“Seaking won’t go unpunished” – Christian group shuns Adeboye’s plea
The Concerned Christian Youth Forum has maintained its stance on the prosecution of popular TikToker Ogunsanwo Olumide John, also known as Seaking, who was recently arrested for allegedly insulting the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor E.A. Adeboye.
Seaking was taken into custody by the Nigeria Police in Lagos and later transferred to the Federal Investigation Department (FID) in Abuja under DIG Dasuki Galandanchi for alleged cyberbullying.
His arrest followed a petition by the youth group after he referred to Pastor Adeboye as “very stupid and foolish” in a viral TikTok video, criticizing the cleric for subjecting his congregation to a 100-day fast.
Pastor Adeboye calls for Seaking’s release
Reacting to the arrest, Pastor Adeboye called for the release of the TikToker, stating that Seaking was only fulfilling part of biblical prophecies.
However, the Concerned Christian Youth Forum insists that Olumide must face legal consequences for his words.
Youth group vows to pursue the case
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, the convener of the group, Adama James Paul, reaffirmed their commitment to seeing the case through to a logical conclusion. He emphasized that their petition was filed independently and not on behalf of Pastor Adeboye.
The statement reads:
“We wish to reiterate at this juncture, for the enlightenment of the general public that we are not representing any particular denomination, but the entire Christian Church and her revered leaders in Nigeria.
“We have been at the forefront of confronting these unwarranted media onslaughts directed against our leaders by invoking the provisions of relevant laws as law-abiding citizens. We were behind the petitions that led to the arrest and detention of some errant media urchins in recent times.
“Now, for the records, we also like to state here categorically that the recent petition filed against Ogunsanwo Olumide John was initiated by us, Concerned Christian Youth Forum and not by Pastor E.A Adeboye himself.
“Neither was the petition filed at his behest. As a respected elder and grandfather, Pastor Adeboye should not be expected to engage directly in such matters, but rather to focus on his divinely ordained duties as a Man of God.
“However, this does not absolve us as responsible members of the Christian community from the duty of safeguarding our Faith and our leaders from blasphemy, defamation and insult.
“This is precisely why we, as young, respectable and responsible Christians, have taken it upon ourselves to take up this noble and sacred duty of defending our Faith, our belief and our leaders by the instrumentality of law. This is to ensure that malicious attacks on Christianity and her leaders do not go unpunished.
“We believe that God works through His people to fight against injustice and oppression, and we see ourselves as His instruments in this regard.
“At this point, we would like to emphasize that we will not tolerate any further abuse of our faith or our leaders. We are fully prepared to pursue justice in this matter until it is served.
“We are determined to pursue the case of Ogunsanwo Olumide John and any other one before or after it to a logical conclusion. This is a matter of utmost importance, not just for the Christian community, but in the overall interest of peace and national security.
“We are committed to ensuring that the rule of law prevails. We believe in peaceful co-existence regardless of religious belief, ethnic identity or political affiliations. And this is not possible where people continue to use the mockery of other people’s faith and belief as social media contents.
“Let this serve as a warning to those who would seek to undermine Christianity and her leaders that their actions will not go unnoticed, and they will be held accountable for their transgressions.
The group also warned against future social media attacks on Christianity and its leaders, stressing that “those who seek to defame our Faith and our leaders must face the consequences of their actions.”
