By Frank Ofili
I do not comment on church matters. I have never been a serious Christian. I doubt I am even one. I am what you may call a free thinker. So I will not go there. What I’m about to comment on, after all, is not church business.
Many have condemned Mrs Sijuade of RCCG City of David branch for her excessive celebration of her 60th birthday just days after a prominent member, and financier of her husband’s church, Herbert Wigwe, his wife and son died in an air crash. Some have said that because Herbert, a pastor in the same church branch and MD of Access Bank, once loaned the church N1billion, it is reason enough for Mrs Sijuade to tone down her celebration. Some even questioned why she invited some traditional rulers.
Well, first let me say that knowing the business of banks the way I do, having worked in the industry for years, that loan was purely a business transaction between two organizations. The loan was not free. I’m sure it came with a hefty interest, and of course duly collateralized.
As for invitation to some traditional rulers. Okay, let me understand, so if a personal friend, or member of family, happens to be a traditional ruler, she should not invite them?
Second, I do not think that life has to stop because somebody died, no matter how tragic. We cannot stop drinking water because somebody droned in a river.
Likewise, we cannot stop living because somebody died. It is instructive that Access Bank itself did not waste a minute to appoint a substantive MD the moment it was confirmed that Herbert passed in the crash. I’m sure the new MD and board of Access Bank would not refrain from doing what they have to do because Herbert died.
Neither would shareholders, customers and other stakeholders of the bank. Everyone must have their dinner. Come to think of it, I’m not sure the bank declared a holiday in honour of their departed MD. Business went on nonetheless.
Still…… in matters like this, especially given the circumstance, morality ought to counsel or inform decency in celebration. Ditto the raunchy dance steps and the choice of music played.
But that is a personal decision of the celebrant. Whether it is right or wrong, I cannot say. We all have our individual opinions of what we perceive to be right or wrong.
…. Culled from his facebook Timeline
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