The President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Francis Wale Oke, has vowed that Pentecostal Christians across the country will resist any attempt to stop the preaching of the gospel in public places, declaring that no law can override what he described as Christ’s command to evangelise.
Speaking during a sermon on Sunday, August 2, 2026, the PFN president likened the proposed restriction on public preaching to the persecution faced by the early apostles in the Bible, insisting that Christians would rather obey God than comply with any directive aimed at silencing the gospel.
“They were being persecuted. They were told not to preach again. Just like what is happening today, they are telling you not to preach in buses,” Bishop Oke said.
“Our Master commanded us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. You cannot sit somewhere and tell us not to preach in buses. We will preach in buses. We will preach everywhere because we would rather obey God than man.”
The cleric challenged authorities to arrest Christians if they chose to enforce such a policy, maintaining that millions of believers were prepared to face imprisonment for their faith.
“Make every stadium in Nigeria a prison if you want to enforce that law. We are coming, but we will break that law,” he declared.
“I lead more than 65 million Pentecostals. Everybody should go into every bus and preach. Let them arrest us. Let them turn the National Stadium in Lagos into a prison—I will go there. Let them turn the National Stadium in Abuja into a prison—I will go there too. Let them build more prisons.”
Bishop Oke accused the authorities of targeting peaceful Christian evangelists while failing to confront violent criminals responsible for insecurity across the country.
“You are not going after killers. You are not going after kidnappers, bandits or rapists. Instead, you are coming after those who preach the gospel of peace that has transformed lives. We will not listen to you,” he said.
He further alleged that the proposed restriction was specifically directed at the Christian faith, describing it as unjust and discriminatory.
“What kind of evil is this? People kidnapped in Borno State have not been rescued, yet you are busy oppressing those preaching the gospel. It is targeted against the Church, and we are ready for it. Bring it on.”
The PFN president warned those promoting the policy to reconsider their position, saying Christians would continue to resist any attempt to curtail their constitutional and religious freedoms.
“You are not God. Those promoting that law should repent. If they do not, God will judge them. We are unstoppable,” he said.
Calling on Pentecostal Christians nationwide to remain steadfast, Bishop Oke insisted that no legislation would prevent believers from carrying out what he described as their divine mandate.
“You had better remove it from the statute. If that law remains, we will break it with joy because our duty is to preach the gospel everywhere,” he declared.
