Ibiyeomie Reacts to Ban on Bus Preaching

Pastor David Ibiyeomie, founder of Salvation Ministries, has condemned the recent ban on preaching in commercial buses, saying Christians should have the same liberty to publicly practice their faith as Muslims.

“It is not treating people equally stopping Christians from preaching in buses but allowing Muslims to use loud speakers, freedom of religion must be for all,” Ibiyeomie said at a church service.

‘Leave Christians alone. “Let us allow Muslims. Let us allow Christians,” he said.

“If Muslims can also raise their microphone we are free to preach. There is no guarantee of freedom of religion. No one is warning the Muslims… “Do not stop us from preaching.

If you report my sermon, he begged, do not twist my words, and that my words be reported verbatim.

“Don’t make me change what I said. Put it like I said it. We desire peace. Don’t twist my words,” he repeatedly warned.

Ibiyeomie said he would never be silent if Christianity was being “humiliated,” warning against any policy that he felt unfairly targeted Christian evangelism.

“I will not be alive to see Christianity be humiliated in Nigeria. Never.

He also alleged that there were attempts to make Nigeria an Islamic nation but insisted such attempts would fail.

“They want to Islamize Nigeria. Some people think I joke. It’s coming but it can never be. Nigeria will never be an Islamic country.”

The pastor also noted that if Nigerians could no longer freely practice Christianity, some believers would rather leave than compromise their faith.

Otherwise, some of us will go out… If you want it, then do your Muslim part and go. We leave. But if you want peace, as you practise your religion, practise your Christianity.

Ibiyeomie also criticised what he called the silence of many Christian leaders, alleging that some had compromised their independence because of political patronage.

“Most preachers can’t speak because they’ve taken money from the leaders. You go ask your president if I’ve taken a dime from him so I can talk. “You can’t take money from a man and talk to him.”

He also dismissed suggestions his criticism was based on ethnicity, saying he had always spoken out regardless of who was president.

“I will never be a tribalistic preacher. Never.”

Ibiyeomie also drew a comparison between former president Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and the current government, saying many religious leaders who were vocal in the past had now gone quiet despite worsening conditions.

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Jonathan was here, they were screaming. It has come now, all is quiet. Even preachers stay silent.”

He said the silence was because of tribal and political sentiments.

“You know why they’re not talking? Tribalism. “

The cleric additionally argued that lawmakers were focusing on issues like restrictions on preaching and were not addressing pressing national problems such as insecurity, terrorism, hunger and the plight of Nigerians abroad.

“Terrorism is a problem. There is a hunger problem. “Nigeria has a problem.”

“They have not made laws about Nigerians being killed every day. They have not risen and said,

‘South Africa stop this rubbish you are doing to Nigerians.’”

Ibiyeomie warned against policies that could generate religious tension, stressing that peace can only be sustained where all faiths have equal rights before the law.

“If you want peace, as Muslims practise their religion, then let Christians practise theirs.”