The devil and poverty
What is it with Nigerians and the devil? Anything goes wrong and accusing fingers are pointed to the devil. Infact, I am directing this question to the devil, what is it with you and Nigerians? Why the devil is attracted to poor people or poverty? Why the lack of anything has something to do with the devil? This story is so dear to my heart, ‘cos over the weekend, I heard so much from someone dear to my heart about how the devil is dealing with someone that is yet to have a baby. Nigerian girl is pregnant and goes to a crap hospital that has no scanner, hence you have to go to another “backyard scanning centre” to check delivery date and depending on the “backyard scanning centre” you go to, pregnant girl gets about 5 delivery dates, with a variation of 5weeks. Pregnant girl refuses to have the baby induced or a caesarean, ‘cos of the devil and pregnant girl resorts to going from one church to the other, speaking to pastors, of course, as soon as you present a Nigerian pastor with a potential problem, they automatically assume that someone and the devil is to blame. The pastors never provide the name of the accuser, but you are left to fast and pray. Make them give me name of person wey de do me, make I send police go arrest am!
The best part of this is that it has something to do with the fact that she maybe having a boy instead of a girl! I swear, after the conversation, I was tempted to pray for the devil itself, from all these accusations.
We Nigerians are always looking for someone to blame of our woes, there must be a force behind anything and anything that does not work for us. I watch everyday, as loads of Nigerians can not put pen to paper about how to get to where they are going. All they want is to make money, whether they have capital to start a business or even have a business idea is irrelevant. I heard about a final year medical student wanting to immigrate to the UK with no money or a sponsor, looking for a miracle and when he/she is refused visa, it must be the devil’s handiwork.
Religion in Nigerian & corruption
Nigeria is one of the most religious country in the world and even the president, attributes all his failures or successes to the devil or God, whichever suits him. There are thousands of churches everywhere in Lagos, with many homes and spaces converted into some form of church or the other. Sometimes in Lagos, it feels like planning laws don’t exist with the number of church springing up. Residential areas are been bombarded and over run with churches of all sizes and their loud microphones. Even a church with a congregation of 10, must have a microphone!
Sundays and Wednesdays, not to talk of Fridays are filled with congregations, looking for miracles, deliverance etc. Most of them are not in church just to worship God, without wanting something. Yet, the same congregation go back to work on Monday and collect bribes, give bribes and contribute to the corrupt that has now been woven into the fabric of our society. Young married men are all trooping to church on Sundays and on Saturdays; they are with their girlfriends committing adultery. Married woman are doing the same. Young girls are selling their bodies and yet, they are not been told the truth in church. The churches have failed in their responsibility to imbibe morals and uphold the morals of the society and yet, no one can criticise them, if you do, you are called the child of the devil and God will cast you out of his kingdom. You are compared to Saul in the bible. These people forget that the same Jesus went into the temple and rose against all the atrocities of the religious leaders, telling them that the temple has been turned into something else.
The sermons in churches are all about making money, becoming successful, miracles and of course, paying tithes and building funds. The pastors have become rich; they now wear designer suits, travel 1st class, and produce/write hundreds of books in a short space of time and shockingly, now own planes. Where is the modesty of Jesus Christ? Where is wanting to live like Jesus lived, where is the “practice what you preach”?? Church leaders are endorsing thieving government personnel and attending their birthday parties and all the rubbish opening of one centre or the other. I am a Christian and I cringe every time I see Pastor Enoch Adeboye (Redeem church) and other Christian leader attend events or functions of controversial leaders. Our Christian leaders fail to understand how influential their positions are, and what profound impact they can make, if only they choose who they associate with and maybe use their power and influence to send the right messages, instead of associating with these known corrupt leaders and as a result saying to their large congregation that it is ok to be corrupt, it is ok to associate with thieves. I watched Ebenezer Obey (musician turned pastor) attend some Oba’s birthday party, dancing with 3 or 4 of his wives. How can a pastor endorse or deem to endorse polygamy, something that is completely against the doctrine of God. Chris Okotie divorced his wife and now wants to marry another, from the same church! What is wrong with Nigerians? When are we going to stand up to the “Sodom and Gomorra” mentality in our churches? Pastors running over 10,000 congregation churches are also running businesses by the side. Is there anyone that will stand up with me on these issues?
The UK is currently debating taking out religion from the state- One school of thought says that in a multi-cultural society, religion(church) has no part to play in the society. Look at the moral decay of our youths and the raise in teenage pregnancy, divorce, paedophilic activities etc. Religion provides a moral presence in our society that has always been relevant and will continue to be relevant in today’s and future society. However, if religion will continue to have a place in the state, we as citizens must continue to hold all religious leaders and the faiths accountable for whatever they do. If as a Christian in the UK, I will not keep quite, why should I in Nigeria?
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11 comments:
Hmm, serious one. I feel your pain. I have immediate family members who are thoroughly put off by the way Nigerians practice Christianity that they haven't been able to bring themselves to embrace Christianity the way they would have, had it been otherwise in Nigeria. We've been through the phase where being devout meant being poor and not embracing wealth or all things monetary (wordly, really). Now we're in the "if you're poor it's because you're not religious enough" phase. I'm hoping there's a light at the end of the tunnel. I have much more to say on this (pastors living flamoyant lives, pp using religion as a platform to selectively judge/hate on anything they don't like, religion eating into the workforce (whole offices closing down on Friday because of REdeemed camp), and so on) but it's 2:30am and I have to get up for work in a bit.
WILL BE BACK!
Btw Check out Nigerian Curiosity's post on Poverty, as it touches on some of these issues.
Hmm, ANW great post, did u attendthe owanbe wr Obe was playing true, true? u don turn buggie now oh! lol....
Neways, i am a bit controversial on the opinion voiced in this post albeit I do agree with afrobeat to a certain extent...my main church is one of the big/large ones in naija- winners chapel and assuming I do not know the bishop or haven't been 'fed' by him adequately and properly, I will be swayed by all these...you see for every true 'winner' (who attends winners chapel i nmean) he/she will tell u that bishop's cry had always been to teach a man how to work, think and remain smart- when i was in naija, I use to think if this man were to be in proper business he'll make it
'biggarly'...Firsthand, I have experienced him having only 2hrs sleep in 72hrs- all the while, he was thinking and teaching, he prayed for so little and taught not just preaching...
As Jesus said, judge a tree by its fruits...though you haven't touched on bishop, what I'm trying to express here is that when a shepherd has many sheep, there will be 1 or 2 who will be uncontrollable and they might be the ones to spoil the flock becos, I also attend redemption camp once a while and I do respect the old man, don't know him personally enuf but I gain a lot whenever I listen to his sermons just like my Bishop stimulates me and open my eyes of understanding.....so I guess this is me advocating for the good sheep.
Now to the black sheep, esply in naija, it is absolutely annoying! My house is surrounded by about 5 converted house-2-church who hold daily services!
If not for God and his wondrous acts of converting my dad, he would have been a proud atheist as he was always laughing each time these servces start- the songs are always sumthing like- imploring Jesus to measure sorrows and disasters upon their enemies, of course the tempos increase here as I belive each has a vision of the enemy...so funny they are all females with a male leader and all the women are either from broken or polygamous homes....absoultely, i want this eradicated.
I am a child of God and believe in prosperity as this makes God proud of me- yep! how does me being poor glorify God? How do I claim am his ambassador when I can't hold an intelligent conversation in the circular world? I believe in using my God given talet-brain to attain this by being smart, incidentally, my Bishop taught me the value of this practice about 7-8yrs ago, he stressed whenever a challenge comes, before praying, I should search the word, then think/meditate properly, then use the outcomes to pray, of course usually I come out with the solution and only offer thanks to God..imagine how much influence and admiration xtains will command if we can all use our brains more frequently and efficiently?
I am continously impressed with a country like the UK where leaders are accountable for their actions, the recent fiasco saw xtains asking him to step down- this is so great where the people have a voice and I also lended my support that he should step down...absolutely, I want Nigeria to have acccountable and responsible leaders as well be it reliogion, moral, govt etc.
Ok, hope I haven't confused everyone including myself with all this! what am saying is, this is a sensitive but extremely serious subject to tackle, but in so doing, we should be careful not to place a stereotype on every nigerian pastor especially as we are xtians, we shld rmbr that God can and will (I beleive) judge his servants....
ANW- blog junkie ke? that one no gud oh!
I share some of ur sentiments about religion. I dont see the need for preachings to be centered around material things.
very interesting post...this whole religion thing sef...i will withhold my comments as i am currently at odds with organized religion...not God o!!!...organized religion...nice post though and good questions...
May the Lord continued to uphold you in Jesus name, you said the truth. As a pastor I wrote an article in Praise the Lord news titled. Christian where are we going.
We are going to say the truth if they like let them take to it. This is my website too. www.joafosco.blogspot.com or my email jafolayan5@gmail.com
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