PASTOR PAUL AND HIS PLAN B

 Recently one of the more popular pastors in Lagos, Nigeria, home to most popular pastors in the world, raked up a lot of criticisms because many thought he spoke in an unpatriotic tune when he told his teaming parishioners to have a Plan B. It did not die down or remain with his members, but went viral, receiving a lot of call outs from mostly our politicians. Never mind that the security has been zero in ratings considering the fact that a house adjacent to ‘ Aso rock’, the presidential house, was in the news because some die-hard daredevils attempted a brake inn. Hear the pastor:

“I bring you greetings from Pastor Ifeanyi who is busy taking care of the frontier of our world and preparing our escape route… If you don’t have a Plan B… I know you have faith, I have faith too but I have a Plan B… With technology, I can speak to you from anywhere in the world… Get yourself a Plan B. Whether that’s an Okada to Cameroon or a flying boat to Seme Border. A hole in the ground, a bunker, as we call it. Just get yourself a Plan B. Because these people are crazy. They are nuts. The whole bunch of them. And watch the signs because it can happen, just like this (snaps fingers).”

I am all for the pastor. Why? For one, he is not the one saddled with taking care of the security of the country, neither is he a police officer. But he is one citizen who pays tax. The politicians who are voted into offices have the responsibility to do that and must hold them accountable. It is those in government that ought to cope with the chaos out there.

Yet we all see in that country and hear dismal news about kidnappings, murders and all forms of vices increasing. One cannot travel from the south to the north in a car these days in Nigeria for fear of armed robbers who are usually armed more than the policemen; students are kidnapped from schools hostels and huge is demanded as  ransoms are demanded , the northern part is a hotbed for terrorism ,government cannot pinpoint the location of the criminals and most times they succumb to paying ransom demanded. Hear this:
Many weeks after Boko Haram terrorists invaded Kwapre community in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State and made away with no fewer than 52 members of the area, the insurgents have sent a demand notice to the village head to either pay a ransom of N28 million or lose the captives.

The terrorists, who are said to be emboldened by the proximity of the community to the dreaded Sambissa Forest and its inaccessibility by security agencies, have also threatened to be taking taxes from the community, which they now patrol with ease.During the deadly attack on the community last month, the terrorists killed not only 11 members of the village, but they also razed many houses and looted valuables belonging to the besieged community. Is this not incredible news to any citizen of a country where there is a government?

 The Nigeria who picked holes in the pastor’s announcement should use the same energy to tackle their politicians, not the clergyman, advising his members on the true situation of things in that vast country. Foe one I want to admit I admire the pastor for not being a hypocrite: many would have such a Plan B, but will never tell their congregation only to use the plan of escape leaving their sheep to their own faith. The most criticized people in that country are the pastors: when they pray they are called hypocrite, when they commission a church they are called thieves who rob their congregation, when they build hospitals for the community they asked then whether their God has stopped performing divine healings? Yet the fact remains that the church is one of the most vibrates in that country and has contributed a lot to the educational sectors even more than the government. It is on records that the Christians schools are the best in the country, discipline is a watchword,  it is also on record that in some schools undergraduates are not allowed to use mobiles phones in the campus! Whereas in universities runs by the federal and state government, morals are nothing to write home about, cults rules the day and patrols the night, intimidation is the order of the day unless you belong to a cult your days maybe hell on earth while you go through your course.

Now to those who say pastors should be the last to have a ‘Plan B’, where did they get that from the bible? If you hear from God to remain in the mist of battle, then remain and by God almighty no strand of your hairs will fall off while the war last, but the normal thing is to go with those who depends on you and the best is to advise your followers which Pastor Adefarasin did. When Jesus heard that John the Baptist was beheaded by Herod, left there for safety reasons because he had work to do and his time of death was not yet come Matthew 14:13 When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. Pastor Paul can depart if he feels it is not safe any longer in the country after all, one can live to die another day, when you know your time on earth is fulfilled and are ready to die.