I woke up this morning with numbing thoughts. How and why, I still don’t know but on my mind is the plethora of Pentecostal churches and their platitudes of prophecies and unsolicited visions for the nation when it is least needed but serves their self-serving agenda.

The country has been gripped in an unprecedented crisis the likes of which analyst claims is worst than the avoidable civil war that plunged the nation into darkness for 3 years. We have heard accusations and counter accusations from all groups. All plausible and possible reasons have been advanced as the root causes of the Boko Haram crisis. Citizens have cried out loud to whatever God they believe in, so loud that the rest of the world has joined in the effort to save the country from itself.

What, however, is numbing my mind is the dearth of specific prophecies or the failure of prophecies from the much touted Men and Women of God that have invaded our space with loud speakers and vein glorious materialistic prophetic pneumatics. Forgive my ignorance of the mystery of the God of the Born Again Christians, but it seems to me that this God of theirs answer prayers only when all the constellations are aligned and all that is needed is to give it a name. Otherwise, how does one explain the deafening silence from the pulpit in the face of blatant criminal disaster that seems to have defied our earthly government and military operatives? This is when we need prophecies from our Men and Women of God. As usual they seem to be found wanting! There is still time though.

The voice of the people, the say is the voice of God, is there anyone out there besides Boko Haram and its sympathizers that are not crying out to God for help? Of course, Boko Haram are also praying to god for help to win their “jihad”! Seemingly, their god seems to be having a field day, however, Permit me to say that their god cannot have the last laugh; I know that for a fact, but while they are having the upper hand, you cannot fault me for expecting clairvoyance from the Nigeria self-styled men and women of God! Interestingly, the only religious success recorded so far seems to be the one where some women were said to have repelled Boko Haram through traditional means! Is it time then to revisit the ways of our forbears? Just asking, though.

I saw Tunde Bakare video where he was ranting like a Bull and louder than an empty drum without Godlike substance to what he rants about on social media recently. He blames everybody for Boko Haram misnomer, including the people and government of the USA! While I have no prove to counter his position, as a Man of God, one would have expected him to give us a clearer information on the solution to our problem since he speaks on behalf of the all knowing God.

Pastor Bakare prayer for all countries sponsoring terror in Nigeria to suffer failed economy, to say the least, is a terrible thing for someone who represents God to advocate for. I mean even if there is a country that sponsors terror, am sure we have Nigerians benefiting in such countries and not everyone in such a country would be guilty! So, praying for their economy to fail is equivalent to throwing away the baby and the bathe water.  Prayer should be more targeted if we want God to act. His prayer for such countries to suffer multiple terrors and for their young men and women to rise against them in Jesus name seems to be happening in Nigeria. Assuming God had answered Mr. Bakare’s prayer, it would mean that Boko Haram does not have any outside sponsors and that it is home grown evil. In effect, need I remind Bakare and his group that it is better to keep mum rather that pray, if you don’t know or you are not sure of what you are praying for! Your prayer may turn around and destroy you. We have since heard of how Nigerian Army is implicated in the sale of military hardware to Boko Haram.

In any case, all his prophecies and prayers could be classified as safe prophecies because there is nothing direct and specific. If the economy of the suspected nations fails for any reason or there is a major terror attack in such country, Mr. Bkare would claim that it was because of his prayer, if the economy grow stronger and there is no terror attack, he would then say that the countries had no hand in the Boko Haram saga and so his God spared them! This prophecy is left to chance. This is not good at all. 

 

Other pastors have not done better by their God either. “Pastor Oritsejafor, the President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has called on Christians to defend themselves against the attacks of Boko Haram members to save their lives and properties. This simply means that he is advocating for Christians to take over the role of the Nigerian government as the ultimate provider of security and a negation of the Biblical injunction to turn the other cheeks!

Interestingly, apart from Pastors W.F. Kumuyi and T.B. Joshua who disagreed with Oritsejafor publicly, every other notable pastor in the business of Pentecostal Christianity that has spoken publicly on the matter supports Oritsejafor. Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the biggest Pentecostal church in Nigeria agreed with the advice of Pastor Oritsejafor. Evangelist Uma Ukpai, a prominent Man of God in the Pentecostal genre also agree with Oritsejafor, Bishop Mike Okonkwo, former President of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria also towed the line of self-defense which would leave Kumuyi and Joshua in the minority.

 

Pastor Kumuyi, a respected conservative Pentecostal pastor is one of the pioneers of modern day Pentecostal Christian church. He is the Founder and General Superintendent of Deeper Christian Life Ministry. He did not mince words in his public repudiation of Oritsejafor’s idea of self-defense. Mr. Kumuyi publicly rejected the idea of self-defense. He seems to be advocating the principle of turning the other cheek by asking of Christians not to defend themselves or retaliate against the members of Boko Haram, rather, he want Christians to pray to God to touch the hearts of the members of the Boko Haram so that they would stop killing Christians. Mr. Kumuyi went on to ask for a national conference where stakeholders in the conflict prone Nigerian project can deliberate on the problems confronting the nation and to find solution. I can only add that GEJ took the thunder out of his position.

Pastor T.B. Joshua, the other dissenting voice cited the Book of Daniel 3:16 and admonished Christians to take it to God in prayer rather than follow Oritsejafor’s precepts. I doubt if Nigeria is going to see the miracle of Daniel, Shedrack and Abednigo.

 My question is, who would the God of the Pentecostals Christian support since it seems as if the house is divided against itself? And I cannot help but

see the crisis that would engulf the nation if all Christians follow Oritsejafor’s theology.

Another prominent Pentecostal Pastor that seemed to have been gaffed is Bishop David Oyedepo. According to eyewitness account, he, like Bakare, went after the sponsors of the Boko Haram bandits.

2 March 2014, Mr. Oyedepo is quoted to have declared 7 days fasting during the Liberation night at the 33^rd anniversary of the Night Vigil of Winners Chapel meeting at the Faith Tabernacle located at Canaan Land, Ota, Nigeria. Papa, as his followers fondly calls Mr. Oyedepo, is reported to have said, “I curse the menace of Boko Haram in Nigeria. I decree death to all their sponsors hiding under the office of politics. I stand as an apostle of this end time, except God has not sent me, within 7 days, you are declared dead!” Of course this prophetic position by Papa received an earth shaking thunderous amen from his followers. Our source added that David Oyedepo went on to say unequivocally, “Within 7 days, we shall hear news in the camp of the wicked”. Of course we have been hearing news from North East of Nigeria since then that Boko Haram and its sponsors are not dead and it is two months since Bishop David Oyedepo declared a two weeks fasting that would lead to the death of Boko Haram and its sponsors!

I have a feeling that believers would tell me that 7 days as prophesied by the self styled man of God is spiritual and not the carnal 7 days!  I put it to such persons that any attempt to use that argument would amount to self deception and the most banal excuse any one can give in this trying times. Beyond that is the fact that, I would like to put it on record that when all this is over, as I know it would be, let none of this so-called men and Women of God come out and start laying claims to the efficacy of their prayers and prophecies in resolving or leading to the capture and decimation of Boko Haram.

God bless Nigeria

 Inaju