Airport official demanded bribe from me before I could use my helicopter — Pastor Adeboye

General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has called for drastic action against corrupt practices in all facets of Nigeria.

The renowned cleric made the call on Saturday during a special meeting with all ordained ministers of the mission at RCCG, Region 21, Oyo State.

Adeboye, who arrived RCCG 21 Headquarters, Oluyole, Ibadan, at about 1:25 pm, said he arrived late for the meeting because someone had requested a bribe from him to fly his chopper.

He said to avoid being late to the meeting, he had decided to embark on the trip via his chopper to avoid a possible gridlock at the busy Lagos/Ibadan expressway.

Unfortunately, the 79-year-old mathematician, who did not give details of his encounter nor mention names of the bribe-seekers, said he met a brick wall despite setting out for the trip as early as 9:00 am.

“I don’t give excuses because I have discovered long ago that only failures give excuses. But you must pray for Nigeria.

“Something must be done about corruption in this nation. All I can say is that I’m this late because somebody wanted a bribe. And you know if you’re expecting a bribe from me, you have to wait forever.

“But the devil has failed. And the devil will continue to fail. Fortunately for me, when I said…I started to leave for Ibadan by 9:00 am.

“I decided to come because I know what the devil could do, by helicopter, so that there won’t be a traffic jam that would tie me down on the expressway.

“Then, I ran into something else. But by the grace of God, we’re here,” the Ifewara-born cleric enthused.

It was gathered that the authority, which demanded a bribe from the septuagenarian, was contacted to give approval for the use of the airspace at the material time.

It was further gathered that it took a presidential intervention from Abuja before Adeboye could embark on the trip to meet with the ordained ministers in Ibadan after experiencing a five-hour delay by the federal authority.

The man of God, who prayed for the over 6,500 ordained ministers of the region, charged them to cover the whole world for Jesus Christ through more aggressive evangelism and church-planting.

• Sunday Tribune.