By Peace Udugba
A former Deputy Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly and Assistant Pastor in Charge of Province of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Remmy Hazzan, has thrown his weight behind the proposed ₦50,000 fine for preaching inside commercial vehicles, arguing that such activities could distract drivers and endanger passengers.
Hazzan made the remarks on Monday during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, while reacting to the proposed Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Amendment Bill 2026.
He said Christians should obey the law if the bill is eventually passed by the National Assembly and signed by the President.
“The Bible is very clear. We are meant to obey the government. If there hasn’t been any law restricting preaching in buses and we’ve been preaching, it means we have not been breaking any law. If a law comes into force today that says don’t preach in buses, we should respect that law,” he said.
According to Hazzan, churches, including the RCCG, would educate and reorient members to comply with the law once it becomes effective.
“If the law is signed today, we will have to reorient our members. Yes, we can evangelise, but there would now be restrictions on preaching in public buses,” he added.
Defending the proposal, the cleric said preaching inside moving commercial vehicles could divert a driver’s attention from the road, thereby posing a safety risk.
“If you look at it logically, you can be preaching and the driver may become engrossed in the message. Every driver needs 100 per cent concentration with no distractions. If you succeed in distracting the driver, you endanger the lives of everyone in the vehicle,” Hazzan explained.
He, however, noted that he had not seen the full details of the proposed legislation and said compliance would depend on its final provisions.
“Maybe it may not apply to a stationary bus, as we have not seen the details of the law. When we read it, we will be able to streamline our compliance in a way that ensures the law is not violated,” he said.
Speaking more broadly on the role of the church in governance, Hazzan urged Christians to obey lawful authority while remaining committed to promoting good governance and accountability.
He advised churches to avoid partisan politics, stressing that their primary responsibility should be to nurture morally upright leaders and provide ethical guidance to members serving in public office.
“You don’t even need to be partisan because partisanship can destroy the church system,” he said.
He also called on churches to continue advocating for good governance without aligning with any political party.
“The church should sustain its advocacy for good governance. Without being partisan, let it be known where you stand,” he added.
Hazzan further urged religious organisations to establish internal disciplinary mechanisms for members who abuse public trust or engage in misconduct while holding public office.
“Every church should have a mechanism for calling its members to order, especially when they get things wrong,” he said.
