Cynthia Ezegwu
Founder of the Citadel School of Government and Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church (CGCC), Pastor Tunde Bakare, has clarified that his recent comments linking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to an airline crash were not intended to mock victims of the October 29, 2006, ADC Airlines tragedy.
Speaking at a news conference on Sunday, Bakare explained that his remarks at the inaugural edition of the Citadel School of Government Dialogue Series on October 4 were taken out of context, stressing that his reference to the ADC was “purely metaphorical.”
“I am not going to take part in ADC. The last time I knew about ADC was about a plane that crashed. I wish them well, because we need a robust opposition,” Bakare had earlier said.
Clarifying his statement, the cleric said his analogy was aimed at illustrating the instability within some political parties in Nigeria and was not a reference to the plane crash or its victims.
“My comments did not in any way bring into the spotlight the victims of the October 29, 2006 ADC Airline crash. I pray that all those with lingering pain from that event will find complete healing and comfort,” he said.
Bakare noted that the backlash that followed his remarks stemmed from a misunderstanding, adding that the use of metaphors to describe systemic failures is not uncommon.
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“When one takes the ‘text’ out of ‘context,’ one becomes a con,” he stated, emphasizing that his clarification was necessary to ensure accuracy and fairness.
He also referenced a comment made by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who reportedly joked that “the ADC crashed even before it took off,” explaining that his own statement predated Akpabio’s and carried no political undertone.
Bakare reaffirmed his non-partisan stance, stating: “I have remained a non-partisan nation builder at heart. I have engaged leaders across party lines, from President Goodluck Jonathan to President Muhammadu Buhari, in the hope that together we can build a Nigeria that works for all.”