Idleness, lack of job, loneliness, frustration, vaccum and other attributes of an individual waking up to nothing, and going to bed without accomplishing anything could take tolls on ones well being, the thinking faculty especially. It's in this precarious condition that I've found myself since the protracted ASUU strike. I've completed my seminar and project. I've even read through the entire course outline for the session, just awaiting the exams. After accomplishing all I have at hand, I started agitating and clamoring for the strike to be called off. I couldn't keep to myself again, so I summoned heavens to intervene. This I did by attending Akoko Awari, the most popular church program in the ancient city of Ibadan. Where I discovered the new dimension in 21st century Nigerian christianity.
Everything started smoothly until we entered the prayer session when the presiding pastor directed us to purchase the prayer bulletin. We purchased it at the rate of twenty Naira per copy only to be told after completing the prayer points that for our prayers to be answered, we must tear the bulletin. Like others, I tore it, but that was not the end.
He then told us to purchase yet another prayer bulletin at the same price. He said we will do this for seven times. After hearing this, I refused to tear mine. I looked around the church hall which was filled to the brim as the entropy level rose to an all time high as worshippers ran hapharzardly in search of the essential commodity, the prayer bulletin. The buying and tearing processes went on for seven times after which the pastor got creative.
He directed the ushers to start selling a branded 'sachet water' at the rate of fifty Naira per sachet. After saying some prayers, worshippers were told to pour the 'pure' water on their heads, turning the whole church into a flowing river. At the end of the marathon but quite expensive prayer sessions, it was offering time, which sounded more like launching time as offerings were given in manners similar to bazarre sales and auctions.
This is not the only church in the city where worshippers are expected to buy miracles with money, which is ultimately used to rebrand the presiding pastor or Baba as they are widely referred and revered. Another one of such ministers of God is Evang. Epaphras, now known as Baba Mi O (My Father!).
Before I left Ibadan for the east, he had a small church (the where-three-or-more-are-gathered type) at Yemetu area. Youths formed the larger proportion of the congregation and at a service where the movement of the Lord is awesome, attendance does not exceed seventy. But in the spate of 2 months following close association with the presiding pastor of the church described earlier (the paper- tearing church), the church and the minister got rebranded. Attendance became mammoth, he got a new name, radio programmes, and now uses the expensive Cultural Center, Mokola, for some of his church's programmes. The Lord seems very good to the minister.
These two are not the only Baba's taking over Ibadan. Popular ones are Baba Love, Baba Sekunderin, Baba With God, Baba Mi O, Baba Segandogo, Baba Apedahun, the list rises daily, While they have different backgrounds, they use the same principle.
They prey on the gullibility and desperation associated with poverty as the masses form the majority of their congragations. They come in search of miracles, panacea to their individual and collective precarious situations, and protection from unseen forces like witches, wizards, household enemies... The worshippers want to do something to get miracles but won't go the way of ritualists, instead, preferring to part with their hard earned money.
In return, the Baba's present themselves as epitomes of perfection. Their composures give their seekers confidence in the ability of their spiritual fathers to connect them directly to God. The Babas have sweet mouths with which they tell tales of the signs and wonders God has used them to perfom, while encouraging the worshippers to obey any instruction they are given, without having any doubt on their minds because a doubting mind does not recieve anything from God. Alleluyah!
They are also creative with their prayer points which are seen as fire branded that will consume any force of darkness that interferes or comes in contact with the 'prayee'. While dolling out strong prayer points, they are always wise to ensure that worshippers remain ignorant of the open secrets to receiving answers to prayers that are in the scriptures.
Talking of the scriptures, they only pick the portions of the Bible that best suit the ocassion, without emphasizing on the wholeness of the the Scriptures. Since the worshippers are generally lazy and frantic in approach, most of them are deficient in the indepth knowledge of the Bible. They just want miracles, after which they return to their old ways. It is therefore a usual scene to see the halls filled with thousands of worshippers when such programs are held.
While the masses throng these churches, the affluent and educated also worship somewhere else, further widening the age-long gap that exists between the rich and the poor. In Ibadan's case, the poor now see the Babas as the bridge that will take them to their preferred destination, affluence.
Ibadan Babas are now seen as the hope for the downtrodden, the class of Nigerians that the nation has failed to cater for. The citizens of a country who are daily oppressed by the frugality and excesses of the leaders whose handling of state resources ensures that the rich gets richer, and the poor gets more prayerful.
Until a national policy that alleviates poverty at all strata is instituted, and all is given equal access to national resources, the poor will continue to hold on to the only hope at their disposal and the Babas will keep having a field day. Not only in Ibadan, but everywhere where hopes are shattered, and frustration remains the order of the day.
Everything started smoothly until we entered the prayer session when the presiding pastor directed us to purchase the prayer bulletin. We purchased it at the rate of twenty Naira per copy only to be told after completing the prayer points that for our prayers to be answered, we must tear the bulletin. Like others, I tore it, but that was not the end.
He then told us to purchase yet another prayer bulletin at the same price. He said we will do this for seven times. After hearing this, I refused to tear mine. I looked around the church hall which was filled to the brim as the entropy level rose to an all time high as worshippers ran hapharzardly in search of the essential commodity, the prayer bulletin. The buying and tearing processes went on for seven times after which the pastor got creative.
He directed the ushers to start selling a branded 'sachet water' at the rate of fifty Naira per sachet. After saying some prayers, worshippers were told to pour the 'pure' water on their heads, turning the whole church into a flowing river. At the end of the marathon but quite expensive prayer sessions, it was offering time, which sounded more like launching time as offerings were given in manners similar to bazarre sales and auctions.
This is not the only church in the city where worshippers are expected to buy miracles with money, which is ultimately used to rebrand the presiding pastor or Baba as they are widely referred and revered. Another one of such ministers of God is Evang. Epaphras, now known as Baba Mi O (My Father!).
Before I left Ibadan for the east, he had a small church (the where-three-or-more-are-ga
These two are not the only Baba's taking over Ibadan. Popular ones are Baba Love, Baba Sekunderin, Baba With God, Baba Mi O, Baba Segandogo, Baba Apedahun, the list rises daily, While they have different backgrounds, they use the same principle.
They prey on the gullibility and desperation associated with poverty as the masses form the majority of their congragations. They come in search of miracles, panacea to their individual and collective precarious situations, and protection from unseen forces like witches, wizards, household enemies... The worshippers want to do something to get miracles but won't go the way of ritualists, instead, preferring to part with their hard earned money.
In return, the Baba's present themselves as epitomes of perfection. Their composures give their seekers confidence in the ability of their spiritual fathers to connect them directly to God. The Babas have sweet mouths with which they tell tales of the signs and wonders God has used them to perfom, while encouraging the worshippers to obey any instruction they are given, without having any doubt on their minds because a doubting mind does not recieve anything from God. Alleluyah!
They are also creative with their prayer points which are seen as fire branded that will consume any force of darkness that interferes or comes in contact with the 'prayee'. While dolling out strong prayer points, they are always wise to ensure that worshippers remain ignorant of the open secrets to receiving answers to prayers that are in the scriptures.
Talking of the scriptures, they only pick the portions of the Bible that best suit the ocassion, without emphasizing on the wholeness of the the Scriptures. Since the worshippers are generally lazy and frantic in approach, most of them are deficient in the indepth knowledge of the Bible. They just want miracles, after which they return to their old ways. It is therefore a usual scene to see the halls filled with thousands of worshippers when such programs are held.
While the masses throng these churches, the affluent and educated also worship somewhere else, further widening the age-long gap that exists between the rich and the poor. In Ibadan's case, the poor now see the Babas as the bridge that will take them to their preferred destination, affluence.
Ibadan Babas are now seen as the hope for the downtrodden, the class of Nigerians that the nation has failed to cater for. The citizens of a country who are daily oppressed by the frugality and excesses of the leaders whose handling of state resources ensures that the rich gets richer, and the poor gets more prayerful.
Until a national policy that alleviates poverty at all strata is instituted, and all is given equal access to national resources, the poor will continue to hold on to the only hope at their disposal and the Babas will keep having a field day. Not only in Ibadan, but everywhere where hopes are shattered, and frustration remains the order of the day.
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