Bishop Francis Wale Oke, PFN President, stresses that true pastors address leaders privately, not through public criticism. He highlights the importance of speaking truth to power away from the media spotlight.
Bishop Francis Wale Oke, the President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), emphasized that true pastors do not publicly criticize elected leaders, especially when they have the opportunity to address them privately.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, Oke explained that while it is the responsibility of religious leaders to speak truth to power, they should not do so through the media. He pointed out that, historically, prophets in the Bible confronted kings privately to speak God’s word, which led to convictions in some, while others remained stubborn.
He added that when pastors publicly criticize politicians in the media, it is often seen as an act of hostility by those in power. Oke suggested that, instead of airing grievances publicly, pastors should have direct, one-on-one conversations with leaders. “Why criticize a governor in the media when a simple phone call can achieve the same result?” he said.
The PFN president stressed that true men of God are not seeking public praise or approval but are focused on doing the will of God, speaking truth to power in private rather than in public forums.
