Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
Were it not for the quick intervention of well-meaning Nigerians, Udi Street, one of the busiest printing hubs in Mile 1, Diobu axis of Port Harcourt, would have turned to another Madison Square – that famous American boxing hot spot that has hosted series of epoch-making world heavyweight boxing bouts in the last three decades.
Following the incessant killings and other crimes witnessed in Rivers State in recent times, especially the case of a young man killing and burying his girlfriend in his room somewhere in Mile 4, near Wimpey junction, Rumuepirikom area of Port Harcourt last week, two pastors who came to print some materials in one of the printing press offices in Udi Street on Thursday, 6th December, 2018, had engaged in an argument over what could be the possible causes of the killings.
TPCN gathered that one of the pastors, said to be of Realm of Grace Ministries, Port Harcourt, had argued that men of God should be blamed for the rising cases of criminality, accusing them of not preaching the truth to their members.
Explaining further, the Pastor maintained that until men of God start telling their members that whatever they do on earth, they will pay for it either in this life or in their next life as, according to him, God does not forgive sins.
He went ahead to cite Galatians chapter 6 verse 7 and stressed that the mistake men of God make is that they tell people that when they give their lives to Christ, all their past sins are washed away.
He further declared that some native doctors are more sincere than some pastors and may even go to heaven while some pastors will go to hell.
Angered by the statements, the other pastor, a tall, fair-complexioned lanky man likely to be in his early fifties, whom TPCN could not immediately identify, challenged his opponent to prove how a native doctor can go to heaven ahead of a pastor.
The pastor, who came to print some flyers for his forthcoming programme, said that his grandmother was a native doctor and that he knew how devilish they could be.
He queried his opponent: “How can you say that native doctors will go to heaven while pastors will go to hell? Are you the accuser of the brethren? Do you know that these native doctors are witch doctors?”
However, the other Pastor retorted: “That pastor that killed his girlfriend that he impregnated and two other people in Oyigbo, is he not worse than a witch? You can only vouch for yourself but you cannot deny the fact that some pastors today are evil and atrocious and because they are not telling people the truth, that is why evil is increasing and whether you believe it or not, Jesus is very angry with them. If you trust yourself, you should not be angry over what I’m saying. If you’re a pastor, the earlier you start preaching the truth to your members, the better.”
At that point, the other pastor angrily stood up and charged at his colleague but was restrained by those around.
The two of them then resorted to hauling verbal bullets at each other.
After the argument died down, the Pastor from Realm of Grace stood up to leave and thinking that it was all over, apologized to his angry colleague not to take it personal, adding that he was not referring to him but those pastors who are evil.
Rather than accept the olive branch, the pastor flared up again and threatened to slap him, to the surprise of all those around.
Shocked, his colleague moved closer to him and threatened to slap him back and break his head if he dared try it.
At that point, the angry man quickly changed his tactics and boasted that he would show his colleague that he has anointing.
Amused, the Realm of Grace Pastor laughed and sarcastically prayed: “My brother, may God help you and your ministry,” and then left.
