The money the jet and the pastor by fani kayode

Much ado has been made about recent events in
South Africa concerning the Nigerian-owned jet
that was found loaded with millions of dollars and
that was in the process of procuring arms and a
fighter helicopter for the Nigerian military and
security agencies. As a former Minister of
Aviation, I wish to assure the general public that
the flying of large sums of cash by security and
intelligence agencies for the purchase of arms in a
time of war and conflict is something that is quite
normal and that it happens quite often. As a matter
of fact, it happened under successive Nigerian
governments, both military and civilian.

Obviously in the case of the jet that flew to South
Africa with 9.3 million USD, there must have been
a breakdown of communication between the South
African authorities and ours and a few lapses in
procedure here and there which is what has led to
the seizure of the money and all the ensuing
suspicion and confusion. However, the idea that
there was anything untoward or sinister about the
whole transaction has no basis in logic, sense or
rationality. Perhaps the only failing was the fact
that the cash was not declared to South African
Customs as is required by law.
The fact that our intelligence agencies have said
that they were the ones that sent the money and
that they have told us what it was for is good
enough for me. It appears to me that this was a
lawful and legitimate exercise and that there is
nothing for anyone to worry about. I am aware of
the fact that the British, the French, the American,
the Chinese, the Israeli, the Saudi Arabian and the
Russian intelligence and security agencies,
amongst many others, have indulged in such
covert ”cash for arms” transactions on numerous
occasions in different parts of the world.
They either sell such arms at short notice and off
the cuff or they procure them for themselves or for
unknown third parties. Even the South Africans
themselves have done so on numerous occasions
in the past.These are legitimate transactions that
are covert and secret in nature but they are
certainly not illegal.
Such is the murky and dark world of intelligence
and security worldwide. There is plenty that we do
not know about their day-to-day operations and
they have their own unique way of doing things.
We should not assume the worst or constantly
denigrate them simply because we are not familiar
or comfortable with their modus operandi. Suffice
it to say that anyone that is in the process of
getting arms to help our boys at the war front to
fight Boko Haram and protect our citizens and our
country ought to be regarded as heroes and not
villains.
The attempt by certain elements in the opposition
and the Nigerian media to stigmatise all those
involved in this transaction and make the whole
thing appear like something that is out of the
ordinary or sordid and criminal in nature really
does nauseate me. Those who know no better
ought to appreciate the fact that this is how the
real world operates and they should learn to live
with it.
The Nigerian intelligence services operate in no
different a way to their colleagues in the
international community and they do so with as
much patriotism, professionalism and commitment
as their counterparts from other parts of the world.
And yes, we do have our very own ”James Bonds”
in our intelligence services even though, more
often than not, they are not recognised, celebrated
or appreciated. I counsel that we should cut these
men and women that work in the shadows and in
secrecy some slack and that we should not be too
quick to label them as sleazy rogues who are
attempting to indulge in all manner of criminal
activities.
Gun running
Since we are on this topic, I would like to take this
opportunity to say one or two things about the way
in which Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the President of the
Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has been
villified, maligned and treated with the utmost
disdain and contempt in this and other matters by
elements within the leading opposition party in our
country.
The truth is that, contrary to what some of the
leading lights in the opposition would have us
believe, he is not an arms smuggler, a money
launderer, a murderer or a Boko Haram sponsor.
Going to a foreign land and telling the parliament
of that country that the President of CAN in Nigeria
is the head of Boko Haram, as one or two of them
have just done, is not only a pernicious and
vicious lie but it is also utterly shameful and
disgraceful. Worst of all, it is an affront to the
Christian community in Nigeria and a reckless
provocation.
On the South African matter, it is clear that Pastor
Oritsejafor was not the owner of the 9.3 million
USD and neither was he aware that the cash was
being flown on the plane. Though he has
confirmed that he was the owner of the plane, he
has also pointed out the fact that he had leased it
out to a company on a long term basis who were
themselves subleasing it out to other companies
for regular trips.
He has also said that he had no idea about who
they were subleasing it to, where they were flying
it to or who or what they were carrying in it in any
of their operations. The two companies that were
involved, both the one that leased it from
Oritsejafor and the one that subleased it from them
for the journey to South Africa, have since
confirmed and corroborated what he has said. In
my view, that ought to settle the matter. Yet some
people, fuelled and egged on by a ravenous and
desperate opposition, have refused to let go of the
matter and allow sleeping dogs to lie.
Those in our land trying to divide our ranks and
denigrate us by alleging that Oritsejafor is involved
in gun-running, money-laundering, Boko Haram or
any other filthy and unsavory criminal activity are
the lowest of the low. They are wicked and cruel
and I have no doubt that such people are in
desperate need of prayer.
They need deep intercession and deliverance from
the demons that have taken control of them and
that are using them. The truth is that it is a grave
insult to the Christian community for anyone to
suggest that the leader of the umbrella
organisation of the over 80 million-strong Christian
faithful in Nigeria is a sponsor of a vicious and
barbaric Islamist sect that has killed and abducted
more Christians and burnt more churches than any
other terrorist organisation in the history of the
African continent.
Stirring the hornet’s nest
The same people may as well tell us that the
leaders of the Christian community in Syria and
Iraq are the ones behind ISIS. They can also tell
us that the Christian leaders in their respective
countries are the ones behind Al Shabab, the
Taliban, the Al Nusra Front, Islamic Jihad, Al
Qaeda, Daesh, and all the other terrorist
organisations that have recently afflicted the world
with their vile inhumanity, their sheer evil and their
venal barbarism.
It is only in Nigeria that the leadership of the
Christian community would be accused, by a
supposedly serious-minded opposition, of wanting
to wipe out the Christian faith, wanting to kill all
the Christians and moderate Muslims in the
country and wanting to establish an Islamic
fundamentalist state where 6th century Sharia law
applies, where little girls are subjected to serial
rape and where women are enslaved.
Calling the President of CAN a money-launderer
and arms-smuggler and accusing him of murder
and sponsoring terror will not help to create
religious harmony in our country. As a matter of
fact, it will completely destroy it. Those that are
doing so and the political party that is stirring up
the hornet’s nest and encouraging them ought to
think very carefully about the implications of what
they are doing.
Religious agenda
We know that they have a religious agenda but
they should not take this too far or push us to the
wall. Our meekness and humility should not be
taken for weakness or stupidity. It is in their own
interest and in the interest of the unity of our
nation for them to leave the President of CAN
alone before matters get out of hand and before all
hell breaks loose.
He deserves to be accorded the same level of
respect from the Muslim community in our country
as the Sultan of Sokoto, the leader of the Muslims
in Nigeria, is accorded by Christians. What is good
for the goose is surely good for the gander. A
word is enough for the wise. By fani kayode