Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Bishop Wale Oke, has thrown the full weight of the Pentecostal body behind the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, declaring that any attack on the Catholic bishops is an attack on the entire Body of Christ. Speaking during an interview monitored by Sunday Vanguard on August 9, 2026, Bishop Oke endorsed the remarks made by Cardinal John Onaiyekan during the recent visit of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria to President Bola Tinubu, where the group told the President that "Nigeria is bleeding".
The PFN President challenged the government's pushback against the bishops, insisting that speaking the truth to power is not a political act but a moral imperative. "Are we not bleeding? Are we not bleeding in Benue? Are we not bleeding in Southern Kaduna? Are we not bleeding in Gwoza, in Borno State? Are we not bleeding in Kwara? Are we not bleeding in Oyo State?" Oke queried, reiterating the Cardinal's words verbatim. He maintained that the bishops were merely speaking the truth about the security situation in the country and should not be attacked for doing so. "Should anybody attack a Catholic bishop for saying that? That is the obvious truth," he stated firmly.
Bishop Oke dismissed attempts to isolate the Catholic bishops, emphasising Christian unity across denominations. "The Church of Jesus Christ is one. There may be many denominations, but we have one faith, one Lord, one baptism. The Church is one. If they attack the Catholic bishops, they are attacking the whole Church," he declared. The PFN leader used the platform to condemn what he described as the government's silence in the face of escalating violence against Christians, citing ongoing killings in Plateau, Southern Kaduna, Benue, Taraba, and recent incursions into Oyo, Kwara and Edo states by violent groups he linked to Islamic extremism.
The controversy stems from the Catholic Bishops' recent meeting with President Tinubu, where they reportedly drew the President's attention to Nigeria's challenges, stating that the nation was "bleeding" and required urgent intervention. The Presidency subsequently slammed representatives of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria over their conduct during the meeting and faulted Cardinal Onaiyekan for publicly disclosing details of the closed-door session. The backlash against the bishops has drawn widespread condemnation from various quarters, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who described the Presidency's attack as "an attack on one of Nigeria's most respected moral institutions", and Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi, who urged President Tinubu to accept constructive criticism.
On the controversy surrounding the proposed amendment to the Federal Road Safety Corps Act that would fine bus preachers N50,000, Bishop Oke was unequivocal. Despite the Senate's clarification that the provision had existed since 2007 and was merely re-itemised, Oke insisted it must be expunged entirely. "We will break that law. Dear Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we will rather obey God than man," he declared, adding that he has preached in buses since 1975 without causing any accident or distraction. "If you want to imprison us for preaching the gospel, we are ready. If you want to make all the stadiums in Nigeria prisons, we are ready. We would rather obey God than man," he said defiantly.
Beyond the bus preaching ban, Oke called on the National Assembly to address more fundamental issues, including Nigeria's membership of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, which he said the country entered under military rule without the people's consent. "The Senate should deal with that and pull Nigeria out of the OIC," he demanded. He also renewed calls for a review of the 1999 Constitution, alleging it is skewed in favour of Islam. "In that Constitution, Islam is mentioned hundreds of times. Christianity is mentioned once. And Christians in Nigeria are a little over 50 per cent of the population," he argued, insisting that the document was imposed by the "military jackboot" and does not represent the will of Nigerians.
Bishop Oke doubled down on allegations of Christian genocide, accusing the government of spending billions to lobby against such claims in the United States while the killings continue. He distinguished between the primary targeting of Christians and the secondary killing of liberal Muslims who oppose extremist ideologies. "The Senate should invite the Church for a talk. Nigerians are being killed. You are sitting there making evil laws. We will break that law," he declared.
The PFN president's强硬 stance represents a significant escalation in the ongoing tension between religious leaders and the federal government. By framing attacks on Catholic bishops as attacks on the entire Christian community, Oke has effectively united Nigeria's diverse Christian denominations against what they perceive as government overreach and insensitivity. The PFN's support for the Catholic bishops also signals a rare moment of inter-denominational solidarity in a country where religious divisions have often been exploited for political ends. As the 2027 elections approach, the growing alignment between Pentecostal and Catholic leaders could reshape the religious and political landscape, presenting a formidable challenge to a government already grappling with insecurity, economic hardship, and declining public trust.
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