Please take time to read this... Do not IGNORE Re- Aregbesola’s misguided church project After reading the editorial of The PUNCH newspaper of Tuesday January 21, 2014, titled: “Aregbesola’s misguided church project”, every discerning reader will be compelled to ask: What is the motive behind the write-up that would conveniently pass for a desperate attempt at promoting religious tension especially in a state where faith is immaterial in how the citizens relate with one another? In summary, the editorial accused Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun of lacking clear understanding of core functions of government simply because his administration embarks on the construction of a 200,000 capacity interdenominational worship centre in the state. The editorial went on to state that it is a taboo for any government to dabble into matters of religion and that rather than face issues of development especially using agriculture, the government is busy taking over lands from farmers who ought to cultivate the lands for food productions. Perhaps what sounds most ridiculous in all the claims is that the Open Heavens Christian Convention Centre amounts to a “bribe” to silence a section of Christians in the state who had viewed with suspicion some of the administration’s programmes and policies and had tagged some of the policies anti-Christian in what remains a largely unsubstantiatedclaim. For the avoidance of doubt, the issue of a massive worship centre could not have been an after-thought for as early as one week after his November 27, 2010 inauguration, Governor Aregbesola had chosen the December 4, 2010 occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Ilesa Grammar School to announce the state’s plan to embark on the project. Those in attendance include the highly revered General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God; Pastor E.A Adeboye, Prof Wale Omole, Prof Oye Ibidapo-Obe, Justice Belgore, Mr. Tunde Oloko, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran and other eminent Nigerians. This was apart from pre-election promise over the same issue. The Governor repeated this pledge on several subsequent occasions especially during the convocation ceremony of the Joseph Ayo Babalola University, in Ikeji-Arakeji in 2012 and the visit of Pa Adeboye to him at the Government House as part of Adeboye’s tour of the Let’s Go A Fishing programme in 2012. Of course, the idea of a worship centre was not just a happenstance as the editorial sought to make it look. It emanated from the realization that many famous church leaders have their roots in Osun and precisely Ilesa and its environs. Among these are Pastor Adeboye of RCCG; Late Joseph Ayo Babalola, who was the first indigenous Christian evangelist from Ilesa, WF Kumuyi, late Prophet T.O Obadare, Pastor Mathew Ashimolowo, Pastor Kayode Abiara, Prophet G. O. Fakeye and a host of others. It must be stated that the land for the project was freely given to the State by the community through the Looja of Odo-Iju in Atakunmosa-WestLocal Government Area; Engr. Adelekun. The compensation recently paid that was mischievously reported by the PUNCH was government’s way of supporting the people of the community for the high sense of patriotism displayed in releasing their lands for development purposes. The bribery insinuation takes the argument to an all-low; albeit, pedestrian nadir. How wrong could the PUNCH be insinuating bribery and ominous gift! Bribe for who? And for what? At the heart of every policy of the current administration is rapid economic growth of the state and immediate liberation of the people from grinding poverty. For instance, as ordinary as it looks, the seasonal use of train to transport Osun indigenes to the state during festivities free of charge is to increase inward travel and encourage more people to visit the state. Every serious government must recognize what potentials there are and exploit that for its people’s economic advancement. Just as you have religious tourism, there is medical tourism popular in Germany and lately United Arab Emirate. Had the economic development of Osun been a major concern of the PUNCH editorial, it would have examined the huge economic potentials that lie in the congregation of about 200,000 visitors/worshippers to our state weekly for a year. If a worshipper spends an average of N1,000 during each of their visits, Osun will rake in a whopping N10.4 billion in a year from what the editorial prefers to demonise as a ‘dangerous religious venture’. At best, the editorial would pass for a fallacious concoction lacking in merit, reason and veracity. One wonders how PUNCH’s argument that religion is purely a private organization affair where government interventions amount to taboos can be sustained. Still Continue...
Posted on: Sat, 25 Jan 2014 13:31:27 +0000
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