An Open Letter To Pastor E.A. Adeboye (a.k.a. Daddy G.O.)

Dear Daddy, 

The Lagos-Ibadan expressway is the social responsibility of the Redeem Christian Church of God by default.

It is with a heavy sense of duty and boldness that I write you this letter.

According to – Winston Churchill ‘We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

Social Responsibility means that people and organizations must behave ethically and with sensitivity toward social, cultural, economic and environmental issues.

In the early days when Christianity was brought to Nigeria, the Christians did not come empty handed. In addition to the gospel of Christ they brought education and hospitals to our Nigerian communities. Why, because they saw that it was what we needed.

They did not care whether you were an idol worshipper or not. All they saw was a people who needed enlightenment both spiritually and physically. And so they sacrificed all they had to bring education to Nigeria. They were not afraid of demons. This is evident in the mission schools all over our nation. They were sensitive towards their environment.

Today, what do we have, a bunch of socially irresponsible Christians who come empty handed with the gospel. All we are interested in is spiritual well being. This probably explains why we have churches everywhere, in the slums, under the bridge, on canals, the expressway.

This brings me to RCCG, the fastest growing denomination in the world, in terms of church planting and corruption.

I believe the reason for rapid church growth is the strong spiritual vision of the church. I believe the reason for increasing corruption is the lack of corporate social responsibility. It is my considered opinion that RCCG and in fact the churches of today must start putting physical things like infrastructure back into the system. Otherwise there may be no legacy to leave behind.

Take the Ibadan expressway for example, no one needs to tell RCCG that it is their social duty to fix that road or push government to fix it or partner with government to fix it. If leaders like the current president can come to camp for prayers what stops us from mobilizing them to rehabilitate the road? What stops us from having a flyover on that road? Why must others suffer persecution just because we want to have a monthly meeting or convention?  Social responsibility is an ethical ideology or theory that an entity, be it an organization or individual, has an obligation to act to benefit society at large. Social responsibility is a duty every individual or organization has to perform so as to maintain a balance between the economy and the ecosystem. A trade-off always exists between economic development, in the material sense, and the welfare of the society and environment. Social responsibility means sustaining the equilibrium between the two. It pertains not only to business organizations but also to everyone whose action impacts the environment. This responsibility can be passive, by avoiding engaging in socially harmful acts, or active, by performing activities that directly advance social goals.

Dear daddy, it is time for us to get socially responsive to our community.

I therefore wish to recommend the following action to you sir:

•Set up a committee of noblemen to look at the expressway

•Let them work with or without government to rehabilitate the road

•Let there be light on this road

•Let there exist a toll gate to generate maintenance income for that road

•Let the road have its own fire trucks, emergency clinics, ambulances and towing trucks.

•Let the Redeem Christian church have its own lane for those going to camp

•Let the church recruit and pay for the services of new or existing road Marshalls during monthly meetings

•Let these Marshalls start their job from inside Lagos, Ogun and Ibadan

•Let the parishioners make this possible before 2013 convention

•Let your light so shine that men will give glory to God

God is able, God is waiting, you are able, we are waiting, it is well.

Voice of the people, voice of God.

Yours sincerely,

Olutele Ogundipe, Lagos, Nigeria.