THE PRAYER WARRIORS OF TODAY

Early this month, I had an appointment at the office of a law maker. As I stepped into the office, I stumbled into a prayer session which I had to join. However, the man who led the prayer session was someone I had seen earlier on account of his unique dress code. He had on a white cassock which gave no illusions as to his calling or profession, whichever the case may be.

Then it hit me! I had seen this "Father" a few minutes ago when I was at the entrance to the National Assembly fulfilling the strict security prerequisites to authorize my entrance. It wasn't like he was unmemorable - nothing of that sort. In fact, he stood out in contrast to the many of us who were there on one business of the other. Most of us were primly dressed in suits, native wears and/or casuals - nothing out of the ordinary to get you noticed. What caught my attention however was his somber and pious look as he waited to satisfy the security procedure expected of him. He had this expression on his face like he would be administering the holy communion in a minute. I really didn't think much of it then as I had a lot on my mind at the time.

Thus, finding him in the office here leading a prayer session was a bit surprising. Out of respect for God and his priestly office, I bowed my head and joined in the prayer which was delivered in Igbo language. He invoked the blessings of God upon us but as he did so, I was amazed at one of the staff at the law maker's office who didn't seem to care much about the blessings being invoked upon our lives. She nonchalantly engaged herself in a phone conversation while prayers were going on.
Initially, I thought perhaps the prayer session was going to be over in a minute but it was not to be so as the prayer session gradually gathered momentum. The lady continued with her loud conversation on the phone totally oblivious what was going on. By this time, I was like "Ah ah sef! You show respect for God nau!" - in my mind oh, in my mind so that you don't get the wrong idea lest she decided to frustrate my mission afterwards.

Eventually, it became awkward to have just two voices out of a crowd of about seven communicating loudly and seperately with two invisibles while the rest of us bowed our heads in humble obeisance. The staff which I gathered was one of the secretaries of the law maker had to leave the office so that we could focus on the more important conversation taking place.

After a short while, it all came to end. It was only then I learned that the law maker was "not on seat" (whatever that really means) so I had to wait a little. I waited as I watched the priest exchange kind and gentle words with the more devout members of his denomination as he continued to plant blessings after blessings on them. It then crossed my mind to ask myself what this priest was doing here. My guide commented that it was normal for "men of God" to pay unscheduled visits to politicians armed with ready prayers of blessings in high hopes of activating their benevolence which usually translated to financial rewards.

Before he made this comment, my mind was cast back to an article I read some time ago about how some "men of God" were regular visitors at Aso Rock or rather, employees of Aso Rock with the specific duties of binding and casting the evil forces sent to scuttle the efforts of the administration. Again, I remembered the very familiar figure of the CAN president laying hands on and blessing the "First Children" very recently at the jamboree organized by the First Lady to celebrate her miraculous resurrection from the dead.

It is indeed no joke that there are many of such "men of God" thronging the halls of power seeking to render their services especially as a minister once declared that the power sector needed serious "deliverance". Every day, we hear heart-breaking tales of corruption that emanate from the halls of power. One would normally expect that the presence of high-powered prayer warriors would reduce this but apparently, these new generation of "men of God" care more about their stomach than effecting a real change in the system.

God is watching all of you in HD!

Malcolm O. Ifi.
I am on twitter @saymalcolm