To the Saints in Nigeria, the Faithful in Christ Jesus:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ be upon your and your family. I greet you in the name of Christ, our Lord and with the love of God, our heavenly Father.
The purpose of this essay to the Church of Nigeria today is two-fold:
Firstly, to draw your attention to the executive lawlessness and suffering that Nigerians—mostly Christians are subjugated to in the country, and secondly, to invite you to speak truth to power as prophets of the Most High God before it is too late for Nigeria.
Therefore, I will like to start by humbly asking the Church of Nigeria (CAN) leadership this question: Where are the true prophets?
In a time when the entire nation is under siege, when 180 million Nigerians are subjugated to fear and brutality, when there is executive lawlessness and tyranny, when the Hallowed Houses of the Senate and Assembly cannot have intelligent debate and robust dialogue anymore, when the nation’s fledging democracy is under attack, when the inherent virtues of democratic principles such as freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of assembly, etc., are punishable with arrest, detention or death, when unarmed and peaceful protesting Biafran youths are gunned down by the very military forces that suppose to protect and uphold their individual rights in a democratic system, when tyranny and ruthlessness are used to force Easterners to submit to Nigeria’s expired sovereignty, when guerilla warfare are being waged in the oil rich Niger Delta, and when the megalomaniacal emperor and pharaoh of our time is meting unspeakable brutality against his subjects, we helpless citizens expect the true prophets of God to arise and speak the Word of the LORD against this kind of ruthlessness, brutality, impunity and tyranny against God’s people.
Earlier this week, I read that President Muhammad Buhari has released or planning to free Kabiru Sokoto, a convicted Boko haram terrorist who masterminded the bombing of Saint Theresa Catholic Church in Madalla, Niger State on Sunday, December 25, 2011 that killed more than 50 parishioners – including women, babies and children, and severely wounded over 100 people as a Sallah gift this year to Muslims in Nigeria. What a travesty!
To bring back your memory: the bombing of Saint Theresa Catholic Church Madalla in Niger state during Sunday Mass on Christmas Day was the deadliest, dastardly, and most despicable terrorist assault on innocent Nigerian Christians by Boko-Haram jihadist sect.
The Christmas Day bomb blasts on Saint Theresa Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger state and other coordinated bombings of churches in Jos, Plateau State and Damaturu, Yobe State that killed hundreds of parishioners and severely injured hundreds beyond recognition was an outrage and a colossal provocation. Boko-Haram jihadist and terrorist sect and their sponsors chose the most Holy Day of Christians to inflict the worst evil, vile, barbaric, and satanic massacre of innocent church worshippers.
The Madalla bombing was not just an attack on the Church and Christians of Nigeria but an assault on Christianity. It was an insult, an outrage and a provocation against Christians in Nigeria and for President Buhari to even speculate releasing Kabiru Sokoto from prison, a murderer who was behind most of the deadly terrorist attacks on churches and religious institutions in Nigeria of which he confessed in the court of law, but now freed by the President Buhari shows the height of arrogance and should elicit outrage from all Christians in Nigerians.
On December 28, 2011, I was so outraged that I wrote an article titled: “A Bloody Christmas, A Bloody Boko-Haram, And a Bloody Country,” which was published by several Nigerian online news outlets, one among several essays I have written on Boko haram since they began their new phase of satanic global caliphate agenda to Islamize Nigeria.
Reading this week that the President has released or planning to release this Boko haram murderer, who committed such cowardly and barbaric massacre on solemn Christian Holy Day is the height of arrogance, betrayal and abuse of power by our number one citizen.
It is the most disdain and cruelest insult to Christians around the world. President Buhari released a convicted Boko haram terrorist, a mass murderer who was sentenced to life but continues to detain without substantial evidence, the Nigerian Shiite leader, his political enemies, and especially Mr. Nanmdi Kanu, a freedom fighter and leader of Indigenous People of Biafra – even after two competent courts ordered that he should be released as well as other Biafra freedom fighters. This is absurd, unbelievable, and intolerable.
I’m incensed just like the day the mass murderer Kabiru Sokoto bombed Saint Theresa Catholic Church on Christmas Day as I write this piece. I am outraged to read that President Buhari freed a Boko haram murderer who is serving life-sentence for bombing a church where the brains of a two-year blown away, where Mrs. Dike lost her entire family – husband and five children to an irrational and senseless bomb blasts, where Sir Emmanuel Obiukwu lost his four daughters after running away from Kano religious violence years ago and where over 50 parishioners were instantly killed and hundreds sustained all kinds of severe injuries and wounds.
The Nigerian church leadership ought to be outraged. Christians ought to be outraged. Sincere and honest Nigerians ought to be outraged. The global community needs to be outraged because democracy is at risk in Nigeria. Nigerians must rise-up to stop this callous lawless and tyranny. Courageous men and women must rise up now, wake from their cowardliness and fear to stop President Buhari before he leads Nigeria to destruction.
Currently, the country is a big mess thanks to the myopic, tribal and fanatical leadership of President Buhari. By the way, Nigerian politicians and rulers do not deserve to be called leaders because they are not. Rather, they should be addressed as crooks, criminals and corrupt individuals.
The Holy Scripture is so true, when it tells us that: “When the upright are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan” (Proverbs 29:2).
Since President Buhari assumed office May last year, the country has been subjected to all kinds of tyranny and abuse—social, economic, religious, political and even moral abuse. Buhari’s myopic and undemocratic polices have thrown the country into severe crisis and chaos. Today, there’s hunger every where in Nigeria—including kwashiorkor that is besieging children in IDP camps in the North. The economy is in a severe recession. If nothing is done to resuscitate the economy, Nigeria will essentially enter into depression before the end of the year and then we will begin to see severe social chaos and monumental moral crisis in the country.
President Buhari’s abuse of power, rule of law and the nation’s constitution by arresting of innocent citizens, detention of peaceful freedom fighters, political opposition, massacre of unarmed Biafran youths by DSS, Army, Police and Boko Haram, and marauding Fulani herdsmen, that continues to rape young and married women, butcher and massacre farmers and innocent citizens in remote villages and towns across the country is unprecedented.
Until date, the President of Nigeria has not condemned or spoken against these murderous herdsmen. Instead, the Northern politicians and their religious leaders and elders continue to defend Fulani herdsmen. The President and his Northern Caliphate have even setup a rescue squad—called Cattle Rustlers—to arrest and shoot at sight any one hindering or disturbing Fulani herdsmen from rearing their cattle rearing on farmlands. What a travesty, arrogance, tyranny and injustice of the highest order.
Just the other day, the Sultan of Sokoto, the highest Muslim religious leader in Nigeria unashamedly said that the Fulani herdsmen are not Nigerians. What an idiotic and senseless statement. My simple and humbly question to the Sultan is: how did these foreign Fulani herdsmen enter into Nigeria with their herd of cattle, AK-47 and assorted deadly weapons? Why can’t the Nigerian military forces arrest or kill these foreign Fulani herdsmen who are causing mayhem and massacring unarmed Nigerian citizens? And by the way, why did all the Northern governors support Grazing Bill for Fulani herdsmen? If they were foreigners, why should the States give them lands to graze their cattle? Moreover, why does the President of Nigeria maintain such silence over these challenges and atrocities being committed in a country in which he’s the Commander in Chief?
Frankly, sometimes, I think, it is waste of time to respond to these foolish and senseless augments being put forward by the Northern politicians and rulers regarding all the absurdity going on in Nigeria.
We are deceiving ourselves with “one-Nigeria” jargon. “One Nigeria” is a myth. The basis of unity does not exist in Nigeria at all. In fact, we are even more divided as years go by. With all due respect, I propose the simple and quickest solution to Nigeria’s challenges is to peacefully divide the country and let each major ethnic tribe be on their own. The North must not be afraid of division—after all, they never wanted “One Nigeria” in the first place. There are hundreds of statements made by their past political and religious leaders who fought against unity and “One Nigeria.” Therefore, for these new generation of Hausa/Fulani to be beating the drums of war and ready to perish than to see Nigeria divide is simply laughable and cowardly.
Dividing Nigeria will save us on-going marginalization, ethnic cleansing and satanic plan to Islamize Nigeria. It will save us too much waste of lives, pain, sorrow, sadness, suffering and hopelessness that are so rampant in today’s Nigeria. Nigeria is simply a den of death, a hell fire and an abominable entity on this planet earth. It will serve us better to peacefully divide it and let each tribe go their separate ways than to continue to live as enemies and continues to waste innocent lives and future leaders, entrepreneurs, scientists, etc., in a country that is British idea and creation, which already expired January 1, 2014.
Let me return to address the Church and CAN leadership and to humbly educate you on what true biblical prophets are called to do with the contribution of my mentor and biblical scholar, Dr. Obery M. Hendricks, Jr.
The Bibles tell us: “Taken part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them” (Ephesians 5:11).
CAN, I ask again, where are your true prophets of God? Before, you point me to: Second Chronicles, 7:14; Romans 13, and other passages that call Christians to pray and submit to those in authority and position of leadership, I must also point you to several passages of Jesus Christ – especially his mission statement which read:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me —-to let the oppressed go free.” Luke 4:18
That’s the mission of the Church and the call and commission of every Christian, which goes beyond prayer.
It is very saddening today to see that false pastors and prophets have dominated the airspace, news media and TV in the land. Today, false prophets prophesize all kinds of lies to enrich their never-satisfying stomachs, selfish and satanic desires.
Jeremiah 5:31 informs us that: “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and my people love to have it so.”
This is exactly what’s going in Nigeria and most of Africa today. Prosperity preaching and false prophecies are destroying Africa. I have written abundantly about those topics in the past.
But my focus in this piece is to awaken the true prophets in our land – because I know they do exist. Most of you are learned men and women. Most of you are educated at the best seminaries, theological schools and Divinity schools around the globe, and are excellent theological and biblical scholars.
However, I will like to humbly remind you of your primary duty as prophet, one “called” and “commissioned” as God’s spokesperson.
A true biblical prophet is called and commissioned by God as spokesperson to oppose the politically oppressed, economically exploited, and collective unrighteous—that is injustice of those in position of power and authority. The prophets of God also goes deeper to announce punishments that are destined to occur if the truths of fore-telling are ignored and social injustice and ruthlessness of the powerful continue unchecked, inequities of power and privilege of the wealthy. Therefore, true prophets are compelled by the Spirit of God to proclaim and deliver messages of moral and political judgement particularly to those in political authority.
For instance, this divine mandate of the prophets goes back to Moses, who accepted God’s call and commission to speak out against the enslavement and injustices of the Egyptian social order toward the Israelites – God’s own people.
During the period of the Judges, prophetess Deborah rallied the northern tribes of Israel against their enemies. Gideon, received divine commission to lead the resistance against the Medianities.
Also, the prophets of God were interventionists.
For instance, Prophet Elijah intervened to the unlawful seizure of Naboth’s vineyard by King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel (1 Kings 21). Prophet Elisha sent one of his disciples to anoint Jehu as King for the purpose of setting in motion the overthrow of the unjust King Joram (2 Kings 9).
Therefore, the primary purpose of biblical prophets is to effect social and political change. True prophets do not compromise, support or conserve the status quo. Rather, the prophet’s role is to challenge status quo, injustice and not conserve it. The prophets’ call is to transform the social orders and injustice in which they lived and subjugated to.
Isaiah prophesied to those who ruled in his time to cease to do evil, to learn to do well, to seek justice and rescue the oppressed (Isaiah 1:16-17). Jeremiah prophesied in his time, “But your eyes and heart are set only on your dishonest gain, on shielding innocent blood, and on practicing oppression, extortion and violence” (Jeremiah 22:17).
In his own time, Micah prophesied to those in power, “Alas for those who devise wickedness and evil deeds on their beds … because it is their power, they covet fields, and seize them; house, and take them away; they oppress householders and house, people and their inheritance” (Micah 2:1-5).
Amos, in many ways, prophesized to the rulers of his day, ‘for thus says the Lord God, “For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts” (Amos 5:12). Then Amos summarizes the prophetic imperative for all time, when he said, “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! (Amos 5:24).
The courageous proclamations of these prophets of the God left few unjust practices unscathed. They prophesied against the unfair use of power and privilege and against those who deprive the innocent justice. They stood against corrupt economic policies: “Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his own people work for nothing, not paying them for their labor. “But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion” (Jeremiah 22:13, 17).
The true prophets of God were outraged by gross dishonesty in the market place and seeking of profits regardless of the human cost: “Hear this, you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land, saying, “When will the New Moon be over that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath be ended that we may market wheat?”—skimping on the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales, selling even the sweepings with the wheat” (Amos 8:4-6).
They denounced political corruption and warmongering: “Your rulers are rebels, partners with thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow’s case does not come before them.” (Isaiah 1:23) and its officials within it are like wolves tearing the prey, shedding innocent blood destroying lives to get dishonest gain” (Ezekiel 1:22-27).
The timelessness of these prophetic messages are striking. Jeremiah 22:13 says, “Woe to him who makes his neighbors work for nothing, and does give them their wages “might have been written to protest the jobs and pensions destroyed by the corruption of government officials of today.
Ezekiel 22:27 says, Shedding blood, destroying lives to get dishonest gain”, could refer to unprovoked wars and military incursions.
Amos 8:4-5, “hear this, you that trample the needy, and practice deceit with false balances” might speak to deceptive corporate accounting practices, fraud and monumental corruption in government institutions.
That we the Church leaders and Christians have not heeded the prophetic words is clear. That is why the nation is in such a big mess.
Yet not only did those courageous prophets issue scathing critiques of the injustice that militated against the living edits of God, they also affirmed the workings of injustice: “Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” (Isaiah 1:16-17).
The purpose of true prophecy was never for personal gain, comfort or self-aggrandizement. Their primary targets were always the practices and policies that exploited and oppressed those rulers who were supposed to serve.
The biblical prophets were moved by the plight of the people and they risked their own life, socioeconomic class and status by standing up for the oppressed: the poor, children, women, elderly, widows and orphans. In other words, prophets took their stand against abuses of power and tyranny.
Jesus embodied this prophetic tradition and ministry of speaking out against the oppression and mistreatment of the people of Israel in his own scathing critiques of the ruling class of his day.
Jesus the prophet interpreted what was happening to the people of Israel who were being increasingly squeezed by colonial domination and internal exploitation of Rome. He taught them to read their distressing situation not as God’s will but as the consequence of the violations of God’s covenant of justice.
When Jesus issued his critique of the priestly aristocracy in Matthew 23:1-36, decrying their hypocrisy and corruption, he was continuing the prophetic tradition. When in Mark 5:1-10 he characterized the presence of the Roman military – the unclean spirit tellingly called “legion”– as a destructive, demonic force in Israel, Jesus was continuing the prophetic tradition. When he indicted Herod’s political machinations and institutionalized thievery by characterizing him as “that fox” in Luke 13:32 and elsewhere, Jesus was continuing the prophetic tradition.
Like Jeremiah, Jesus stood in the midst of Jerusalem and challenged the religious establishment for exploiting and misleading the very people God has called them to serve. Like Elijah, Jesus opposed religious leaders who claimed to be prophets yet ignored their responsibility to speak truth to power. And most of all, when he defied the entire Roman Empire, choosing to die on the cross rather than submit to Rome’s unjust authority, Jesus embodied the very best of the courageous prophetic tradition of risking one’s life and sometimes dying a gruesome death to utter the truth of God. The description of Jesus in Luke 24:19 is fitting: “a prophet mighty in deed and word.”
It is Jesus’ continuation of the prophets’ legacy of speaking against injustice that gives us insight into his denunciation of the financially rich in Israel, in such sayings as “Woe to you who are rich” (Luke 6:24). Like the prophets, Jesus does not condemn the rich per se, but those who gain or maintain their riches through unjust theft, subterfuge, exploitation, greed, stinginess, and especially violence.
The uncompromising example of Jesus Christ places upon every Christian minister the responsibility to withstand the temptation to align oneself with tyrannical and fanatical leadership we see today in our nation.
It is true that it is part of every minister’s calling to be a pastor to his or her parishioners, to be spiritual leader and teacher and a comforter to the sick at heart and those afflicted in mind, soul, spirit, and body.
Ministers of the Gospel must comfort the afflicted, but they also have the prophets’ duty to afflict the comfortable. It is every shepherds charge to stand against anything that would harm his or her flocks, be it by direct assaults on their well-being or by willful neglect. Every minister’s prophetic duty as a servant of the God of the Exodus is to bring good news to the poor and deliverance to the oppressed, not to bow to the desires of those in power simply because they are in power.
One witnesses the chumminess of today’s religious leaders with those in authority and wonders if these realize that by catering to the powers that be they compromise theory stolen prophetic responsibility and assume the rule of false prophets. Their unwillingness to speak truth to power or to empower others to do so represents a refusal to prophesy for justice and a betrayal for their sacred calling. Moreover, ministers who are cozy with those in power run the abiding risk of becoming servants of Baal, the god of the privileged few. That’s why a prophet aligned with the tyrannical ruling class in reality is no prophet at all.
The Gospel of John paints the most radical picture of Jesus in this regard. John recounts that Jesus journeyed to Jerusalem at least three times (John 2:13; 7:14; 10:22). At every visit he scathingly denounced the priests, in one instance even declaring to them, “You are from your father the devil” (8:44). The twenty-third chapter of Matthew’s Gospel tells us that Jesus went so far as to call the priests “blind guides,” a “brood of vipers,” and white-washed tombs …..full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth.” These very public challenges to their status and authority go far in explaining the priests’ murderous opposition to Jesus.
The church and her leaders must rise up today to speak the Word of the LORD, to speak truth to power and to defend the oppressed from continued marginalization, suffering, hunger, mass murder, ethnic cleansing and genocide, islamisation, and enslavement of Christians and non-Muslims of Nigeria.
As you do, may the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better! I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe” (Ephesians 1:17-19). Amen.
Have a blessed Trinity season and a wonderful Christmas holiday in advance.
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- K. Ekeke, Ph.D., is a theologian, consultant and author of several books including Leadership Wisdom and Leadership Liability. Dr. Ekeke is a visiting scholar and fellow at Harvard Kennedy School and Princeton Theological Seminary. He is the President of Leadership Wisdom Institute.
Obery M. Hendricks, Jr., Ph.D., is a biblical scholar and professor of biblical interpretation at New York Theological Seminary, an Ordained Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and the author of several books. He has served as a professor at Drew University, a visiting scholar ay Princeton Theological Seminary, and as president of Payne Theological Seminary, the oldest American theological institution in the United States.