“I’m not saying that I’m…” — Apostle Arome Osayi breaks silence over “Nigeria’s revival calling” controversy

Entertainment
By Breaking News Nigeria

Apostle Arome Osayi has broken his silence over the controversy generated by a short video clip in which he described Nigeria as a “revival and prayer country.”

The 22-second footage circulated widely on social media and sparked reactions from Nigerians, with some viewers questioning the cleric’s remarks.

Arome has now addressed the controversy, arguing that the brief portion being shared online does not represent the complete context of his message.

According to the preacher, statements made during a longer teaching or discussion should not be separated from the circumstances in which they were originally made.

He maintained that doing so can change how a speaker’s actual message is understood.

Arome acknowledges that he can make mistakes

While responding to the criticism, Arome made it clear that he does not consider himself incapable of making mistakes.

He said ministers, like other people, can sometimes make errors, stressing that he was not presenting himself as someone who is beyond correction or incapable of getting things wrong.

“We are not saying that we don’t make mistakes sometimes, because I’m not saying that I’m a living perfect master. I’m the best thing that happened. No,” he said.

However, Arome distinguished between acknowledging human imperfections and the standard he believes should guide the interpretation and communication of scripture.

He argued that ministry involves certain biblical standards, particularly when the Word of God is being communicated to an audience.

“But a scripture has a minimum standard of what is acceptable ministry in the service delivery of the Word, the mind of God, through the platform of scriptures. There’s a minimum requirement,” he added.

Cleric criticises use of isolated statements

A major part of Arome’s response centred on what he described as the practice of removing statements from their original context.

He argued that a particular statement may form only one part of a broader explanation and should therefore be considered alongside the remarks that preceded and followed it.

The preacher specifically criticised bloggers whom he accused of taking selected portions of his statements and presenting them independently.

“Every truth exists in a context. So they take a window that is dissociated from its context and try to present me,” he said.

Arome said this was particularly relevant to the viral video currently generating discussion online.

According to him, the 22-second clip was not a complete representation of the message he was delivering at the time.

He maintained that the words contained in the footage were connected to a wider context that was missing from the version circulated online.

“So that 22 seconds thing you cut out was standing on a context, and it cannot stand alone,” he added.

Arome says controversy has increased his publicity

Beyond defending the context of his remarks, Arome also reflected on the attention the controversy has brought him.

The cleric said attempts by some people to silence or discredit him had instead contributed to greater publicity for his ministry and public profile in Nigeria.

He suggested that the level of exposure generated by the controversy would have been difficult for him to purchase through conventional publicity.

“The publicity I’ve had in Nigeria came from people that felt they wanted to shut me up. They gave me the publicity I cannot pay for because I’m approved unto God,” he said.

Watch the video here…

 

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