“You are trying to book an appointment with someone (Prophet) who is also trying to book an appointment with Someone (God) who lives right with you in your house” -Bishop T D Jakes
Africa with her ever-increasing youthful populace and abundant natural resource deposits still grapple with severe socio-economic problems partly attributed to her checkered yesteryears of slavery, imperialism, and colonialism. Instead of competing in continental trends and dominating in some key areas of human endeavor, Arising Africa is faced with a herculean task of overcoming inevitable challenges such as extreme poverty, poor sanitation, high illiteracy rates, skyrocketing youth unemployment, etc. Aside from these are the raging ‘Religionism’ and ‘Politricks’ which have bedeviled the continent. In Fact, the typical African is polarized along these two fronts. Ever since Christianity entered Africa in the first century it has spread to many parts of the continent. It has brought and added many things to the culture of the indigenous people of Africa. Even though I’m writing from the perspective of a Christian, my objectivity is absolute! with no harm or bias intentions!
Despite being the most religious continent in terms of numbers, Africa has also become the most disadvantaged and impoverished. Many are of the opinion that, if God Almighty dwells amongst men and women and “supply all needs”; Africa should be the most developed continent due to her veneration for religiosity, yet it seems like God is miles apart from the continent’s outpouring of worship and prayers.
Many have attributed Africa’s inability to progress to two major things; namely leadership tendencies and the rise of religious tenets. Either the God they call unto is not a listening God or they are missing something in their religious practice. let’s journey through the Religion aspect in this first part series.
Men in cassock have taken over every facet of our lives. In earlier centuries it was a pride to be called an evangelist, but now the so-called men of God prefer to be called PROPHETS. This is not to say there are no true prophets, indeed there are but the phony ones have overshadowed them with their witty and crafty sermons, predictions and ‘perverse miracles’. These fake prophets prefer to be seen as the eyes or oracles of God. They choose to call themselves the mouthpiece of God’s doom judgment. Most of the prophecies they provide are gloom so as to scare their flock and make them enslaved to their beckon call. Now it is prevalent to see prophets trumpeting declarations saying it is from God. They are the first to come out and claim fame after something bad happens, claiming they prophesied about the event before it happened. Cloaked in fashionable garments they now parade themselves as one of the richest on the continent. Currently, in Ghana there close to 17 dedicated religious channels usually promoting the prophets and their “akwankyere” (directions)
In spite of all the power and closeness, they claim to have from God the people still wallow in abject poverty. They even provide lottery numbers with all surety but the congregants are far from “successful living”. They provide prophecies of riches but the people haven’t seen its manifestations in their lives. They claim to be God’s mouthpiece and yet as “Balaam” they hardly hear from the God they talk about.
How did Africa get here? When did we stop thinking and placed religion at the apex of our lives? Religion is important but doesn’t solve all of humanity’s problems. God wants us to read, meditate and come before Him. God wants us to test His Word ourselves. When did God ask some men of God to think for His people? Believers of today have become the laziest breed of people. They always want men of God to work and birth miracles for them. It is not surprising thus that some men have picked up that profession, covered themselves in garments and trumpeting to be God’s own. The Berean generation is no more. Now we have a lazy Christian breed, the ‘read and come tell me’ breed. Where is the generation that read ahead of Paul? Where is the generation that read after Paul had preached? Where is the generation that searched day and night? Omo ada! (They are asleep)
“Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived there, they went into the synagogue of the Jews…. verse 10
And the people of Berea were more [open minded] than those in Thessalonica, and they listened [eagerly] to Paul’s message. They [searched] the scriptures [day after day] to check up on Paul and Silas, TO SEE IF THEY WERE REALLY TEACHING THE [TRUTH]” …verse 11 (Acts 17:10-11)
Every good man of God as the head of God’s flock teaches the people to read, think, meditate, discern and walk in that knowledge. What do you get to learn when you visit your local church?
It is not that God doesn’t love Africa. Africa is blessed with many talents and resources. Development is stagnant because most people are not thinking. Thinking has been left in the hands of mediocre men and women who are hoodwinking innocent ones. Can I call the people innocent? Maybe No! Yes, there are illiterate ones but many are literate but just refuse to read and come to terms with what should be done. In an era of miracles birthed from anointing oil, porridge, camphor, canes, etc. we don’t expect much development. We only expect a few men to grow rich from the toils of the illiterate many. How do we compare with other civilizations when we can’t even think? Be careful where you run to. Be careful what you listen to. Development starts from the mind.
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Blog credits: Alfred Sawyerr, Ghana (sawyerralfred33@gmail.com)