Apostle Arome Osayi has broken his silence after a short video of him describing Nigeria as a “revival and prayer country” sparked controversy and widespread reactions online.
Key Highlights
- Apostle Arome Osayi responds to viral video in which he described Nigeria as a “revival and prayer country.”
- The 22-second clip sparked controversy online, with Nigerians questioning the context of his remarks.
- Arome argued that the viral footage was taken from a longer message and should not be interpreted separately from the broader teaching.
- The preacher said removing statements from their original context can lead to distorted interpretations of a speaker’s intended meaning.
- He acknowledged that ministers can make mistakes, stressing that he does not consider himself perfect or infallible.
The 22-second clip had circulated across social media, with some Nigerians questioning the context and meaning of the preacher’s remarks.
However, Arome has now pushed back against the criticism, insisting that the viral footage was extracted from a much longer message and should not be interpreted in isolation.
The cleric argued that statements made during a teaching can lose their intended meaning when portions are removed from the broader discussion.
“Every truth exists in a context and separating a statement from the circumstances surrounding it could lead to a distorted interpretation.
“Every truth exists in a context. So they take a window that is dissociated from its context and try to present me,” Arome said.
He specifically addressed the 22-second clip that triggered the latest controversy, maintaining that the portion being circulated did not represent the entirety of what he said.
“So that 22 seconds thing you cut out was standing on a context, and it cannot stand alone,” he added.
Amid the backlash, the preacher also acknowledged that ministers are capable of making mistakes. He rejected suggestions that he sees himself as infallible, stressing that he does not claim to be perfect.
“We are not saying that we don’t make mistakes sometimes, because I’m not saying that I’m a living perfect master. I’m the best thing that happened. No,” he said.
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However, he maintained that acknowledging human imperfection should not be confused with lowering the standards he believes should guide the communication of scripture.
He argued that ministers have a responsibility to operate within what he described as the minimum biblical standard for communicating the Word of God.
“But a scripture has a minimum standard of what is acceptable ministry in the service delivery of the Word, the mind of God, through the platform of scriptures. There’s a minimum requirement,” he added.
Arome also appeared to suggest that the controversy has unexpectedly increased his visibility. According to the cleric, attempts by some individuals to silence or discredit him had instead generated publicity for his ministry.
He said the attention would have been difficult to achieve through conventional publicity campaigns.
“The publicity I’ve had in Nigeria came from people that felt they wanted to shut me up. They gave me the publicity I cannot pay for because I’m approved unto God,” Arome said.
His response has now added another dimension to the controversy, with attention shifting from the viral “revival and prayer country” remark to the preacher’s insistence that the statement was taken out of its original context.
The controversy continues to generate reactions online as Nigerians debate whether the viral 22-second footage fairly represented Arome’s original message.
