By Chidi Obineche

Last Sunday, a sermon delivered by fiery cleric and Shepherd of the Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare with the title “The birth pangs of a new Nigeria” stirred the hornets nest and indeed different colours of emotions.  He said that those attempting to overthrow President Muhammadu Buhari are doing all they could to outperform him. He intoned that such people “are full of showoffs in their bid to register star performances and outdo their benefactors” Drawing parallels between Buhari and King David in the bible, Bakare said that the king may be cold and old, but the king is not dead, and residual power belongs to him.  “The next in line does not translate automatically to the next king. I kept quiet since because I know the day I will speak, all arrows will begin to fly, but guess what?  I’m beyond the enemies reach.”  The former presidential running mate of Buhari in the 2011 presidential elections followed it up three days later with a press conference where he blamed the political terrain of Nigeria for the choice of an elderly president. According to him, whenever leaders serve with diminishing energy, a leadership vacuum would be created. The boulevard of prophesies is lonely and dreary. Prophet Mohammed once narrated that “ when one prays for one’s brother the angel says:   Amen and for you the same.” Situating Bakare’s outburst in basic parlance muddles the aptness of reason. Could it be borne out of envy for Osinbajo or extreme love for Buhari? Whatever the emotions, the strongman is not the good wrestler; he is only the one who controls himself when he is angry. According to Prophet Mohammed, “the proud will not enter paradise nor a violent speaker”. He may hate Osinbajo, envy him, rate him; the bottom line is that he is not him.  Wearing this cloak evokes a slobbering strain that clobbers reason, the constitution and rule of law and beguiles the essence of a trained lawyer and pastor who has scant regard for orderly succession. And this may underscore the aphorism that people throw rock at things that shine.   Bakare may turn his swag off in the “show off” he pigeon holes the acting president. He is the birdman with a gun and a faulty breech lock which flares back. And one cannot but lose sight of the patois in the market place that if it eats your heart, then get well soon. When not checked, a streak such as this can shape a fault.  He is unarguably like the dirt bee sitting on the wound rather than on the whole beautiful body.

Bakare was born on November 11, 1954 in Abeokuta, Ogun state.  He is a prophetic –Apostolic pastor. He has received national and international attention for his televangelism, which has sometimes been critical of the Nigerian government. He is married to Olayide  who he fondly calls “ Mrs B” and has five children, two girls and three boys.

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He was reportedly arrested in March 2002 after preaching sermons critical of the then President Olusegun Obasanjo. He was born to a Muslim mother and a Muslim father whom he did not grow up to know. His mother Eebudola raised him. He was formerly a pastor at the Deeper Life Bible Church before he left to join the Redeemed Christian Church of God which he soon left to form his own. He attended All Saints Primary School, Kemta, Abeokuta and subsequently Lisabi Grammar School, Abeokuta, after which he studied Law at the University of Lagos between 1977 and 1980.

He was called to the Bar in 1981 and after his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme, he practiced Law with Gani Fawehinmi Chambers, and Rotimi Williams & Co, Solicitors, before   establishing his own law firm Tunde Bakare & Co (El- Shaddai Chambers) in October 1984.  At the peak of his legal career, he founded The Latter Rain Assembly (End Time Church) on April 1, 1989. He presides over Global Apostolic Impact Network (Gain) – a network of churches, ministries and Kingdom businesses committed to advancing the Kingdom of God on earth.