Preamble
On the 29th of May 2023, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu will take the oath of Office as Nigeria’s 16th President. This swearing-in is amid objections from those who did not vote for him, and they are in the majority. However, we must note that almost nine million of the twenty-four million Nigerians who voted in the 2023 General elections, voted for Bola Tinubu; that is approximately 38 per cent of the voters. The remainder of 62% of the votes were split among other candidates, with the highest of the following pack polling about 28% of the votes cast—10 per cent points behind Bola Tinubu.
Elections in Nigeria are a time when strange things occur. Some friends supporting opposing candidates become enemies. Some families are torn apart along party lines. Numerous promises are bandied by politicians and purveyed by their campaigners and supporters, even when it is impossible to implement!
During electioneering, emotions run high and wild, and statements of all sorts are made without giving a thought to their impact on the peace and stability of the Nation. Politicians and supporters alike, exploit our ethnic and religious fault lines, further widening them. Those opposed to certain candidates engage in name-calling and tagging of imaginary attributes to them.
There are disputes and disagreements among contestants during party primaries which spill over and transmute into numerous court cases—both pre- and post-election cases. Some of the judgments that come forth can even make one wonder what forms the basis for those judgments, but these are too wonderful for mere mortals who are not of the legal profession to delve into. Unfortunately, some members of the legal profession, after saying, “As my Lord pleases” to the judgment of the courts in court, do come to the public space to disagree and pontificate on the judgment.
Of particular interest are the post-election cases, especially of the presidential elections. In the 2023 presidential election, even candidates and parties that had no verifiable path to victory filed petitions, praying that either they are declared the winner of the elections, or the elections be annulled—being unmindful of the huge cost and effort that goes into conducting elections in Nigeria! Some of the petitioners even think that the sentiments played out on the streets would qualify as evidence in a court of law or even the election petition tribunal—special courts to handle post-election matters!
Strange things indeed do happen during Nigerian elections!
The role ‘prophets’ played in the 2023 Nigerian general elections
One peculiar event during Nigerian election cycles is the preponderance of people claiming to have heard from God about the winner of the election, particularly, the presidential polls. The 2023 presidential election season was slightly different in that it had more than its fair share of ‘prophecies’. These ‘prophecies’ were so many that they made one’s head spin! Both renowned and unknown individuals claimed to have heard from God, in the jamboree of ‘prophetic’ utterances.
Interestingly, these self-styled ‘prophets’ spoke of different individuals winning the same presidential election. How possible is that? Who spoke to them? Most certainly not Almighty God!
On the 1st of March 2023, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), declared Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President-elect, contrary to virtually every ‘prophetic declaration’ and prayer focus! What had happened? Did God not hear those prayers?
Not wanting to concede that they had lied and had not heard from God, these so-called ‘prophets’ or ‘men of God’ began another round of ‘prophecies’ which were as weird as they can get. For instance, some ‘prophesied’ of a military take-over of government, others of an interim government, and others still, prophesied the arrest of the President-elect on or before May 29th, 2023—the day of the inauguration. A few others, in their warped mind, prophesied that the President-elect would die before the inauguration! How weird and warped-minded can one be to gleefully announce that someone would die because they dislike or disagree with them? Can this be Christianity? Absolutely not!
One thing about the plethora of ‘prophecies’ was that these ‘prophets’ or ‘men of God’ were known campaigners of candidates who did not win the election. Indeed, the number of people claiming to be Christians who participated in this show of shame is embarrassingly high, not to talk of so-called social media influencers who claimed to be Christians, parroting, and sharing such information (or disinformation) on various platforms.
False prophecies in Scripture—we can relate!
As the barrage of these ‘prophecies’ were released, what came to mind was King Ahab of Israel and his four hundred prophets (of Baal) who were urging him to go to war at Ramoth-Gilead and espousing a false victory. Unbeknownst to Ahab, these ‘prophets’ were leading him to his death (1 Kings 22:1-39)!
As King Ahab’s ‘prophets’ prophesied of his victory, King Jehoshaphat of Judah was uncomfortable and asked if there was no prophet of God from whom they could inquire about the war Ahab was about to embark on. Jehoshaphat’s enquiry by itself was an indictment on Ahab’s false prophets, but it was lost on them. So, after complaining about the prophet of God whom they could consult, Ahab reluctantly sent for him; Micaiah was his name.
When the prophet, Micaiah, arrived, he told Ahab what he wanted to hear—that King Ahab should proceed to war at Ramoth-Gilead and that he would win! However, King Ahab reprimanded Micaiah and asked the prophet to tell him what God was really saying! This meant that Ahab knew that his prophets were lying to him, but he was comfortable with their ‘good’ prophecies!
Micaiah then told King Ahab and all present that God had invited him (Micaiah) to His Council meeting in heaven to witness an event. At the event, God had asked the spirits present, who among them would go and convince King Ahab to go to war so that He (God) would kill him (Ahab) at Ramoth-Gilead. Micaiah continued that after many suggestions from many spirits, one of the spirits came forward and said that he would become a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahab’s prophets, and God said that spirit to go because he would succeed. Thus, Micaiah told Ahab that a lying spirit was in the mouth of his prophets.
For telling the truth, Micaiah received a resounding slap from Ahab’s chief prophet and was imprisoned by the King. So, off went Ahab to war! And as God had shown Micaiah, Ahab died when an enemy soldier randomly shot his arrow, and it struck Ahab, fatally wounding him!
All I can say for now is that, when there are several ‘prophets’ saying the same things, beware; they just may be speaking under the influence of a lying spirit—regardless of their renown!
The church and its first love
What is particularly troubling in all the ‘prophetic’ jamboree and ‘festivities’ surrounding the 2023 Nigerian General elections, is that many preachers, pastors, and prophets left their first love—the Lord Jesus Christ—to become ‘campaign directors’/’campaign stalwarts’ for politicians. The most frightening is how God’s pulpit became a soapbox for political rhetoric by preachers, pastors, prophets, and politicians alike.
This reminds me of Jesus’ remarks to the church in Ephesus: though they had engaged in honourable deeds, Jesus accused them of abandoning Him—their first love (Revelations 2:1-4). We thus witnessed, in real-time, the activities of the church of Ephesus in many churches in Nigeria! More troubling is Jesus’ statement that He would remove the lampstand of the Ephesian church if they did not repent (Revelation 2:5), implying that Ephesus would go into spiritual darkness (Revelation 1:20; Matthew 5:14-16)! I pray that this will not be the lot of the churches and the communities where they are located, in Nigeria.
It is embarrassing to have to publicly indict ministers of the gospel, but when one hears respected preachers speak with venom and make insulting remarks about politicians they are not in support of, one cannot but recall that,
Human anger does not achieve God's righteous purpose. (James 1:20, GNB)
I do not know if the Lord Jesus Christ can tolerate these embarrassments. Remember what He said,
"THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU," (Romans 2:24, NKJV)
Going forward, what must the church learn and do?
To my brothers and sisters in the Lord, may I say the following in response to all that has happened before, during, and in the immediate aftermath of the 2023 general elections, especially, the presidential elections.
Firstly, God appoints whosoever He wills as the leader of a nation.
We must understand that God appoints whom He wills as the leader of any nation (Romans 13:1), whether that nation is tagged “Christian”, “Islamic”, “Buddhist”, “Secular”, etc.
Nebuchadnezzar found that out the hard way after he was made to live like an animal for seven years. He noted that God gives power to whosoever He wills, and no one can question Him (Daniel 4).
Secondly, we must never assume that our desire is God’s desire.
If you desire something, tell God about it, but also remember to add, “Not as I will, but Your will be done!” and recognise that God’s will is sacrosanct and sovereign! Abraham interceded for the twin city-states of Sodom and Gomorrah when God wanted to destroy them. And though God destroyed the twin city-states and their environs, Abraham’s intercession was not a waste, as God rescued Abraham’s nephew, Lot, and his family (Genesis 19:27–29). As you surrender to God’s will, He will make your desire to become a reality, even while bringing to pass His will, which may be contrary to what you wanted.
Thirdly, be mindful of ‘prophets’ who lead you away from God.
Even where a man prophesies correctly, but afterwards, leads you away from God and His word; God warns that you must not follow such people.
Here is God’s word on the matter:
Prophets or interpreters of dreams may promise a miracle or a wonder, to lead you to worship and serve gods that you have not worshiped before. Even if what they promise comes true, do not pay any attention to them. The LORD your God is using them to test you, to see if you love the LORD with all your heart. Follow the LORD and honor him; obey him and keep his commands; worship him and be faithful to him. But put to death any interpreters of dreams or prophets that tell you to rebel against the LORD, who rescued you from Egypt, where you were slaves. Such people are evil and are trying to lead you away from the life that the LORD has commanded you to live. They must be put to death, in order to rid yourselves of this evil. (Deuteronomy 13:1–5, GNB)
Is God asking us to kill false prophets today? No! He is telling us to die to them in our hearts — that is, depart from them, abandon them, and do not stay where they are — lest they infect us with their idolatry, and we share in God’s judgment upon them.
Fourthly, the church is called to pray for all those in authority.
The church must pray for civil leaders, regardless of whether or not they are Christians, so that we — Christians — can live peaceably in the land.
It is written:
You should pray for rulers and for all who have authority. Pray for these leaders so that we can live quiet and peaceful lives — lives full of devotion to God and respect for him. (1 Timothy 2:2, ERV)
Where there is peace in the land, we shall be at peace (Jeremiah 29:7).
If, therefore, there is unrest in any community where the church is present, the church must take responsibility, repent, and immediately seek God’s face for reprieve and restoration of normalcy. We must never gloat when there is unrest in the community or nation where we dwell — we must intercede on behalf of the community or nation — as we would be adversely affected by the unrest!
Fifthly, when situations are not going as we expect, we must return to prayer, not self-help.
I know some pastors have turned prayer into a selfish thing, but prayer is not selfish, and definitely, neither insignificant nor inconsequential. It is in the place of prayer that God tells us what to do. God told Jehoshaphat when three nations came up against Judah,
Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. (2 Chronicles 20:15, NKJV)
So, when the military wanted to come out front to fight, Jehoshaphat reminded them to,
Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper. (2 Chronicles 20:20, NKJV)
We must trust God and what He has told His true prophets; not what false prophets are spewing or what we think! The choice of leaders is God’s purview! When people cast their ballots, God still decides who wins. It is written:
People might make many plans, but what the LORD says is what will happen. (Proverbs 19:21, ERV)
Ours is to pray for those so divinely chosen to lead the nation aright so that we — Christian or not — can lead peaceable lives.
Sixthly, do not play prophet when God has not spoken to you.
For those who want to turn God’s word into a political apparatus, hear what God says,
The prophet who has had a dream should say it is only a dream, but the prophet who has heard my message should proclaim that message faithfully. What good is straw compared with wheat? My message is like a fire and like a hammer that breaks rocks in pieces. I am against those prophets who take each other’s words and proclaim them as my message. I am also against those prophets who speak their own words and claim they came from me. Listen to what I, the LORD, say! I am against the prophets who tell their dreams that are full of lies. They tell these dreams and lead my people astray with their lies and their boasting. I did not send them or order them to go, and they are of no help at all to the people. I, the LORD, have spoken.” (Jeremiah 23:28–32, GNB)
If what you received was a dream, say it is a dream and do not try to give your interpretation — allow the Holy Spirit to give the interpretation. It may not be what you desire, but since it is God’s word, we must say, “As the Lord pleases!” And if you have not received a word from God, say nothing!
Seventhly, do not be distracted from waiting for the return of Jesus Christ.
Though it seems that the Lord Jesus is delaying His return, ours is to continually be in expectation of His return. We should not be distracted from doing God’s will and waiting on Him, by politics or any worldly distraction. Sadly, many pastors and church leaders have turned to idolatry, making ‘gold calves’ of politicians because they think that waiting for God is unfruitful.
We are back in the wilderness when Israel was led into idolatry by Aaron, the high priest, who made a gold calf when Moses was on the mountain with God receiving the Ten Commandments and delayed in coming down (Exodus 32:1–6). We must repent of our idolatry and return to waiting for God.
Finally, do not take God’s silence for granted.
Let us not take God’s silence for granted and assume that He is consenting to our acting contrary to His word. It is written:
God says to the wicked, “Why should you recite my commandments? Why should you talk about my covenant? You refuse to let me correct you; you reject my commands. You become the friend of every thief you see, and you associate with adulterers. “You are always ready to speak evil; you never hesitate to tell lies. You are ready to accuse your own relatives and to find fault with them. You have done all this, and I have said nothing, so you thought that I am like you. But now I reprimand you and make the matter plain to you. (Psalms 50:16–21, GNB)
God keeps quiet when we are consistently engaging in evil and wrongdoing because we have the Holy Spirit and His word to speak to us. But when we refuse to heed those, He then thunders, and His judgment is not a trifle!
Epilogue
If the church had invested in the gospel as it was invested in the 2023 General elections in Nigeria, the gospel would have been heard everywhere by now! We must now be invested in God’s kingdom and be engaged in politics and governance by being a worthy example for the unbelievers to follow—remember, we are the light of the world! We must eschew playing to the gallery and overtly choosing sides—remember what the Pre-incarnate Christ said when Joshua encountered Him on the plains of Jericho and ask if He was for them or the enemy; He said:
"Neither. I'm commander of GOD's army. I've just arrived." (Joshua 5:14, MSG)
God is not for anyone particularly, but He is sovereign, and His will is what matters. We, the church, must seek God’s mercy, His forgiveness of our intransigence, and the restoration of His reverence and glory to the churches in Nigeria.
Shalom!
