National Prayer Propaganda: a call to duty for Nuhu Ribadu

By Bolaji O. Akinyemi.

After God, is government, as the claim of some goons goes; the statement is both a call to all citizens to give due respect to the authority of the government and at the same time to recognise the limitations of persons in government and of the government.

Nothing best describes the plight of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, than the embarrassment created by an amorphous “National Prayer Forum” (NPF) and its self acclaimed Director General who choose to fly the name and office of the First Lady, the National Security Adviser and of course other persons in government who should know if any such new Commission of Government was created to oversee prayer affairs and a Director General appointed for the umpteenth job role.

In curiosity lies an interesting revelation that a press conference was held on 4th November 2024 to announce the said national prayer forum, with names of such high ranking personae of the Federal Government of Nigeria as the First Lady and the National Security Adviser; no one in government reacted in any form to counter the announcement, until issues were raised in my article titled “Prayer in exchange for productivity: Obi, Remi Tinubu, Ribadu, Wale Oke, and PFN” on my blog on the 8th November 2024.

As soon as the article went public, calls came in torrents from different quarters including from a principality in the dynamics of politics in Lagos and the South West. An under utilised cyber security expert, as close as he is to the government, who in a bid to investigate the “Afolorunikan” that was behind the National Prayer Forum propaganda, ended up providing the lead that helped to unmask the personality called Afolorunikan.

It is curious that in 5 clear days of the said press release on Monday, 4th November 2024, not a single reaction emerged from the government, but my article that was published on my online news platform on Saturday, 9th November 2024 activated the needed reaction from the Government in hours.

It’s amusing that the reaction of the government to my news article was focused on me as a critic rather than a citizenship role that exposed the prayer scam; as a responsible citizen, I waited for 5 days for the Government to react to the story of the press conference of Monday 4th November 2024 that was immediately reported on the platform of The Cable, The Legit and several other news services.

Interestingly, from 4th to 8th november, nothing was heard from the government; I don’t understand if that means there is no system in place to monitor news online bordering on harvesting the influence of government for selfish pursuit by unscrupulous elements.

Eventually, before you say Nigeria we hail thee!, government issued a rebuttal to my article cum the said press conference; I was lampooned for not verifying the information about the press conference of Afolorunikan and his NPF before going public. The middle men in cyberspace are usually not visible but operationally, potent to bring results that best describes the role of some principalities in governmental appointments should guide the government on how best to relate with the public.

Government, particularly in a democracy, is a system of governing the people by the people for the people; a tripartite structure of ‘People – People – People’. No matter the conspiracy or compromise of the process, government will end up at the mercy of the ‘People’. It is our responsibility what we make of any government. Democracy will forever be at the mercy of the People.

The “People” in context of the failure of government to refute the prayer scam are the media managers of appointees. The expertise of Masterbuilder Communication can help save the government from such embarrassment by tracking news of interest to the Government. Media managers should stop making critics look like demons for reacting to public information about government to which they refused to deny or provide clarifications.

The First Lady, H.E. (Senator) Oluremi Tinubu denied organising any Forum for a national prayer by a press statement released on Saturday,
9th November 2024.

Obviously, the press statement was in reaction to my article, which referenced the said press conference, that Mrs Remi Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, would lead a seven-day event titled ‘Seeking the Intervention of God in Nigeria’s Affairs.’

The reportage of the said press conference stated that the Director-General of the National Prayer Forum, Segun Afolorunikan announced the 7-day program of the national prayer during a press briefing in Abuja on 4th November 2024.

Mr. Afolorunikan had said that the initiative for a national prayer was coordinated with Christian and Muslim religious leaders for seeking divine intervention for the country’s socio-economic and security issues; that
“Christians will meet at the National Ecumenical Centre for a week of intense prayer, with prayer warriors from various Church denominations focusing their efforts on the nation’s adversities”.

However, in a press statement issued by the spokesperson of the First Lady, Busola Kukoyi, the First Lady said the news that she is organising a national prayer is unfounded and misleading.

Mrs Remi Tinubu noted that although she is a strong advocate of prayer and praying for the nation, she believes that prayer is an act that must be done willingly, conscientiously, and sincerely.

The statement reads, “This is to clarify and inform the general public that the First Lady of Nigeria, Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON, is not organising a national prayer.

“The news circulating on some traditional and social media platforms is unfounded and misleading. Consequently, anyone who might have come across the purported news of a joint national prayer for Nigeria should disregard it as false.

“Members of the public are advised to verify the authenticity of any news or event involving the First Lady of Nigeria or her Office through official channels. Kindly be advised accordingly.” While the office of the First Lady has done what is expected of it, nothing is heard from the office of the NSA to whom the duty of Imam of the national prayer project was given by
Afolorunikan. My question on behalf of Nigerians to ‘Sheikh’ Nuhu Ribadu is, who is Afolorunikan?; Is he real or just a hustling scammer trying to use the Presidency to harvest rewards to himself through a so-called Prayer against hardship?. Is he a man ever given to prayers?.

Dr. Bolaji O. Akinyemi is an Apostle and Nation Builder. He’s also President Voice of His Word Ministries and Convener Apostolic Round Table. BoT Chairman, Project Victory Call Initiative, AKA PVC Naija. He is a strategic Communicator and the C.E.O, Masterbuilder Communications.

Email:bolajiakinyemi66@gmail.com
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