Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) president, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor was recently seen sporting a long rose gold chain with a medallion in the likeness of Jesus Christ.
The CAN leader was attending a function being hosted by the leadership of Foursquare Gospel Church.Also present at the event was former head of state, Yakubu Gowon.
The chain resembles similar ones seen worn by Dbanj, Kanye West, and made popular by Christopher Wallace (Notorious B.I.G) in the mid-to-late 90’s.
In contrast to the elevated levels of poverty, homelessness and hunger in Nigeria, this chain looks ostentatious.
American hip-hop stars have been known to spend in the region of close to $1 million on the exact design replica of Pastor Oritsejafor’s neck chain.
Whilst we cannot estimate the value of the chain by visual survey alone, one must take into consideration the fact that the good Pastor is a man who also owns a private jet.
It may be time for Nigeria to have a rethink. A time for Nigeria to truly soar above the mental chains of oppression binding us to an alien system of economics that damns our people to hell.
A man of God with a Jesus piece. This is sacrilege to the people of Nigeria. Pardon this riddle, ‘A pastor is counseling a politician with 48 houses, who is the thief?’ All this against a backdrop comprising scenarios like this- a woman too tattered for prostitution sleeps under the bridge in Ikeja. And a poor man too broke to afford accommodation sleeps near the Third Mainland exit on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi….under the Harmattan breeze.
The emphasis on capitalistic pursuits against a backdrop of political instability, rising insurgency and civil unrest must not continue unabated for this is why America’s National Intelligence Council (NIC) says Nigeria is the 9th State most likely to fail in the world by 2030.
Maybe we’ve reacted just a tad bit too much to Pastor Oritsejafor’s chain. Maybe in fact we are haters and we’ve just been envying his good fortune. But one thing we must all agree on is the catastrophic fortunes of the poor man in Nigeria makes it personally acceptable to be a struggling man in Nigeria, whilst we all generally hope to one day be super-rich.