A renowned cleric in Taraba State, Pastor Paul Rika, has dared former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Theophilus Danjuma, to go to court over his alleged defamation in a book the cleric authored.
Rika, the International Director of Holiness Revival Movement Worldwide, in a letter addressed to the former defence minister, advised him to listen and accept the reality of what he had written.
He said the written messages were divinely inspired.
Danjuma, through his counsel, Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), gave the preacher seven days to withdraw an allegedly defamatory statement contained in his book titled “God’s Message to Kuteb Tribe and Indigenes of Taraba State.”
In a demand letter dated September 27, the retired general complained that statements between pages nine and 94 in Rika’s book impugned his character and portrayed him as “a wicked, mischievous, evil, and anti-democratic person.”
The letter also made a demand of general damages in the sum of N1bn for the defamatory statements concerning the claimant on some pages.
But, in a letter to the retired general, which was obtained by journalists in Jos, on Wednesday, Rika disagreed with Gen Danjuma over the alleged defamation.
He urged Dangjuma to humble himself and accept the message as coming from God who is interested in his salvation and not his reputation.
Quoting copiously from the Bible, the cleric said “God’s message may appear damaging, but if we listen, it will change us into what he desires us to be before our death.”
He wrote, “I want you to know the certainty of the message the Lord has sent to you, the Kuteb people and the indigenous people of Taraba State. You know that God is your Creator as much as He is the Creator of other people. He loves you as much as He loves other people and will not want you to oppress them.
“God has no respect for persons; He is the Lord of all. He has the liberty to speak to anybody at any time and in the manner He wants. He is the One who will bring everyone to judgment. Should He speak to you in your lifetime on earth or after your lifetime, when there would be no chance anymore to show you mercy? Judge it yourself.”
He likened his book to the letter sent to Theophilus in Luke, saying “I do not doubt that this is true of you because the revelation came from God.
The cleric admonished the retired general, “Please Sir, acknowledge your iniquity, both as God revealed it in that book and as men testify practically in your hearing. I want you to know your need for genuine repentance through saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, your Creator, Saviour and the great Judge over your life both now in your lifetime and after your death.
“This involves genuine confession of your sins to Him and confession, apologies, and restitution to the Kuteb tribe for the wickedness you have done against them from your youth.”
