It was reported that just two days to the inauguration of President Goodluck Obele Jonathan as the President of Nigeria on May 29th 2011, the Witches and Wizards Association of Nigeria (WITZAN) claimed to have mobilised 500 witches to Abuja and other parts of Nigeria to prevent any tragic occurrence and ensure peaceful inauguration of the president.

According to reports, in a full page advert in some national newspapers, the witches and wizards said their decision was taken after an emergency meeting at Zuma rock, Niger State of Nigeria.

The Witches and Wizards Assocaition, according to the report also warned President Goodluck Jonathan to take adequate security as “bad people” and disgruntled politicians were planning to cause problem.

There is no gain saying the fact that Nigeria as a nation is at the cross roads of its political history.

Without giving recognition or impetus to the existence of witches and wizards or down-playing the powers and “prophesies of doom” by WITZAN, the prevailing activities and role of the radical and notorious Islamic Boko Haram appear to give credence to the witches and wizards association.

Coupled with the threats by some disgruntled politicians, particularly the Northern Elders or leaders Forum, to make Nigeria ungovernable, if a Northerner was not made (if not appointed) president-forgetting that Nigeria operates democratic system whereby the people elect their president and leaders.

The magnitude of corruption and the barbaric acts of the notorious Boko Haram Islamic sect believe to be sponsored by northern politicians to make good their threats geared against Christians from the South include the killing of Christians, youth corpers, the Suleja church bombing, and many other killings in Borno, Yobe, Gombe and Adamawa. All these are horrendous carnages inflicted not only on Christians  but to make the nation ungovernable as President Goodluck Jonathan hails from the Niger Delta.

Intelligence reports had shown that there is coordination/cooperation between the Islamic sect, Boko Haram and al-Qaeda’s North African branch.

The bombing on Christmas Day (December 25, 2011) of the Catholic Church at Madalla gave proof to the link of the Boko Haram sect to the Al-Qaeda,  a group believed to have sponsored the failed bombing of an  American plane on Christmas Day in 2009 by a Northern Nigerian, Farouk Abdulmutalab.

It is against this back drop that the one week city-wide mega crusade organised by the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Diocese of the Niger Delta North held in Port Harcourt from Monday 23rd to Sunday 29th, January 2012, becomes very relevant.

The crusade, which featured international Ministers including Bishop Albert Vum, Malaysia, Rt. Rev. Anthony Paggo, Bishop Episcopal Church of South Sudan, 1 Diocese of Kajo-Keji, Rev. Uma Ukpai, Nigeria and the Most Rev’d Ignatius C. O. Kattey, Archbishop, Ecclesiatical Province of Niger Delta and Bishop, Diocese of Niger Delta North, who was the host, was an expedition undertaken to recover and reposition the country and its people from satanic elements.

The crudade, which had as its theme “Jesus, The Greatest And The Best” was not just an annual religious ritual of the Diocese of the Niger Delta North, but was a vigorious and concerted effort against public evil and satanic manipulations epitomized by corruption, bombing and killings.

The crusade could be said to be an expedition under the Papal – the Most Rev’d Ignatius Kattey’s sanction against the nation’s socio-political and religious heresies.

Is it not indeed a religious heresy, if not, political treason for a religious sect in a country that allows freedom of worship and association to bomb government and public places?

It was Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) who asked “where is the man who owes noting to the land in which he lives? Whatever the land may be he owes to it the most precious thing possessed by man, the morality of his actions and the love of virtue.

What will the righteous do in times like this when those who owe nothing to the land holds the rest to ransom.

Whatever the nation may be, the righteous owes the land the most precious thing possessed by man, the morality of his/her action and the love of virtue.

Speaking at the opening day of the crusade, the Most Rev’d Kattey reiterated the power in the name of Jesus which, he said, remits sin, secures salvation and a strong tower in which individuals and nations run unto for security and peace.

He said, Jesus, who, is the greatest and the best secures, heals and delivers people and nation from all and every problem, be it political, social, religious, economic, health, poverty etc.

Moreover, he said the name of Jesus instills fear in satan and terrorizes satan’s kingdom.

There is no other option available to Nigeria as a nation at this point of its political history where if appear that God has shut up heaven and there is no rain and the locust-hunger, corruption, economic sabotage, disease, pestilence witchcraft and occultist manipulations, oppression have divoured the land than to return to God through Jesus Christ.

A situation whereby witches and wizards, which sole business is to steal, kill and destroy have come out openly to exact authority and influence over governance what  will the righteous do? Where are the Elijahs of our time?

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Soye Young-Itiye