Haba! Where are the Angels particularly Holy Michael, the tall, muscular, handsome, fierce and drastic no nonsense familiar black Angel with a very long sword of war?
Some pastors, in particular, of big-time "Christo-Disco" pentecostal churches have their own service pistols, armed private security, armed police escorts and bulletproof SUVs.
Haba! Where are the Angels particularly Holy Michael, the tall, muscular, handsome, fierce and drastic no nonsense familiar black Angel with a very long sword of war?
Gun, gun and sirens everywhere with always frowning armed policemen. This is enough to scare the Angels away and bandits have a free day shooting and aiming to kill the security-guarded pastors. But unfortunately, it's always their security aides that always become targets felled by the criminals' guns.
I can't remember the amiable popular evangelist, Pastor T. O. Obadare aka "Ogo nifun Olorun ni Oke Orun" of CAC "Olorun Ko Seun Ti" moving around in a convoy of fully armed police and private security except for his church pastors that served as his shield when necessary at a massive crusade.
The same thing applied to Pastor Ositelu, Baba Aladura of the Church of the Lord, Aladura & Holy Mount Tabieorar, Ogere in the early 80s when Tabieorar festival used to be the most popular and massive religious convergence on the Lagos - Ibadan express road. I covered Tabieorar festivals for NTA Abeokuta, Pastor Ositelu and his lieutenants would just move peacefully through the mammoth crowd of worshippers to the raised pulpit to deliver his New Year predictions after 40 days of spiritual solitude. The memories of old Tabieorar still linger.
My maternal uncle, Apostle Chief S. O. Bamgbose of Ola Ogun Farm Estate, Old Ife Road, Ibadan never moved around with armed security guards in the 70s despite his wealth and fame.
Chief Lambo, the late national leader of traditional healers and herbalists moved around without security guards. Baba Lambo was very easy to see and interview in those days.
High Chief Holloway, the late Olori Oluwo of ROF didn't move with all these security convoys. The bold no-nonsense Bishop Akintayo of Egba-Egbado Diocese had no paraphernalia of security for guards and intimidation in those days. Same with Bishop Alaba Job in Ibadan.
Bishop Adefisoye, head of the Anglican Church moved freely. The fierce bold preacher, Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie is just a simple man moving around freely, ditto for the late Baba Akande of the Baptist Church.
There were also criminals then, but these modest church and Ogboni leaders lived such humble life that couldn't have warranted the attention of hardened criminals. It's like a sin for heads of faiths to acquire primitive wealth and miraculous popularity. Apart from the colour of the cassock, cap size and design, one might not be able to identify a bishop. One striking thing when Judas was to betray Jesus, his captors didn't recognize him from his disciples until Judas pecked him. Simplicity!
So where and how did pastors especially the top brass pentecostal pastors, men of God, start this fashion of moving with armed security details and being bodyguarded by men of gun?
Well, if I am not wrong, I think the style could have started with flamboyant pentecostal popular pastors, the charismatic, handsome and eloquent Benson Idahosa, founder of Church of God Mission and Pastor Iyanda of Go Ye, a preacher that was said to have started "helicopter evangelism".
The two very rich preachers changed the face of churches, evangelism, media preaching miracle, forms and format of Christian practices in Nigeria. Since their time, there's no stopping. Now we are in the era of Pastor Indabosky aka the Liquid Metal and the security convoy has continued to increase in length and sophisticated ammunition.
However, it's like the more "we pretend to be closer to God" in Nigeria, the more God is farther from us and the more the crime rate in the country. That sounds contradictory.
Adeola Soetan
 |
ReplyForward |