All Christians Must Be Concerned” – Bishop Wale Oke Reacts To Attack On Catholic Bishops

The National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Wale Oke, has expressed strong solidarity with the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, declaring that any attack on Catholic bishops amounts to an attack on the entire Body of Christ.

Oke made the position known during a recent interview, where he backed comments made by Cardinal John Onaiyekan during a recent meeting between Catholic bishops and President Bola Tinubu.

During the visit, the Catholic delegation reportedly told the President that “Nigeria is bleeding,” highlighting the worsening security situation across parts of the country.

Supporting the Cardinal’s remarks, Oke asked whether Nigerians were not witnessing bloodshed in several parts of the country.

“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?” he asked.

The PFN president criticised the government’s reaction to the bishops’ comments, arguing that religious leaders have a moral responsibility to speak truth to those in authority.

“Should anybody attack a Catholic bishop for saying that? That is the obvious truth,” Oke said.

He also rejected attempts to create divisions among Christian leaders, stressing that the Church remains united despite its different 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 said.

PFN Rejects Proposed Bus Preaching Penalty

Oke also addressed the controversy surrounding a proposed amendment to the Federal Road Safety Corps Act that would impose a ₦50,000 fine on bus preachers.

Although the Senate has clarified that the regulation has existed since 2007 and was only re-listed, the PFN president insisted that the provision should be removed.

“We will break that law. Dear Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we will rather obey God than man,” he declared.

Oke said he had preached the gospel in commercial buses since 1975 without causing accidents or disrupting public order.

He added: “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.”

Oke Calls For Nigeria’s Exit From OIC

Beyond the controversy over preaching in commercial buses, the PFN leader urged the National Assembly to address what he described as deeper constitutional and national issues.

Oke called for Nigeria to withdraw from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), arguing that the country’s membership was imposed during military rule without adequate public consent.

“The Senate should deal with that and pull Nigeria out of the OIC,” he said.

He also called for an immediate review of the 1999 Constitution, claiming that the document gives disproportionate recognition to one religion.

“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,” Oke claimed.

He argued that the Constitution was inherited from military rule and does not adequately represent the wishes of Nigerians.

PFN Raises Concern Over Killings

Oke further reiterated concerns over what he described as targeted attacks against Christians, accusing authorities of spending significant resources countering such claims internationally while violence continues to affect communities in states including Plateau, Southern Kaduna, Benue, Taraba, Oyo, Kwara and Edo.

However, he clarified that extremist violence also affects Muslims who reject radical ideologies, stressing that liberal Muslims have equally become victims of attacks.

“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 said.

Oke disclosed that while the PFN continues to raise its concerns publicly, the organisation is also engaging with the Presidency through private discussions in an effort to find solutions to the country’s security challenges.