Debating Christian Killings Is Insensitive — Daystar Pastor
A senior pastor of Daystar Christian Centre, Sam Adeyemi, has described debates over the semantics of Christian killings in Nigeria as insensitive.
He warned that any military intervention in Nigeria by the United States could worsen the country’s security challenges.
The cleric spoke during a news conference marking the church’s 30th anniversary on Thursday, in response to President Donald Trump’s designation of Nigeria as “a country of particular concern” over the alleged persecution of Christians.
Adeyemi said if the US intervenes, the outcome could be “messy,” stressing that Nigeria needs an honest discussion about its development and security.
“It is open knowledge that some of the people supporting the killing of Christians are powerful,” he said.
“Some are at the highest levels of government. Some are wealthy. It is not something America will throw bombs on, and it will disappear. At the end of the day, we will still have to sit down and have a discussion.”
The pastor argued that Nigerians have focused too much on whether the killings constitute a Christian genocide. “It is a question of semantics,” he said.
“The evidence is everywhere — on the internet, in pictures, in numbers. Arguing over terms does not reduce the loss of life, especially for families of victims killed in gruesome ways. We should not be insensitive in that regard.”
He added that the US concern stems from its belief in the sanctity of human life, noting that some victims reported incidents to the American government.
“We should ask ourselves: do we value human life in our country to the extent that we argue over the English word used?” Adeyemi said.
“People are being killed every day for reasons they should not die. So, we cannot contest that many of those killed are Christians.”
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
