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A Catholic missionary priest based in Brazil, Rev. Fr. Chinaka Justin Mbaeri, has criticised the Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, over comments he allegedly made about Igbo people.
In a post on Facebook on Tuesday, Mbaeri described Ayodele as a “tribal bigot” and urged the Federal Government to hold him accountable for statements he said were capable of inciting ethnic tension.
The priest faulted Ayodele’s alleged claim that Igbo people were under a “curse” and needed to “cleanse” themselves before they could attain the presidency, saying such remarks were reckless and amounted to hate-leaning speech against an ethnic group.
According to Mbaeri, the comments promote negative stereotypes and undermine national unity at a time when religious leaders should be advocating peace and cohesion.
The cleric also questioned Ayodele’s credibility, alleging that the cleric was resorting to inflammatory remarks in search of relevance following “many failed prophecies.”
Mbaeri expressed concern for Ayodele’s congregation, insisting that a leader who makes such ethnic statements from the pulpit requires “correction and accountability.”
He wrote: “Another tribal bigot that the Federal Government ought to arrest is this so-called Primate Ayodele!
“At a time like this when religious leaders should be working for national healing, calming ethnic tensions, and teaching unity, this one is busy throwing petrol into the fire and spreading ethnic hostility under the cover of “prophecy.”
“This same man publicly declared that the Igbo people are under a “curse” and that until they “cleanse” themselves, the presidency will always elude them. Imagine that level of recklessness. Instead of addressing real issues like capacity, competence, electoral systems, or national policies, he reduces an entire ethnic group to some imaginary spiritual defect. This tribal profiling derives itself from religion and prophecy.
“Who even gave him the authority to tag over 40 million Nigerians as “cursed”? What he did fits the exact definition of hate-leaning speech aimed at an ethnic group. After many failed prophecies of his and with the thoughts of not gaining relevance, he believes that spewing hate speeches would give him clout?
“The implication of such a statement is dangerous because it feeds division, poisons minds and makes one tribe look inferior or disqualified from national leadership, thus, promoting negative stereotypes. And because it comes from someone calling himself a “spiritual leader,” people who don’t know better may take it seriously.
“Honestly, I pity his congregation. How can people listen to this kind of talk every week and still think they’re receiving direction? A leader who stands on a pulpit to insult an entire ethnic group needs correction, accountability, not microphone privileges.
“Nigeria is already struggling with enough tension. The last thing we need is another man in a religious attire dragging hatred into public discourse. If he wants to do politics, let him join a party. If he wants to talk spirituality and act like a seer, let him leave ethnicity out of it. But to stand on a platform and say the Igbo people are blocked from leadership because of “a curse” is sheer irresponsibility.
“He should face the consequences of his words, because sentiments like this have torn nations apart. Enough is enough!”
