By Charles Pemu 
The Senior Pastor of Guiding Light Assembly, Pastor Wale Adefarasin, has publicly questioned the United States’ recent and aggressive show of concern for Christians in Nigeria, suggesting the crisis is being exaggerated as “genocide” to mask underlying economic and strategic interests.
Pastor Adefarasin’s comments, delivered in a video that began trending on Monday, serve as a notable pushback against US President Donald Trump’s threats of military intervention and proposed sanctions over alleged religious persecution.
The cleric argued that the killings of Christians in parts of northern Nigeria are not a new phenomenon, but rather a tragic occurrence that has persisted for decades.
“For 40 years that I have been a Christian, there have been killings in southern Kaduna, killings on the plateau, there have been riots,” he stated, adding that even killings linked to international events, such as the defacing of Prophet Muhammad’s image abroad, are not unprecedented.
He firmly rejected the Western media’s characterization of the situation as genocide, describing the portrayal as misleading. “It doesn’t amount to genocide. The way the West are talking about it, it’s as if if a Christian steps on the street, his head will be blown off,” the Pastor said.
Strategic Resources Behind US Interest?
Pastor Adefarasin went on to question the sudden intensity of the United States’ interest in Nigeria’s internal affairs, suggesting the timing may be linked to shifting global resource needs rather than purely humanitarian concerns.
He pointedly asked if the “sudden love for Christians” was motivated by Nigeria’s growing economic capabilities and natural resources:
- Refining Capacity: “Is it because we now have one of the largest refineries in the world, and no longer have to ship raw materials abroad and bring the finished products?”
- Critical Minerals: “Or is it because of the 21st century minerals that we now have in our earth, that are used to generate nuclear power for electric vehicles?”
The Pastor concluded by asking if these economic realities were the reasons “that our friends are threatening to invade our country to defend and protect Nigerian Christians.”
His remarks add a significant perspective to the ongoing national debate triggered by the US President’s threat of possible military action should the Nigerian government fail to protect its Christian population.