The founder and Senior Pastor of Celebration Church International (CCI), Emmanuel Iren, has made it clear that disagreement is not an attack, offering an apology to Nigerians in light of recent comments he made regarding Peter Obi.
In a statement via his verified handle on X, Pastor Iren expressed regret for the reactions his words triggered, particularly concerning his comments on Peter Obi‘s views on the role of the church in Nigeria and its impact on national productivity.
This follows a comment made by Peter Obi, the 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), during his appearance on the Honest Bunch Podcast, where he suggested that politics and the church were the only productive sectors in Nigeria. Obi also claimed that many Nigerians had abandoned productive activities, including night shifts, in favor of attending night vigils and church services. This statement sparked outrage among many Christians, who refuted his claims, asserting that his assertions were inaccurate and misleading.
In response, Pastor Iren, during his sermon on Sunday, encouraged his congregants to disregard Obi's statement and not allow it to discourage them from their service to God. He emphasized that Obi had overstated the issue, pointing out that there is no church in Nigeria where people attend vigils every night as suggested. The Pastor’s comments have since gone viral, with some social media users commending him for speaking the truth, while others believe he may have misunderstood Obi's intentions.
In a bid to clarify his stance, Pastor Iren took to social media to express his continued support for Peter Obi, noting that his political views align with Obi’s, but that does not mean he will remain silent when the church is being misrepresented. He reiterated that he is a supporter of both productivity and spirituality, and apologized to those who felt misunderstood by his earlier remarks. Pastor Iren emphasized that he believes in finding a balance between spiritual devotion and being productive citizens, and he encouraged Nigerians to engage in both.
Pastor Iren also shared a tweet expressing his ongoing support for Peter Obi, acknowledging that while some may view his statements through a biased lens, his intention was never to attack Obi, but rather to address concerns he had regarding the misrepresentation of the church.
“I see that this video has made rounds on this platform. These days, one has to clarify everything because most of us see everything through the lenses of our bias. Few things to note. 1. For the records, I have been an avid Peter Obi supporter. I posted a picture of us on this...”
— Apostle Emmanuel Iren (@pst_iren) November 11, 2024
Watch the video below…