When Aniedi Edet, a Major General and Director General of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), was honoured with the Knight of John Wesley in Uyo last Sunday, there were some mutterings on a number of lips close to the ears of this reporter that tended to probe the rationality of the leadership of the Methodist Church Nigeria in conferring the highest recognition in the church to a serving soldier. There were also a number of actions in words and works that offered clues to the inquisitive minds for self-provision of answers as to the propriety or otherwise of the conferment of knighthood on the 24th Director General of DICON.
Named after John Wesley, an English theologian and evangelist, who became famous for his leading role in the Methodist revival movement in the Church of England, the Knight of John Wesley (KJW) is usually conferred on a devoted Christian of the Methodist faith who is also committed to promotion of the Wesleyan heritage. The Wesleyan tradition is traced to 1700s when John and Charles Wesley fervently embarked on evangelical crusade for human holiness in accordance with biblical scripture.
