Media personality and religious critic, Ifedayo Olarinde, popularly known as Daddy Freeze, is at the centre of social media trends this Tuesday.

Freeze had questioned Bishop David Oyedepo‘s teaching on submission, where he admonished women to forever submit themselves to their husbands in marriage and Ibiyeomie had replied in an interesting manner.

His response to the threat against his life by Pastor David Ibiyeomie among a few other things is the fuel to another conversation and the continuation of the drama that ensued between the religious actors.

Reacting to Ibiyeomie’s verbal attack, Daddy Freeze, through his YouTube page, shared some very pensive points that go without a steep check especially as it concerns religion in Nigeria.

Speaking about the threats and other comments made by Ibiyeomie, Daddy Freeze said:

“You said you will finish me, from my understanding, that is a threat to life, a criminal offence, and should anything whatsoever happens to me, I’m speaking to the public, police, world at large, I want you to know who to hold responsible.

Every day, we shout for freedom of speech, How can our dreams be shattered by death threats from the ones we expect to guide our spiritual lives. Even with a gun to my head, I will continue to preach God’s true teaching and keep debunking errors in Christian teachings…I have called for debates on scriptures, made it open, but instead of debates, he resorted to death threats, hate speech against Somalia, broadcasters, Half-castes.”

Freeze’s response to Ibiyeomie opened the conversation on the issue of freedom of speech, social injustices and how the police have been slow to action that requires immediate attention.

We dissected his response and here some hot takes from the video:

• Did Freeze actually insult Oyedepo?

From the very beginning, Freeze reminded Nigerians that he didn’t insult Oyedepo. According to him, he only drew the pastor’s attention to the verse of the Bible that supported his own claims that submission is not a one-sided thing. As expressed earlier, many Nigerian pastors perpetually feel attack when their attention is being drawn on certain issues as it concerns their beliefs – it is no news that pastors celebrate a passage that suits their ideas at a certain point and ignore the preceding and following passages which are also in the context of what they are saying – we are not about to talk about Bible, so moving on!

• Why does it appear that Freeze has become a target for many pastors?

Freeze went further to talk about the ‘diversity’ that exists in the Christian faith. Christians, albeit, appearing to believe in Jesus, still share certain differences unlike many other religions in the world; for Daddy Freeze, these differences are valid, however, there should be a way to be able to exist peacefully with people of your religion that holds certain ideas different from your own. He shared examples of friends who believe but have different doctrines with him and who he has existed peacefully with them. It is quite surprising, that while many pastors know this, there have persisted an unspoken discord within many Christian denominations and Daddy Freeze’s fallout with Pastor Ibiyeomie is just a typical example.

• Defamation and other derogatory comments Pastor Ibiyeomie made

On the side, while this issue between the pastors rocked Twitter Monday, the trend ‘Somalia’ also hit the trends bar. Pastor Ibiyeomie had attacked Freeze’s alleged Somalian heritage by making derogatory comments about the country and addressing it in his response, Freeze stated that he is not ashamed to be associated with Somalians as he reminded Nigerians of the racist comment Pastor Ibiyeomie had dished out to a nation.

Speaking on Ibiyeomie’s derogatory comments about broadcasting and journalism as a profession, Freeze pointed out that Ibiyeomie has joined the league of people who have trampled upon the profession, labeling it a mediocre profession. Pastor Ibiyeomie may actually have more convincing to do, for more journalists to take him serious.

• What is Daddy Freeze doing about the threats?

The right question should be: What are the authorities doing about the threats to Daddy Freeze? The OAP has stated that he is not taking the threat to his life by Pastor Ibiyeomie lightly. He’s alerted the world that the Port Harcourt-based Pastor should be held responsible if “anything” happens to him. There are speculations that he may be pressing charges.

 

The drama may have died down on social media but Nigerians have been left divided on the issue. It is still important to point out that Freeze’ points on the duties of men in marriage should not be taken for granted and ignored.