Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), is bemused by the decision to redesign the naira whose value has crashed to a historic low in recent weeks, asserting the currency “is not even worth the paper it is printed on.”
Checks on Saturday showed the naira traded for N895 against the dollar on the parallel exchange platform, Aboki Forex.
Speaking at the Holy Ghost Congress on Friday evening, Mr Adeboye, who leads arguably Nigeria’s largest Pentecostal denomination, said he could not fathom why the federal government was more concerned with beautifying the N200, N500 and N1000 banknotes than figuring out a solution to increase the value.
“Our naira now is not even worth the paper it is printed on. While people are hungry, trying to find enough money to buy bread to eat, our bosses are thinking of making the naira more beautiful that is, even if it can’t buy bread, at least it will look beautiful,” said the RCCG general overseer with an air of bemusement.
“We need to ask God for mercy because what’s going on in our country, it doesn’t even make sense anymore,” he added.
Getting into the politics of the country, Mr Adeboye said God had yet to reveal to him if the 2023 general elections would hold. The nation’s electoral body has selected February and March as the election dates.
“Do you know that up till now, and this is November, Daddy hasn’t told me yet that there’s going to be an election next year?” Mr Adeboye rhetorically asked the congregation.
“We continue of course as if there’s going to be; I am saying that, Adeboye, I am not talking of other people, God has not told me yet. He may tell me tomorrow, I don’t know; but as of this moment that I am sitting before you, He hasn’t told me whether or not there will be an election next year.
He also asserted he is open to praying for political candidates who come to him for prayers, emphasising that it was up to God to grant their desires.
“Of course as usual, anybody who comes to me and he says, “pray for me,” I will pray for them. That’s my duty but it is up to God to answer. I am not trying to frighten you; I am not telling you that I know something secret that you don’t know; I am not a prophet I am just a pastor,” stressed Mr Adeboye.
Mr Adeboye announced a seven days programme where members of the church would intercede for the nation. From November 26 to December 2, RCCG members would gather in various parishes at 6pm to pray solely for Nigeria.
“We will gather before 6pm. At 6pm on the dot, we will begin to pray. We just want to pray for one solid hour 6pm to 7pm,” said the revered pastor.
