TELL Magazine

…As he formally bows out of ministry.

General Overseer and senior pastor of The Citadel Global Community Church, CGCC, formerly The Latter Rain Assembly, has taken a major step in pursuit of his 2023 presidential ambition by stepping down from the pulpit after 33 years of leading the church. For several months, Pastor Bakare had been speaking of divine revelation to become the 16th president of Nigeria. Recall that he was the vice presidential candidate to President Muhammadu Buhari in 2011 on the platform of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, CPC.

Bakare, who formally bowed out of the ministry at the end of Sunday’s service, announced that his ₦100 million nomination fee was ready. He stated that if even the amount was raised to ₦200 million, he would pay. Amidst controversy generated by his perceived anti-Igbo comment, which had pitted him against Ohanaeze Ndigbo, an Igbo socio-cultural organization, Pastor Bakare used the opportunity to clear the air.

Giving his valedictory speech at the end of the service, the fiery and controversial pastor reminded the congregation how he had served them, and taught them in the past 33 years and how he had told them a time would come when he would step aside, and it would be their turn to carry on.

According to him, “It has been grace and more grace, and manifold grace in the past 33 years as I begin to go and take a back seat to allow leaders who are already ordained and anointed to take it to another level. As I say, sometime you will see me, some time you will see me no more. Before God and the elect angel, I commend you to God and to His word of grace. To the word of His grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified.

“In 33 years, I coveted no man’s gold, no man’s silver, no man’s apparel. This my hands have provided for my necessities. And as the Lord taught me, I’ve taught you. It is much more blessed to give than to receive. When you gather together the spirit of Christ with you, and everything I’ve taught and the values I’ve communicated are with you. Be of one mind. Let no discordant voice rise among you. Speak with one voice and together make a difference in the fallen and crooked world. It is well with your spirit; it is well with your soul, it is well with your body in the mighty name of Jesus. And till I see you again, I take my bow”.

On his presidential ambition, the pastor turned politician, insisted that what God has decided to do, nobody, and nothing can stop it; not even the ₦100 million nomination fee. Teaching on how God provided a sacrificial lamb for Abraham in place of his son he was about to slaughter at God’s instruction, Pastor Bakare said “Raise it to 100 million, you’ll pay. They can’t defeat us. The money is ready. It’s in your pockets. ₦100 million, divide by 100 – one million each; 100 million, divide by 200 people – ₦500,000; 100 million divide by 400 people… so we are more than that. And yet, you know that is not fine bara. If I’ve ministered to you spiritual things, you minister to me in material things. You know, I’m not going to wait. It’s done. If you give, give; if you don’t give, it doesn’t bother me because it’s done. Fully ready. Jack it up to 200, I will make it happen. We are not running out of this race; we are running this race to obtain. It’s too late to go back. We have put our hands on the plough, we will reach our goal; we will fulfill our destiny. And you will be there also in Jesus mighty name”.

Disclosing how he had been meeting with the president in pursuance of his Project number 16, Bakare mentioned how some of his members privy to his visits had been anxious about the outcome of such visits. Said he, “I have some sons and daughters; they knew I went to Abuja. They knew I have been meeting with Mr. President. What is the outcome? What did he say? They couldn’t sleep. I was sleeping, they woke me up. E fun wa ni gist. (Give us the gist) Why are you using panadol for another person’s headache? Take it easy”. Singing a Yoruba song that says whatever God has decided to do, nobody can stop it, Bakare said “I thanked them so much for their care, for their interest, and for everything they are doing to make this a reality”.

Like Abraham could have felt when he was on the way to sacrificing his only son, the presidential hopeful confessed that “The journey of faith is not easy. You think I don’t have concerns about the number 16 project? I do. But I over-rule it by the word of God. Every time God said, I obey, period. The outcome is in His hands not mine. I’m human; I see what you feel, but I’m matured to know that faithful is He who has promised and who will also do it”.

Condemning the scourge of ritual killings in the country, the fiery pastor posited that “God asked Abraham to offer his son, Isaac as burnt offering, but God stopped him. It was a test. God did not allow him to murder his son, but God is going to allow His own son to be killed if someone on earth would obey. But the ungodly – young and old; male and female – would do what you call ritual murder. They kill in order to make money, and in order to have protection over themselves. They will sacrifice their sons for politics; they will sacrifice their son for power; they will sacrifice their sons and daughters for every imaginable thing. When we step out and began to talk about this; my daughter was involved in a very terrible accident and she escaped being killed. For days, I was thanking God. If she had died in that accident, the whole world would conclude they have used her for ritual, but God did not allow it.

“But the ungodly, they don’t care; they don’t mind. They would give their own. They would send them through fire. They would give them in ritual just for money and protection. We must be careful not to associate with such because you will become guilty by association”.

On the controversy that had trailed his perceived anti-Igbo sentiment, Bakare tried to disabuse people’s minds of his disposition towards the people of the southeast, stating that “Those who discriminate against others based on their gender and tribe, are enemies of God and enemies of righteousness because He created mankind in His image and after His likeness You must respect others even if you have different opinions. If they (Ohaneze) simply had asked why did you say this, I would have explained”.

With his eyes set on the presidency, Pastor Bakare counseled his congregation never to fight government, and to pay their taxes.

“Stop fighting government; you can’t win. They will go to court, and you keep on fighting. They don’t feel it; the case can last 20 years. Agree with your adversary while he’s still on the way. Stop fighting useless battles; the State is too powerful. Don’t underestimate; they can waste your time and waste your life. They win the case, you appeal. You win the case, they appeal. You win the case, they go to Supreme Court. Even if Supreme Court favours you, they sit on the money. We know who did that; I won’t mention names….

“You’ve got to pay your taxes. As a matter of fact, you have no right to criticize government if you don’t pay your taxes. Therefore you must be subject not only because of wrath, but also for conscience sake. For because of this you also pay taxes”.

Pastor Bakare’s valedictory speech was greeted with thunderous ovation and applause by members, with Stephanie, the member who took the day’s announcement saying “We are going to miss you so much Pastor. We love you so much; always remember that”.

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