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By ETIM ETIM
The founder of Lagos-based Household of Love Church, Pastor Yinka Yusuf has launched the most derogatory and insulting attacks against the peoples of Akwa Ibom and Cross River State, calling them all sorts of disparaging names.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelIn a video recording that has since gone viral and caused so much outrage in Akwa Ibom, Yusuf is heard telling his congregation that ‘’Akwa Ibom and Calabar’’ people are too poor despite the ‘’millions and millions’’ they receive from the federal government. He likens them to crabs which have the tendency to pull each other down when locked in a confined environment.
Yusuf’s language and tone are offensive, disgusting and demeaning. Yusuf is also the founder of Love for All Nations Ministries and Convener of Yinka Yusuf Power Crusade. I understand that he was once a Muslim, but clearly this man does not have any quality of a true man of God.
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Yusuf had last September proposed to hold a six-day crusade in Uyo tagged ‘’one million man crusade’’, from February 9 to 15 and was allocated a government facility known as Ibom Hall grounds. But last week, the government’s agency that manages the facility wrote to Yusuf cancelling the approval for the use of the facility for ‘’security concerns’’, and offered a full refund of all payments made.
Instead of seeking an alternative venue, Yusuf went into a rage, hauling the most egregious abuses against Akwa Ibom people. In the video, he says Akwa Ibom and Cross River people are too proud in their poverty.
‘’When you hear of Okon or Ekaette, what comes to your mind?’’, he asks the congregation. ‘’Houseboy or house girl or gateman’’, he replies himself. Yusuf then goes on to state that he was sent by God to go and rescue Akwa Ibom from ‘’ancestral poverty’’ and that he had already dispatched his trucks conveying the required lighting and musical equipment.
To say that many Akwa Ibom people are shocked by Yinka Yusuf’s vituperations is an understatement. After listening to his outbursts, many believe that the government was right in cancelling his crusade. ‘’He hates our people; he probably was only interested in coming to make money from his one-million man crusade’’, a senior citizen told me in utter exasperation. I have never heard any pastor sound so angry, vindictive and insultingly bellicose. I had thought that I knew Yusuf. A relative of mine attends his church in Badore, in Ajah axis of Lagos. His first makeshift building was pulled down by Lagos state government because it was built on a wrong location. He then relocated to Badore where he has a big building.
On my relation’s invitation, I have attended the church a couple of times. I have also met Yusuf in her home. Like most of these pastors, Yusuf preaches about money all the time and is given to fund-raising at any given opportunity. But I did not suspect that he’s a man of quick temper and who has no control over his emotions, especially when it comes to pecuniary matters. I have spoken to many people in and outside Akwa Ibom State government, including the Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah.
They are all thoroughly embarrassed by the conduct of this so-called man of God, more so since the government is led by an ordained pastor and a church founder.
Gov. Umo Eno must be totally mortified by what Yusuf has said about his people. For one, the governor has been most generous and welcoming to Yoruba people, himself having been brought up in Lagos and is very fluent in Yoruba.
Yusuf is from Osun State and his wife is from Benue. How come he had never gone to Benue to rescue his in laws from terrorists? Why has Yusuf not saved the South-West from the grip of rampaging herdsmen? His unrestrained attacks against the good people of Akwa Ibom State is totally unjustified and uncalled for. CAN and PFN should call him to order.
I am pleased that Akwa Ibom officials have maintained a dignified silence in the face of these provocations. It would not serve any purpose to join issue with Mr. Yusuf, especially since Bishop Emmah Isong, Chairman of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Cross River State branch, and one of the most respected church leaders in the South-South region, has stepped into the matter. Yinka Yusuf must withdraw his insulting statements and tender an unreserved apology to the people of Akwa Ibom State before he is allowed the use of any government facility. If he wants to hold any crusade on Akwa Ibom soil, he must be ready to come in humility and show respect to the people.
The Bible describes the tongue as a powerful tool capable of great good or immense destruction, emphasizing it has the power of life and death (Prov. 18:21). Christians are therefore advised to use their speech to to build up, offer grace and bring healing, while warning against slander, gossip, lies and hasty words.
May Yinka Yusuf realize the hurt he has caused my people and seek forgiveness from the Almighty God.
Amanze Chinonye is a Staff Correspondent at Prime Business Africa, a rising star in the literary world, weaving captivating stories that transport readers to the vibrant landscapes of Nigeria and the rest of Africa. With a unique voice that blends with the newspaper's tradition and style, Chinonye's writing is a masterful exploration of the human condition, delving into themes of identity, culture, and social justice. Through her words, Chinonye paints vivid portraits of everyday African life, from the bustling markets of Nigeria's Lagos to the quiet villages of South Africa's countryside . With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the complexities of Nigerian society, Chinonye's writing is both a testament to the country's rich cultural heritage and a powerful call to action for a brighter future. As a writer, Chinonye is a true storyteller, using her dexterity to educate, inspire, and uplift readers around the world.
