Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere, the controversial Onitsha-based cleric better known as Odumeje, has warned Nigerian pastors not to pray for Israel amid its ongoing war with Hamas in Palestine.
On October 7, the Hamas militant group infiltrated Israel from Gaza in an unprecedented attack through the air, land and sea — opening another vicious chapter in the age-long, complex crisis between Israel and Palestine.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minster of Israel, also vowed that it would annihilate the Hamas militant group and asked residents of Gaza to flee the city as Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) will operate forcefully.
More than 4,000 people have reportedly been killed on both sides since the latest conflict began.
In a now-viral video, Odumeje, while addressing his congregation, threatened to make any Nigerian pastor who keeps calling for prayers for Israel “deaf and dumb”.
Prophet Odumeje sends a warning to fellow pastors to stop praying for Israel pic.twitter.com/gRBaYwsvei
— CableLifestyle (@CableLifestyle) October 22, 2023
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He, however, urged clerics to rather focus their prayers on the challenges bedeviling Nigeria.
“Your own country Nigeria, you have not prayed for your president who does not know left and right,” he spoke in a mixture of Igbo and pidgin English.
“Any pastor I hear say pray for Israel… If you pray pim for any Israel, I will make you deaf and dumb. Pastor agbero.”
Odumeje’s warning comes a few days after Enoch Adeboye, the general overseer of the Redeem Christian Church of God (RCCG), attracted criticism from social media users for offering prayers for Israel.
Odumeje is famous for making headlines with statements that are mostly controversial.
In March, the cleric, also nicknamed ‘Indaboski’, revealed that he had little time left to spend on earth.
“I don’t have much time left on earth. I came into the world to work. I came to do the work God asked me to do. Jesus sent me into the world to work. Once I’m done, I will go back home,” he said.
“Odumeje has no time left. In a bit more time, the mighty will be gone. I named my son King David.
“I told him, ‘David, in no time, your father will be gone. Look at your siblings. Look at my family. I came to spread the gospel. When I’m done, I’ll be gone.”
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