Entrepreneur, Prolife writer/Author and Psychologist who wrote this piece from Lagos, Nigeria. He can be reached on twitter @emmanuel_abiona, emmanuel_abiona@yahoo and BBM Pin: 7F41764F OR themarketplacestrategist.blogspot
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 16:51:04 +0000
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