In a stunning revelation, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, has disclosed a sharp, private disagreement he had with former President Olusegun Obasanjo over the Christian doctrine of the Rapture, culminating in a bold property dare.
Kukah narrated that Obasanjo once challenged him over rumors that the cleric did not believe in the Rapture. Their heated exchange, which took place at Obasanjo's "Hilltop" residence in Abeokuta, took a dramatic turn when Kukah decided to test the former leader's conviction.
“I said to him, ‘Sir, I will put you to test: do you believe in rapture?’ He said ‘Yes, I believe in rapture’,” Kukah recounted.
The bishop then issued an audacious challenge: “I said, ‘Okay, if you really believe in rapture, give me the papers for your farm in Ota and give me the keys for your house, because when the Lord comes to carry all of you, I know I will still be here’.”
According to Kukah, Obasanjo swiftly declined the offer, responding, “No, that is not the kind of thing I am talking about.”
Kukah used the anecdote to illustrate his theological stance, explaining that he believes "any day God calls you, that is your rapture," rather than a singular future event where believers are physically taken away.
The story offers a rare, humorous, and candid glimpse into the intellectual and theological sparring between two of Nigeria's most prominent and outspoken elder statesmen, revealing a personal side to their long-standing relationship.
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