EXPRESSO By Steve Osuji
Nigeria must own the rights to the most peculiar country in the world. Nothing is strange around here anymore. From the story of snakes swallowing millions of naira notes to terrorists abducting hundreds of school children for years without a trace. And this: bandits doing cash giveaway bonanza on social media yet the security agencies claim they can’t find them. Nigerians are of course, inured to these incongruities.
Even in the midst of these worst kinds of insouciance and maladies, Nigeria is breaking bounds in matters of faith, especially Christian religion. Some of the largest churches worldwide have their origins in Nigeria. Among the richest preachers are found here. Some have suggested that black Africans and indeed, Nigeria, would be the hub of the great Christian revival. That may well be in the making but it’s also the centre of the most fanatical and heretical adherents in church history.
Though nothing is new under the sun, even through the bible days, but there seems to be a fresh impetus and renewed verve in what may be described as religious adventurism. Bastardisation of the creed, false teachings, banality and prosperity gospel are fast permeating the Christian faith in Nigeria.
Two examples of this wave of negative religionism will suffice here.
OPPROBRIOUS PROPHET
ELIJAH: A few days ago, the Government of Liberia, a neighbour-country down the west coast of Africa had a course to lament the religious rascality being perpetrated by this Nigerian fellow known as Primate/Prophet Ayodele Elijah. He is the founder and spiritual leader of INRI Evangelical Church located in the dusty outskirts of Lagos mainland.
The 66-year-old has been espousing his peculiar brand of evangelism for well over three decades.
He is known for spewing prophecies most of which are outlandish and off the mark.
Since the ascendance of the APC to power in 2015, the self-styled ‘prophet’ has become more of a politician than a cleric. His daily partisan political pronouncements have positioned him more as a political stalwart of the APC than a man of God.
Not perturbed that he more often than not, misreads current issues and indeed, stands critical matters on their head, politics is his new religion and political office holders are the butt of his laughable predictions. He prophesies about all cadres of office holders deploying harangue and intimidation in manners that seem to be outright extortionate.
Over the years, Nigerians have come to see him for what he truly is: a circus jester. But the political prophet may have raised his game today. He has gone international taking his religious parody abroad to Liberia.
In a recent ‘prophesy’ he told the Liberian President, Joseph Boakai that he shouldn’t bother seeking a second term of office, that he had already lost.
He said further that the helmsman had no work to show so far in office but was busy analysing his predictions. He made several other awkward and inelegant pronouncement about the sitting Liberia President which prompted the government of that country to write a formal letter of protest to their Nigerian counterpart.
In the letter of concern to Nigeria’s foreign ministry, they say that apart from the odious nature of the cleric’s words, the message was considered as meddlesome and taking sides with the opposition candidate.
The Liberian government further noted that the Primate Elijah’s so-called prophecies were capable of causing disaffection between Liberia’s citizens and Nigerians living in the country.
But Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Ministry responded rather poorly to an issue that has a huge potential to degenerate into a diplomatic snafu.
Nigeria seems to suggest that Primate Elijah has religious liberty and licence to malign presidents and leaders across the world at will and share such on social media.
It responded that the activities of the Primate didn’t fall within the diplomatic and constitutional mandate of the ministry. That it doesn’t curtail the freedom of expression of her citizens, noting that what transpired was more of a private affair.
It’s of course, baffling that Nigeria’s Foreign ministry would respond in such a manner but it may well be because the Primate is of no consequence in Nigeria and his daily banter have become jejune and banal, lacking in much intelligence and significance.
MANY ARE CALLED; MBAKA ISN’T CHOSEN:
Elijah is not alone in this great Nigerian religious hustle. A certain Rev. Father Mbaka of the Adoration Ministry, Enugu, said a few days ago that President Bola Tinubu is not to blame for the disgraceful spate of killings and abductions going on across Nigeria. He thinks the Oyo State governor must take responsibility for the serious breach of security in the state recently.
Mbaka too has over the years, become infamous for controversial political predictions. He plays to the gallery and seeks to curry favour from people in power.
The Catholic church has sanctioned him several times and at a point removed him from limelight by sending him to the purgatory of monastic existence. But he has remained irrepressible; almost bigger than the church.
NOT BEYOND REPROACH:
A time would come soon when laws would be required to make Nigerian clerics more responsible and accountable. Liberty must of course, come with equal doses of good sense, decorum and sensitivity. In the mix and swirl of the society, nobody is possessed of an absolute licence in engaging others. Not the government, not god’s men. Nobody.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s government must call Primate Elijah to order for his recent forage in Liberia. It must not wait until there’s a conflagration. Clergy men are not beyond reproach.
LAST LINE:
Let Kenneth Okonkwo Be Docked
Politics is not a do-or- die affair. But that’s the way people like Kenneth Okonkwo, one of the running dogs of the ADC likes to play it. For him, it’s all or nothing.
A former aide of Peter Obi in his Labour Party days, Obi who recently left the slimy marriage with the ADC to join a new party, NDC is now the cause celebre of Nigeria’s politics.
Apparently, Okonkwo and the ADC company who were longing to ride on Obi’s back to political Eldorado are deeply troubled by his sudden exit.
It’s the angst of a crafty fellow seeking to take advantage of a beautiful village belle who in turn, outsmarts him and she slips through his grubby fingers.
While the pain is understandable, it shouldn’t give room for unforced, silly errors. The type that Okonkwo, a so-called lawyer has just made.
He has practically walked himself into the dock. It’s hoped he’s smart enough to apologise because this one is a slammer. It will be difficult to wriggle out of. Very difficult. ###
