On Sunday February 2, 2020, while the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church Of God, Pastor, E.A Adeboye was leading a prayer protest alongside other members of the church in all its parishes nationwide, one of his pastors, who is Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, was observing a thanksgiving service for surviving an helicopter crash exactly a year ago.
Osinbajo is a pastor at the Olive Tree branch of the RCCG in Banana Island, Lagos.
Sharing photos from the thanksgiving service, the official twitter handle of the Nigerian President posted thus:
“A thanksgiving service at the Presidential Villa Chapel today praising God for Vice President @ProfOsinbajo and 11 others who survived a helicopter crash exactly one year ago during the 2019 presidential election campaign in Kogi State.”
Of course, this didn’t go down well with many Nigerians who took to Twitter to lambast the Vice President.
For instance, a tweet from one Precious, which has now gone viral reads:
“The thanksgiving has been questioned by some Nigerians who are of the opinion that, how a leader be thanking God when those he’s leading are in pains?
Some are also of the opinion that with this singular action, the Vice President probably was not in support of the RCCG protest against insecurity in the nation, led by his father in the lord, Pastor E A Adeboye.
Meanwhile, the vice president was joined at the thanksgiving by his wife,Dolapo family members and his aides, including some of those who were with him during the crash.
Osinbajo, who spoke with State House correspondents after the service, said it was an awesome and incredible deliverance.
“I think that what happened on that occasion was so amazing; so miraculous; 12 of us in a helicopter; the helicopter crashed and not one scratch on anyone of us.
“That’s just incredible; so, we can only continue to thank God and to praise the Lord Jesus Christ for an awesome deliverance of so many of us; so, we just keep thanking God.
“That’s why we are here this morning to just praise God.”
“Can you imagine a situation where you survived a helicopter crash? I think it demonstrates that God is merciful; God is awesome; he is able to do all things.
“I think it just strengthened my faith and the faith of all those who were there,” he said.