Before Mbaka Is Crucified

It might not be out of
place to describe this period in Nigeria as a season of prophecy. From East to West, North to South, the story is the same-Prophets, Pastors, men of God, Rev Frs -prophesying about the happenings in 2015.
What many people find  difficult to understand is why this spate of prophecy  this year and at this time? Could it be  because this is the beginning of a new year and God is revealing what would happen in the year? Or going by some people’s opinion, 2015 being an election year, these men of God are seeking relevance, taking advantage of Nigerians’ high level of religiosity? A friend joked that we are yet to hear more prophecies as babalawos, Sheiks, Imams and faithful of other religions are yet  to give us their own predictions.
Of all so far released predictions, the most shocking and unexpected was the one from a renowned catholic  Priest, Rev Fr Ejike Mbaka of Adoration Ministry, Enugu. During the 31st  December 2014 new year eve mass, Fr Mbaka was reported as describing the present federal government administration as a bad omen for Nigerians. In a sermon titled, “from goodluck to bad luck”, he was said to have xrayed  various sections of the economy which were hitherto good but had been  made bad by President Goodluck Jonathan’s government.
“He said, once upon a time, the whole countrymen were crying for a leader who will help us move  forward  with our economy, have an authentic democracy, enable our power to be steady, give our  unemployed  youths jobs, who will  industrialise  Nigerians, who will encourage mass education and agriculturalise  Nigeria. Having in view that  oil  will soon drop, give us security in a maximum level.
By the Grace of God, there emerged a Goodluck, all of us were happy, … Before you know it, the Goodluck met our oil and the oil had a bad luck and  poured away, before we knew  it, the Goodluck met our  naira, our naira  had a bad luck…”
He said the reality on ground now as well as a revelation from God did not favour Jonathan’s continuity beyond May 29 this year and called  for a change of government.
We have always  known  Fr Mbaka  as a fearless, bold, outspoken Priest but for him  to have  made  such an outburst against the president  was somehow worrisome especially given the fact that just about a month ago, he anointed the President’s  wife, Mrs Patience Jonathan  as the next first lady of the country.
Fr Mbaka as many believe, is  a true  man of  God who has over the years  won the followership, support, admiration and respect of thousands  of people both within and outside the country. A lot of people have received  salvation, healing, deliverance and abundant  blessings through his preaching and prayers.
However, I believe  he and other men of God should apply caution when  speaking on sensitive issues. As Rev Fr Raph Madu,  of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria rightly said, “there were better ways for Mbaka to pass his message across considering  the explosive nature of this country …if the Holy Spirit is telling  you something, you must say it in a manner that will forestall  confusion and trouble … you  can be saying something that is true  but there are some ways of passing across that message in a way that it will be acceptable”.
The same goes to other prophets, religious and traditional leaders, elder statesmen, and politicians. With  a tension soaked  political atmosphere, they  should guard  their utterances with wisdom so as not to create more   tension.
The unending bashing of what is left of President  Jonathan  by men of God,  notable  leaders and people the society looks up to, definitely, is not the solution to our problems.
Undoubtedly President Jonathan  hasn’t  been the  best President  in Nigeria’s history with allegations and counter allegations of financial misappropriation downtrodden  economy, high  unemployment rate, poverty and hunger, corruption, endless insecurity in the North  East, but certainly, he hasn’t  been  the worst either. So instead of castigating him, let us support and encourage him to do better.
Meanwhile,  instead of crucifying Fr Mbaka for his audacious preaching, the President should consider the content of his message and predictions by other men of God and take some positive measures to correct the noted anomalies. President Jonathan should see the  recent out bursts of many Nigerians  as a wake up call to rise up and do the needful in the interest of the poor, voiceless masses. There are no doubts that  if some of the issues constantly raised by Nigerians  like high rate of corruption, dwindling  economy, youth  unemployment, poor  welfare package for civil servants, and the aged, hunger, poverty, insecurity and others  are not urgently and adequately tackled, it may spell doom for the nation.
But we all know that the President  alone cannot do  it. All  hands must be on deck to make Nigeria  a country we all will be proud of. Our  pastors should stop hob nobbing with politicians as this is begging to dent the image of Christianity in  this country.
Similarly, our politicians should give the religious leaders a break. Yes it is good to seek the face of God in whatever venture one is undertaking but rather than running from pillar to post seeking to be anointed or endorsed by the clergy, they should concentrate on strategising   on how to get more votes from the electorate by convincing them on  how they will discharge their duties so that life  will be made better for the citizens.
Unless the politicians do the needful, no amount of anointing  will grant them success in the forth coming polls. I so  prophesy.

Calista Ezeaku