Arise TV journalist, Rufai Oseni, has criticised the founder of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, following the cleric’s call for President Bola Tinubu to prevent the release of documents being sought from the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Ayodele had urged the President to stop the release of the documents, warning of possible consequences if they become public.
Reacting to the development during a discussion on Arise TV, Oseni questioned Ayodele’s position and challenged the description of the cleric as a shepherd.
In the heated exchange, Oseni asked, “Who is Primate Ayodele when I’m talking?”
Responding, Ayo said, “He is a prophet. He leads the people; he is a shepherd.”
Oseni, however, pushed back, asking what kind of shepherd would advise a leader to conceal his past when the issue concerns the nation.
“What kind of shepherd is he? A shepherd who tells people to hide their past when it comes to a nation?” he asked.
He went further to question whether Ayodele should be regarded as a moral guide, considering some of his previous public statements.
“Based on what he has said in the past, can you really make him a shepherd over your life?” Oseni asked.
The exchange comes amid renewed public attention on US records relating to an investigation involving Tinubu in the 1990s, with efforts being made in the United States to obtain additional documents through legal proceedings.
The controversy has generated debate in Nigeria, particularly over transparency and whether records concerning the President’s past should be made public.
While supporters of disclosure argue that Nigerians deserve transparency from public officials, others have warned against using unresolved allegations or investigative records to make definitive claims of wrongdoing.
The latest exchange between Oseni and Ayodele’s supporters has added another layer to the growing debate, with the journalist insisting that matters concerning the nation should not be treated as something to be hidden from the public.