Pulpit or Politics? The Tunde Bakare Dilemma and the Danger of Misplaced Patriotism
By Princess Gloria Adebajo-Fraser MFR
Founder, The National Patriots, Publisher Headlinenews.news. Governance Consultant, Strategist & Researcher.
April 2025
Lagos, Nigeria – In an explosive video release tagged as a “State of the Nation” address, Pastor Tunde Bakare once again stepped into the center of Nigeria’s political discourse, drawing sharp criticism and renewed debate about his dual roles as preacher and political aspirant. His recent public attack on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, less than a year into its term, has ignited questions over motive, timing, and the boundaries between pulpit responsibility and political ambition.
Bakare, who lost the 2022 APC presidential primaries, finishing without a single delegate vote, has since become a vocal critic of the same government he once sought to lead. But can his public outbursts be dismissed as objective patriotism, or are they the echoes of a bruised political ego and an undisclosed agenda?
From Prophet to Politician: A Troubled Crossover
Tunde Bakare rose to prominence as the General Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, a self-founded religious movement built on fiery rhetoric, eschatological sermons, and a messianic tone. Over the years, he has claimed divine ordination, once famously declaring that he would succeed President Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria’s next leader—a prophecy that failed dramatically when he received zero votes in the 2022 APC primaries.
Now, almost two years into President Tinubu’s administration, Bakare’s renewed criticism raises a vital ethical question: Is he speaking as a concerned Nigerian, or as a failed presidential aspirant unable to accept political reality?
“Bakare’s ambition to be President never died—it only mutated into self-righteous outrage,” notes political analyst Dr. Adamu Bello.
His outburst reflects a broader pattern of religious figures using their platforms for political maneuvering, particularly in societies with high illiteracy and religious sensitivity—a dangerous mix in a nation where over 85% of the population lacks advanced political education.
Governance Is Not Sermonizing
Bakare has never held elective office. He has never managed a local council, ministry, or economic agency. His attempt at national leadership as running mate to General Muhammadu Buhari in the 2011 election, APC Presidential Primaries, which they lost and lobbying to be a Vice Presidential candidate to a Northern Presidential Candidate in 2023 in a selfish manner when the Presidency was zoned to the South. Bakare returned to the pulpit but never dropped his ambition, oscillating between prophecy and political posturing.
Governing a country like Nigeria—Africa’s most populous nation, with over 200 million citizens and a GDP of $477 billion—requires far more than vision; it demands experience, structure, alliances, and emotional intelligence. Criticizing a president midstream, especially one navigating structural reforms, is not statesmanship—it is political immaturity.
“If Pastor Bakare truly wants to contribute to governance, he should resign from the pulpit and join the political field full time,” says Dr. Amiida Fraser, MFR, governance consultant and ethics adviser.
What Role Should Clergy Play in a Secular State?
Globally, respected clergy avoid direct condemnation of governments. In the United States, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) restricts pastors from making partisan political endorsements to retain tax-exempt status. In the United Kingdom, the Church of England rarely issues statements on government affairs unless rooted in human rights or national crisis.
By contrast, Bakare continues to weaponize his religious pulpit to undermine an elected president, leaning on the trust of followers who are ill-equipped to distinguish between faith-driven sermons and politically motivated commentary.
This is dangerous for three reasons:
1. It blurs the lines between Church and State, threatening Nigeria’s secular constitutional foundation.
2. It manipulates religious sentiment to delegitimize government authority, especially among an emotionally driven population.
3. It distracts from real nation-building, replacing evidence-based critique with subjective outrage.
Personal Ambition Disguised as Prophetic Mandate
It’s important to note that Bakare once lobbied for the Vice President’s slot in Buhari’s final term before the APC Primaries demonstrating the depth of his ambition for Aso Rock. His recent criticisms, therefore, are not driven by love for Nigeria, but by personal frustration over political irrelevance.
One must ask: What sector has Pastor Tunde Bakare transformed in Nigeria—education, health, economy, infrastructure? Beyond the cathedral he built, where is the empirical impact? His followers, many of whom remain poor and uninformed, have been fed apocalyptic visions and now, confusing political sermons.
“Politics is often the masquerading of personal interest dressed as public service,” says veteran columnist Sam Olatunde.
“Bakare has mastered the costume but failed the performance.”
Conclusion: Leadership Requires Clarity of Calling
Nigeria’s future cannot be entrusted to individuals who oscillate between prophecy and protest, pulpit and power, righteousness and rivalry. Governance is a full-time, results-driven assignment—not a stage for personal brand revival.
Pastor Bakare must choose: be a shepherd of souls or a contender for office, but not both.
In the words of the scriptures he often quotes: “No man can serve two masters…”
And Nigeria cannot afford pretenders to the throne hiding behind the cloak of patriotism and prophecy.
Bakare in his video starts like a person who is the leader of a Coup d’ Etat against the State and justifying the reason for his criminal action on an elected President. This freedom to incite Nigerians against constituted authority in a democracy is a treasonable offense. Nigerians are aware that things are challenging but the government is trying to educate them on the need for reform while making effort to address the poverty index within the food security, health and other critical sectors. Bakare as a so called man of God ought to give suggestions to the government rather than publish Broadcasts to undermine the government’s effort. That is unacceptable for a man of God. It is obvious that his outbursts lacks good will and good intentions. He is set to stir the hornet’s nest and what Nigeria needs now is peace as the polity is overheated with the unfortunate incidents in the Northcentral states.
Headlinenews.news Special Report.
