Nigeria: Her Woes and Their True Remedies

By Dr. Okoro, Onyeije Chukwudum

There is no denying that Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, will play an important role in determining the fate of the black continent. Nevertheless, many people do not stop to consider Nigerias importance, nor do they explore its mysteries, woeful stories, and the spiritual causes of its current problems.

You will travel back to the earliest days of humanity to learn about the various ethnic groups that settled in Nigeria, their origins, and the beliefs behind their various religions. Find out how populations were enslaved, how the land was colonized, and how foreign religions affected its people.

Through these pages, the mystery of Nigeria will unfold and reveal why Nigeria is at a turning point in its history. You will discover the role of the true believers through the thorough analysis of Nigerias diverse population, history, and culture.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Mar 31, 2009
• ISBN: 9780595613809

Dr. Okoro, Onyeije Chukwudum

Dr. Okoro, a medical doctor, lives and works in Abuja. He began writing Nigeria: A Wasteland in 1999 in an effort to inform Nigerians about their woes and the world about Nigeria?s troubles.

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Dedication

This book is dedicated to:

Elohim, the Heavenly Father,

the only Begotten Son, the Messiah,

and the Brethren who have laid down their lives for Nigeria

Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgement

Preface

Introduction

1

Our Heritage

2

Elohim With Us

3

Lessons from the Father

4

Our Foundation

5

Our Foundation II

6

The Oil Boom Years

7

Blood Shedding and Slavery

8

Religion and the Underdevelopment of Nigeria

9

Perpetuation of Witchcraft and Slavery

10

Oil Doom

11

National Sins

12

Miscellaneous Issues

13

A Wasteland

14

Development and the Iniquities of the Fathers

15

Development and the Iniquities of the Fathers II

16

Remedies and the Way Forward

17

Remedies and the Way Forward II

18

The True Believers and Nigeria

19

The True Believers and Nigeria II

Appendix 1

The Curses upon Nigeria

Appendix 2

A Comparison of Nigeria’s Population and Landmass with Other African Countries

Appendix 3

The FESTAC Symbol

Appendix 4

Lessons on Leadership

Appendix 5

My Tears

Appendix 6

The Believer’s Weapon of Warfare

Appendix 7

An Accursed People

Appendix 8

Kith and Kin

Glossary

Bibliography

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Acknowledgement

I am most grateful and highly indebted to the authors and publishers whose works and publications have been used in this book. First, my indebtedness goes to the publishers of the various English versions of the Holy Bible used in the book:

The Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible , KJV

The New English Bible with the Apocrypha (Oxford Study Edition), NEB

The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV

The Living Bible (Self-Help Edition), TLB

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, NKJV

The New Jerusalem Bible, JB

The Sacred Scriptures, Bethel Edition, SS

The Restoration of the Original Sacred Name Bible, ROSNB

The Holy Bible, Revised Standard Version, RSV

Unless otherwise stated, all scriptural quotations are taken from the King James Version, except for the Apocrypha, which is taken from The New English Bible (Oxford Study Edition). The NEB has the Apocrypha, including the First and Second Books of Esdras. The ROSNB used the sacred names and titles of the Heavenly Father and of the Son—YahVah and Elohim in place of the Lord and God, and Yahshua and Messiah in place of Jesus and Christ. The SS used Yahweh (instead of YahVah) and Elohim, Yahshua, and Messiah. The JB used Yahweh only in the Old Testament and has the Apocrypha.

Second, my indebtedness goes to the authors and publishers of the several books, dictionaries, bible concordances, encyclopaedias, newspaper articles, magazines, and other publications which cannot all be listed here, though The Preacher, which permitted me to use its publications so profusely, is worthy of mention. The list can be found in the bibliography.

I am also indebted to the staff of the National Library in Abuja, who assisted me in the collection of materials from the library, to the staff of the National Copyright Commission of the Federal Secretariat in Abuja for their technical advice and assistance, and I am especially grateful to Ray Power of 100.5 FM Radio, located in Abuja, for its daily press review programme back in 1999.

I have borne the armour of this book, but it has not been alone. Other people have felt called upon to help share the burden of this book with me and to share the spoils of the battle for the salvation of Nigeria with those who have been longing for the end of the battle; and to all Nigerians and non-Nigerians alike. In this vein, a million thanks to the management and staff of Ecobank, Ggwagwalada, for becoming my ‘kinsman redeemer’ by helping to bear the burden of this book and to cause the game of the hunt for Nigeria to be shared with all. May the Mighty One of creation reward you all, not only in this world but in His Kingdom.

I must mention my gratitude to my elder sister, Comfort Uloma Sharon Okoro, for upholding my hands in battle through all she endured, for having been on my side with her appreciation of and supplications for my involvement in this work, and for her patience and perseverance with me. Thanks also go to my friends, acquaintances, and colleagues, who for years have waited for the publication of this book. Special thanks to Mr. Joseph Forson, a former minister of the legendary Worldwide Church of God, for the resource materials he readily provided me with.

Furthermore, I sincerely recognise the patience and endurance of my family members, to whom I denied many things over the last ten years of my involvement in the battle for the deliverance, salvation, and healing of my beloved country, continent, and race. Special recognition goes to the three little princesses whom the Shaddai has given me: Yerubel Keziah Adaora Samuel, Shabbath Yahudyth (otherwise called Judith) Adaeze Samuel, and YahVahshalom Mo’adah Adaugo Samuel for their interferences and the loss of my company during the periods of researching, typesetting, and proofreading this book. They have been my ‘arrows in a warrior’s hand.’ I also acknowledge all that has befallen my father’s household and all that has happened to my mother’s kitchen because heaven sought the fulfillment of its will, the writing of this book and the battles thereof, through one of its members.

My appreciation also goes to my beloved friend, Robert Joseph Tsaku, for the typing of the manuscript, his invaluable observations, comments, and suggestions in the arrangement of some subjects, ideas, and topics in the book, as well as for his role as an ‘armour bearer’ as far as the preliminary editing and proofreading and the last phase of the preparation of this book for transmission to the publisher is concerned.

Similarly, to my editorial consultant at iUniverse, Mr. George Nedeff, my script editor, Shea Spindler, my publishing services associate, Mr. Stephen Weathers, the sales manager, Ms. Holly Beermann, and all those who worked so hard in iUniverse to have this book published—thank you for your interest, willing enthusiasm, and labour in the publication of this book. May the Elyon bless you all!

The battle for the deliverance, salvation, and healing of this potentially great country, Nigeria, has been fought from the air, from the sea, on land, and even in the spirit. For you who are sharing the spoils of the battle by bringing this book to the reading public, may the Creator of Heaven and Earth keep, bless, and grant you His repentance and salvation.

Finally and most importantly, with fear and trembling I acknowledge that this book is the will of the Father of creation. This is because of the ordeal of writing it and the odds, even wars waged, against the realisation of Heaven’s will in the writing and publication of this book. I am happy that the Father’s will has been done on Earth at last, as He had ordained in Heaven that Nigerians (and the rest of the peoples of the world) should know the mystery of their nationhood and receive His warning in regard to their transgressions. I acknowledge that it has not been by my might or power but by the Father’s Spirit that this will of His and His Son, my elder brother in heaven, has been done. So I say, thank you, Dad, and thank you, Bro!

May all give thanks to the Maker of humankind for His will, purposes, and faithfulness and for His interest and purposes for Nigeria! He was more than faithful in His promises and provisions all through the writing and publication of this book. It is humans who discount Him, fail to prove Him, and break His promises, covenants, commandments, and laws, which prevent Him from keeping His Word and promises. Great has been His faithfulness. Verily, verily, He has exalted His Name and His Word above all things! His Name is great and faithful; His Word is truth! HalleluYah!

Preface

This book was borne out of what Watchman Nee describes as ‘Dealings with [Elohim] [1] and Dealings by [Elohim]’ in his book, Spiritual Knowledge. When someone prays, he expects answers from the one to whom he prays. The person who prays expects and receives answers from the authority, god, deity, elohim, or person to whom he offers his prayer. This book is the answer received for my prayers and petitions to the Living Elohim, the Eternal, the I AM, Almighty Father, YahVah [2], the Creator of all things—the heavens and the Earth, the universe.

Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa and one of the most endowed, humanly and materially, among the countries of the world, has come a long way. Her history has been tortuous and painful. While the tortuous history of Nigeria may be excusable because of the lack of knowledge of the will of Heaven for us as a people and the lack of knowledge of our ancestry, the pains of Nigeria’s history are wholly unacceptable to all and sundry—Nigerians and non-Nigerians—whether within or outside the country because heaven has endowed us with every resource to help us grow, develop, and become great.

This book addresses the pains, or better, the diseases of Nigeria’s history: how the Sovereign, the El Shaddai—Father YahVah—sees Nigeria and her diseases; and the remedies or cures for the diseases.

Since the post-independence years, the nationalists and rulers of this country have been trying to solve the country’s problems. When one government fails, another comes (oftentimes by force of arms or military coups) promising to change things and better the lot of Nigeria and Nigerians. However, as governments have multiplied in the country so have our problems (diseases) multiplied. These trials and failures, and the frequent and repeated changes of government mean failure to deal with the diseases (the real problems) and show the multiplication of iniquities. The Holy Bible is truly correct where it says,

When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily; but with honest, sensible leaders there is stability (Proverbs 28:2 TLB).

And it is no less correct when it says,

Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach [curse] to any people (Proverbs 14:34).

It is obvious to one with a discerning mind that Nigeria’s real problems have not been identified, much more addressed. There is a missing dimension in our search for nationhood and our quest for greatness. That missing dimension is revealed knowledge—knowledge of Nigeria’s problems and the solutions as revealed by the Almighty. The purpose of this book is to make public that knowledge.

It is futile to treat symptoms of diseases. For example, malaria cannot be treated with a pain relieving drug like Paracetamol. Such drugs alleviate the symptoms of the disease but do nothing to the disease-causing parasites. So, when you have become sure the headache and fever you have are caused by malaria, it is futile to continue using or taking Paracetamol or any other pain reliever or antipyretic. The right and correct treatment for malaria must be given or administered in order to effect a cure. The treatment the doctor gives is a drug which will kill the parasites. The diseases afflicting Nigeria must be diagnosed and the correct treatment administered to effect the cure of the diseases. Nigeria’s problems must be identified and the correct solutions applied or pursued to bring about the end of the problems. This is how Nigeria’s problems must be dealt with—there is no other way. This book aims to diagnose the diseases of Nigeria and offer the correct treatment. It aims to identify Nigeria’s real problems and proffer the correct solutions to them for our application or pursuit.

The diseases afflicting Nigeria must be diagnosed and treated, not the symptoms. An example of a disease afflicting us is that Nigeria was founded without knowledge of who we are, without purpose for the country, and without a clear cut vision and direction of where we were heading. Two examples of symptoms of disease which we have been treating without cure is the cry for and the creation of more and more states and local councils, and the unlimited number of commissions and committees we set up to address the problems and issues plaguing the country. The sign of this disease is that Nigeria as a plural society of many peoples, cultures, and religions has become ‘difficult’ to govern while the peoples find it difficult to live together in cohesion. These symptomatic treatments will not bring about cure to the diseases and so will lead us nowhere. At best, they will be temporary solutions—solutions for the moment, for the time being. They will not last. The purpose of this book is to make a diagnosis of the ailments of Nigeria and provide the correct remedy for them which will bring about the cure of the ailments and the diseases.

Every Nigerian (except the heartless ones) wants their country to change for the good. The masses want food on their tables. They want shelter and they want jobs. They want their children to go to school and become educated. The people want peace, stability, and prosperity. But where is the way to peace, the road to stability, and the path to prosperity? Each day the rich are getting richer, while the poor are getting poorer. In a country where resources are in limitless abundance, the people are dying of starvation and the inability to afford basic medical care. Yet this is a country with enough resources to provide free education for her children up to the undergraduate level, to connect all the state capitals and local government headquarters with dual-carriage roads, to link all her towns and cities with modern rail systems, to provide potable water and regular electricity to all her citizens in both urban and rural communities, to provide jobs and other opportunities to her teeming population, to provide housing for her citizenry, and to grant social security to members of her disadvantaged population.

Something is definitely wrong with this country. That wrong thing must be unravelled and addressed squarely. Otherwise, the El Shaddai, the

Creator of all, will be justified if in anger He decides to wipe this country from the face of the Earth. Our iniquities have reached Him. He can no longer bear them. Let those who have ears hear the voice of the Sovereign, the Holy One.

The discerning of heart will agree with me that the land of Nigeria is reeling and suffering from curses. The New Webster Dictionary defines a curse as

1. an invocation or prayer for divine punishment or harm to come upon someone;

2. an oath or blasphemous imprecation;

3. an evil or source of misery.

In the Oxford Advanced Learner Dictionary, a curse is a

1. Word, phrase, or sentence calling for the punishment, injury, or destruction of something or somebody;

2. Cause of misfortune or ruin;

3. Word or words used in violent language expressing anger.

As individuals or groups suffer curses (a source of misery or cause of misfortune or ruin), so can a nation or country suffer curses. In Malachi 2:2, 3:9, and 4:6, we read how YahVah El Shaddai declared He would curse the nation of Israel, that the whole nation was cursed, and threatened to send a curse upon the Earth. Nigeria is suffering under curses. This is the reason for the protracted and insurmountable problems which have plagued this country since independence from Great Britain in 1960.

I have often wondered why Ahoada, a town in Rivers State, and Keffi in Nasarawa State (formerly in Plateau State) are so backward. These ancient, colonial towns have not developed past what they were when I first knew them many years ago. Other, newer towns in the same states have sprung up to surpass them in development. Now I know that these two towns are suffering under curses that have been caused by some transgressions. That is the reason they cannot achieve development. I believe there are many such villages, towns, and cities in Nigeria.

In 1999, while the country was preparing to change from military to civilian rule, one-time U.S. President Jimmy Carter came to Nigeria. During his visit he went to Keffi. Why did he visit Keffi? I gathered that Maloney, a missionary who was murdered and buried on the famous Maloney Hill in Keffi along with other missionaries, was his kinsman. I learnt that the blood of the slaughtered was even used in place of water to mix the mud with which their graves were dressed. That was man in action! And who thinks such a town will prosper? I also came in contact with an Ahoada indigene who gave me insight into the atrocities committed by his forefathers—shedding of innocent blood and idol worshipping. May the Elohim of all creation deliver us in the Name of Yahshua!

While I was still meditating on the writing of this book, someone told me that South Korea’s stability and surge into the technological world is the result of the efforts of the believers in that country. There it is! The faithful believers in this country—the called—have a duty to their country. The curses on Nigeria have to be identified and revealed. They must then be annulled and broken—declared null and void one by one—in the Name of the Messiah, Yahshua.[3] And the evil, unclean spirits which have operated the curses must be commanded to leave our country. Then and only then can we begin afresh as a country.

30 January 1999

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I believe this book will be the most difficult work I will ever write for the Living Elohim and for Yahshua the Messiah.

The writing of this book has been difficult for the following reasons:

1. It is a commission from the Shaddai—the result of my prayers (and the prayers of many of His people) for this country, Nigeria.

2. It has dug up and revealed the roots of this country’s woes.

3. It is aimed at restoring life to a dead and rotten society.

4. It has mentioned persons by name and by office, pointing out their failures but also in some instances their successes or achievements.

5. Many will be furious with the book, the author, and even the publisher, and they will want the author dead and the publisher sued.

6. Many may not be able to read the book with the spirit in which it was written, the spirit which inspired its writing. That is, the Spirit of YahVah. I pray that everyone does.

7. Many were the difficulties, traumas, and pains the author and his family had to endure throughout the period of writing this book. Indeed, many were the afflictions of the author.

When I realised names and offices would be mentioned in this book, my first response was to abandon the project. But the Sovereign would not let me do so. It took one whole month of struggling and wrestling with the Master until He prevailed over me. It was after He prevailed over me that I wholeheartedly accepted the call to duty for the writing of this book with all its challenges and ordeal.

You see, I am a man under authority. I know what it means to be under authority—and what it means to be in authority. And so, to write about persons who have been in authority and have wielded power and wealth (some were in power at the time of this writing) was not easy or fun. However, this book transcends individuals and human (secular) authority. All authorities (spiritual, secular, and otherwise) belong to the Father and are in the hands of the Messiah (Matthew 28:18).

That I have written about our failures in Nigeria, individually and collectively, does not mean I am in any way excluded or exonerated from those failures. Had the Shaddai not dealt with me—most severely, I would say—I would not have been in a position to write this book. By the end of 1995, I had come to realise that the Almighty had gradually and completely destroyed my career goals, dreams, and everything else I had cherished. However, I had continued to struggle to ‘make ends meet’—keep body and soul together, as it is said—despite the obstacles, disappointments, and failures. I continued this struggle into early 1997, when the Shaddai showed me that my struggle to make ends meet was not of Him. The struggle was not of His will. I had to stop struggling. I stopped striving and wholly surrendered to the Master of my life. But it was late in 1998 that He again showed me that my struggle to make ends meet was covetous. I had to repent of that covetousness.

Every Nigerian who has come of age and who knows the difference between the right and left hands (especially those who live in urban and suburban areas) is guilty of coveting the Creator’s treasures in this country. These urban and suburban dwellers who have reached the age of responsibility and accountability are mostly the ones who have consciously and subconsciously coveted the Creator’s treasures in the country with the view or motive of looting them. Whether or not you were directly involved in looting and plundering the treasures of Nigeria, you are guilty! Guilty of this covetousness! You were subconsciously covetous of the national cake even if you were not directly involved in cheating, stealing, and embezzlement. So, you can see that every Nigerian to some degree has, directly or indirectly, consciously or unconsciously, been involved in the ruination of this country.

Therefore the purpose of mentioning persons by name or office in this book is not to condemn anyone or to expose and tarnish the name or image of individuals. The same goes for those institutions and organisations that have been mentioned. It is not to defame any character, and it is not out of spite or malice. It is not vindictive. Rather, it is for the healing of Nigeria and the good of her people. Otherwise Almighty YahVah Himself would have condemned us all to destruction—except perhaps the children. Instead he has been patient with us, and not only that—He wants us to repent unto Him. The purpose of mentioning names, offices, institutions, and organisations is to show us where and how we have performed wrongly and poorly and to bring us to repentance individually and collectively. This book’s aim is to heal, rebuild, and restore the country.

There can be no true and lasting restoration of Nigeria unless there is an uprooting of the evil structures and institutions in the land. There can be no forgiveness, healing, restitution, and renouncing of sin unless there is a confession of the same (Proverbs 28:13; Psalms 32:1–11). Neither can exist without the other. We must be prepared to face both the uprooting and our responsibility to repent. Let no one then be angry. Rather, each should submit to the Sovereign of Heaven and Earth in humility and repentance. This is the only way His sword of judgement can pass over us and our offspring and generations to come.

Curses, evil covenants and dedications, unfulfilled promises, and broken covenants are the ruin of the human race. They have caused much suffering and misery in human societies. They are the results of diverse causes. Overall, they are the effects of sin—the breaking of the Creator’s commandments and laws (John 3:4). A close look at the commandments, laws, statutes, and decrees which the Creator gave Israel as detailed point by point in the Old Testament (especially in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) will show how obedience and adherence to them will keep a person or a people from coming under curses.

All suffer curses—individuals, families, clans, and tribes; villages, towns, cities, nations, countries, lands, and regions; buildings, institutions, churches, and other places of worship—all suffer the effects of sin or the transgression of the Law. See Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 27 and 28. I encourage persons or groups suffering some protracted problems to earnestly seek out curses, evil covenants and dedications, unfulfilled promises, and jealousies and hatred in their lives. When these have all been unravelled and dealt with in the way of YahVah El Shaddai and you are obedient to the Holy One in all points, there is but one thing that may delay your healing or blessing. This is the reaping of fruits of evil seeds that had been sown. In such a situation as this, when one is in the period of reaping what has been sown, the Creator’s grace (heavenly favour, influence, or enablement) should be asked for. If you are sincere enough to obey Him in all things, He will surely temper justice with mercy (Matthew 23:23; Psalms 51:1–19; Hebrews 4:12–16).

Aside from this reaping, the only situation I know of where healing or blessing may not follow immediately is where the matter is not yet resolved because the Creator has some interest or purpose that must come to pass. In this instance, it becomes necessary for the individual concerned to earnestly seek out and investigate what the Shaddai’s will or interest may be in his or her life.

Therefore, the purposes of this book are to

1. Unravel the root causes of our country’s protracted problems—the causes of Nigeria’s woes and the curses which have wasted the land of Nigeria.

2. Show us where and how, individually and collectively, we have fallen, and show us what the Creator requires of us, individually and collectively.

3. Show us how to go about tackling the problems based on their causes.

4. Proffer solutions and remedies to Nigeria’s woes based on the Living Word of the Creator.

A major purpose of this book is for those called by the Name of the Saviour, Yahshua the Messiah—the true believers, the called and the chosen, the faithful and elect children of Yah—to petition to YahVah the Creator on behalf of the country and the land of Nigeria. The believers must take their petitions for Nigeria to the Creator.

The writing of this book spanned two governments—one military and one civilian. Some issues emanating from these two governments have been discussed or dealt with. However no alteration of subjects was effected in the book following the transition from military to civilian government on 29 May 1999.

I have written this book not because I want to pitch Christianity against Islam or African Traditional Religion. Neither is it to blow the trumpet for religious war in the country, nor is it to belittle Satan and his kingdom. I have written what the Sovereign, the Ruler of creation, YahVah El Shaddai taught me through Yahshua the Messiah. I have written what I was commanded to write. I will that all Nigerians and non-Nigerians see this book in the light of the Creator’s Word and warning.

Many have prophesied doom for this country. Even with the installation of democratic rule on 29 May 1999, many were not convinced Nigeria would stand and remain one. They believed Nigeria would disintegrate and fragment, that it would be, ‘to your tents, oh Nigerians!’ And there are those insidiously working in this vein, both politically and religiously. I do not accept these prophecies, ideas, beliefs, and schemes. My belief and prophecy for Nigeria are healing, rebuilding, restoration, unity, greatness, and every good thing if:

1. Nigerians would humble themselves in dust and ashes and repent to the Creator in fear and trembling, hearkening to His voice.

2. The Nigerian people and government would accept and make necessary and painful, revolutionary changes which will bring about change in the status quo in the politicoeconomic, sociocultural, and religious conditions prevalent in Nigerian society.

3. The people who are called by the Name YahVah, Elohim Tsabaoh, will fulfill their spiritual responsibilities to the country even at the price of their well-being.

31 July 1999

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In October 1999, the Father gave me the mandate to get the body of this book completed by the end of January of 2000. At that time I saw it as a most difficult task and a near impossibility. Once the work was largely completed (much of what remained was the appendix), in a period of utter weakness I understood what is meant by ‘I, of myself, can do nothing’ (John 5:30). It is the Sovereign One who does all things through His Holy Spirit. He is the One who strengthens.

I could not have written this book by myself. During the original writing, writer’s block struck me many times. I could not get myself to write anything, no matter how I tried. I only wrote when the Father supplied the grace and the strength—when He supplied the words. For example, I could not write anything on Bakassi because I did not know what to write until one morning when I heard a press review on the radio about the ‘sale’ of the peninsula. Before I went out to buy the newspaper, the Master gave me—ministered to me—what to write about the disputed territory. I honestly confess that on my own I could not have written this book. The Father enabled me to write it through His Holy Spirit. I have, therefore, written the book in accordance to the grace granted me.

As mentioned earlier, the writing of this book spanned two different types of government, military and civilian. Some events which occurred during the period of recopying and tidying up have been mentioned or discussed in the book. Such events include the army’s invasion of Odi in Bayelsa State, the introduction of the one hundred-naira note denomination, and the International Court of Justice’s judgement on the disputed Bakassi peninsula. These events are worthy of mention in the book. Thus the passage of time with events and issues of interest has prompted the writing of this part of the preface.

In October of 1999, I visited my ancestral home to enquire into the history of my place, Erema. An elderly man in his late eighties, Mr. Bethuel Oha, gave me insight into the development of my community, especially our forefathers’ relationship with the first white settlers and missionaries. Mr. Oha did not mince words as to the reason the town was backward as compared to some other towns. He showed me that our struggles to develop and educate our children contradict our forefathers’ rejection of the white man and his education, religion, and development. He also made it clear to me that many people are suffering from what their parents and forebears did.

My village, Erema, was famous for communal, tribal, and intertribal warfare and witchcraft. She was strong and feared in those olden days of communal, tribal, and intertribal wars. Even now, despite her relative quietness, peace-loving nature, and receptiveness, she is hated by brother towns and villages for the atrocities she committed against them in the past. (These atrocities and hatred are still manifesting today in the curse of marriage which Obite, one of the brother towns, pronounced against him: The people of Obite pronounced a curse on the men of Erema against marrying their women. They cursed that any marriage contracted between an Erema man and an Obite women will not prosper and that the man will not live. Of the few marriages that were defiantly contracted the only one that was blessed with the fruit of the womb and the man was alive at the time I visited this elderly traditionalist was one with an Obite woman whose mother had emigrated to Erema while she was carrying her in the womb and given birth to her at Erema where she grew up.)

In the elder’s words, ‘The weak and the foolish have gained the development the white man brought with him.’ The ‘weak and the foolish’ refers to the people who received the white man, whereas the strong and the wise fought against him. When I asked Mr. Oha for the solution to the underdevelopment of the community, he proffered a traditional solution of offering sacrifices to the deities. It was at this point that I told him my purpose of inquiry was to proffer spiritual, heavenly, and faithful solutions to the curses the community has been suffering. He was very appreciative that there was someone who cared about the well-being of the community and district from the spiritual vantage. And he has expectantly been waiting to hear from me what steps I have taken in this regard.

Every past effort to bring development to the town and the district has met many difficulties and failures despite the vast natural resources the region has been producing for decades. For example, two giant generators given to the community and which would have also supplied electricity to the neighbouring villages during the second republic were abandoned and vandalised. A cottage hospital project started at the same time was abandoned too. Also abandoned was a road project that would have connected Erema directly to Ahoada, our former local government headquarters, and Obite and Omoku, our present district and local government headquarters, respectively. An electrical project started with the aid of Elf, the oil company operating in the district, in the late ’80s suffered many difficulties and vandalization. However, soon after my visit I heard that work commenced on the long-abandoned electrical, road, and hospital projects in the community. As the Sovereign wills, when I complete this book I hope to have the opportunity to face the spiritual problems hampering the community’s development by standing in the gap for the community and district and making public the causes of the underdevelopment of the community and district. In the mean time, a small manuscript similar to this book has been prepared on the curses afflicting the community and district along with their remedies.

On 26 December 1999, I visited the famous Maloney Hill in Keffi, where the missionaries were buried, to see things for myself. The lesson and experience of that visit, which I describe below, encouraged and prepared me to suffer, bear, and endure many things for the Word, work, and Kingdom of YahVah. After my journey I was prepared to suffer and endure opposition, violence, and even death for the establishment of the Creator’s Kingdom on Earth.

For many months I had been asking for the Master’s permission and grace to go on the visit on that day, but He had not given me the ‘green light.’ Being a man under authority, I needed the Master’s green light, permission, or the authority of the Master to go on the trip. On the eve of my planned trip to Maloney Hill I had a sharp dispute with my wife. (This was one among many throughout the period of researching and writing this book. I had been hoping that we would go to Keffi together with our fourteen-month-old baby. I had wanted the visit to be like a picnic. She had reluctantly agreed to go. She once lived in that colonial town.) As I awoke the next morning, still brooding over the dispute, the Spirit charged me to get up and prepare for the visit with or without her—it would actually be easier without her. (I was to later learn that the dispute was intended to prevent me from going on the visit, just as I had many times been momentarily discouraged from this work by similar disputes.) I rose up, prepared, and left for Keffi.

Upon reaching Keffi, I was stunned to discover that the commercial cyclists (‘okada’ or ‘going’ people) did not know the name ‘Maloney’ nor the hill itself. The person who finally directed the cyclist who took me to the place simply called it Gidan Maloney—Maloney’s house. It was not until the location of the hill was described that the cyclist admitted he knew the place. I was stunned that such a historic hill or house in such a small town was not well-known by everyone living in the town.

On climbing the hill, I was shocked by what I saw. The remains of a large hut of earth and stone was situated right on top of the rather steep and rocky hill. Maloney was buried within this hut. The grave, which had eroded, looked more like a mass grave. Maloney was probably buried in the same grave as those slain with him. Because I was overwhelmed by sorrow and tears, I could not make further inquiry to confirm what I saw and learn more. I had hoped to go to one of the town’s chiefs or elders after coming down from the hill.

The visit also afforded me the opportunity to see the town. (I had hitherto never entered the town.) My eyes saw what my heart knew would be the situation of the town—ruin, decay, and death. No life. Only desolation! The believers in Keffi had better wake up to their responsibility. Everyone living there and all who descended from there are suffering from the curse of the blood of those missionaries.

Should you want to visit the hill or the house of Maloney, the following hints will be helpful to you:

1. It will be easier to get to the top of the hill during the dry season, when the grasses may have been burnt.

2. Casual wear will do. Fine clothes will become soiled when climbing up and down the hill, especially if it is grassy.

3. The hill is the most prominent geographical feature in the town. Coming from Abuja, it lies to the right on the Abuja-Akwanga-Jos Road, just after the junction leading to Nasarawa-Toto and Kachia, Kafanchan, and Kaduna.

4. There is a track running beside the hill on the western (Abuja) side. You can get to the hilltop with some ease from this track. An old road leads from the heart of the town to the western side of the hill. A motorbike or car can easily reach the track road from this old road.

5. A guide will make things easy. Bear in mind the local name of the hill, Gidan Maloney.

6. Do not forget to ask the Father to cover you with the blood of the Messiah when you go up the hill. Also, nullify every curse or covenant that may come upon you in the Name of the Messiah as you come down from the hill.

Places like this normally have resident evil spirits which attack people who visit the sites. Their right to attack and afflict visitors to such places lies in the fact that they are the ruling spirits of those territories where blood was shed or some other unholy activity take place. Visitors or tourists to these sites come under curses and evil covenants. On descending the hill the visitor should open his mouth and declare that ‘every curse and covenant which has come upon me for visiting this site I declare null and void in the Name of the Messiah Yahshua.’

So in Keffi there lived a missionary and his associates who did not love themselves in any way but were prepared to suffer everything, even death, for the sake of the Word of life. And suffer and die for it they did—violently. The hilltop where the hut was located and the isolated, barren, rocky, stiff, and tallest hill in the town awed me. Their lack of fear of death and the threat of it overwhelmed me. Truly, not since the days of John the Baptist has the Kingdom of YahVah (with the people of the Kingdom) suffered such violence (Matthew 11:12). The experience of this visit finally prepared me for opposition, threats, assault, and violence, even to the point of death, in service in the Father’s vineyard.

I bore much contention from my household (and from the Father’s ‘household’) during the period of researching and writing this book. The saviour’s words which say that the enemies of His disciples will be members of their own households (Matthew 10:34–36; Micah 7:5–7) and that those belonging to Him will be put out of the synagogue (Matthew 10:17–18; Luke 21:12) have come true in my life. I was technically put out of the congregation I attended at the time I began to write this book much earlier than I expected because it changed its name without following due spiritual process. The Father’s work must be done contrary to the well-being and the life of the disciples of His Kingdom and often in contradiction to the expectations, willingness, and deeds of the people it is meant to benefit or who benefit from them. The hopelessly deteriorating conditions in Nigeria and the hardening of the hearts of many and the leadership sometimes compelled me to lose hope for Nigeria and abandon the project. But spiritual things are often contradictory. For this reason I kept my hope for Nigeria alive.

And so, where subjects discussed in this book appear contradictory or confusing, I implore the reader to take it slowly and ask the Shaddai for help—ask for the help of His Spirit—in order to understand. Many uncommon English and non-English words and terms have been used in the book. The meanings of these words and terms have been given in the glossary. The origins of the terms have also been given in many instances.

The origin of certain terms is important to understand. For example, where the tetragrammaton, heb.jpg , has been incorrectly translated as ‘the LORD’ or ‘God’ in the Bible translations used, I have taken the liberty to correct those passages and inserted the English transliteration of the tretragrammaton, YHVH, or YahVah as it is pronounced, as should have been done by the English translators of the Scriptures. I have similarly made corrections in the excerpts used in this book. Also, I have corrected God, Lord, Jesus, and Christ to read Elohim, Sovereign, Yahshua, and Messiah, respectively. There are two views on the correct pronunciation of the tetatragammaton or sacred Name: YHWH (Yahweh) and YHVH (YahVah). The former is commoner than the latter. Because of scriptural evidences of the existence and meaning of the second half of YahVah in Hebrew names such as Kibroth-hattaavah (Numbers 11:1–35) and Tikvah (2 Kings 22:14), as well as others like tiqvah, qavah, and lavah (Strong’s 1990, 8615, 6960, and 3867, respectively), I have chosen to use the less common version. I have italicised the sacred Name, YahVah, for emphasis, and I have chosen to write it with a capital V because the Name has two components parts or words, Yah and Vah, derived from the Hebrew verbs hayah and havah respectively. Yah is the short or poetic form of the Name. For the same purpose of emphasis I have also italicized Yahshua, the Name of the saviour.

Titles other than El, Elohim used for the Mighty One of creation include Father or Heavenly Father, Sovereign One or Sovereign, Almighty, El Shaddai or Shaddai, Elah, Eloah, Elyon, Creator, and the Eternal.

Similarly, the true, original, ‘pregnant,’ Hebrew personal Name Yahshua and title Messiah, the Saviour of the world, have been used in this book in place of the Gentile, pagan, English-Latin-Greek name Jesus and title Christ found in the common English Bibles and used by most people in the religious world. Again, I have taken the liberty to correct the names and titles in the New Testament. I have also in some places used Master, Rabbi, Saviour, and Redeemer to refer to the Messiah.

It should be noted that to Bible translators, theologians, and Bible scholars these Hebrew names and titles are neither strange nor new. What is strange and mysterious is how and why they were expunged from the Scriptures and replaced by pagan names and titles. We shall learn in bits and pieces the meanings of the names and titles of the Creator and the only Begotten Son. We shall also learn, in some details in chapter 8, how and why the names and titles were expunged from the Scriptures and replaced by the names and titles of pagan deities and saviours. As YahVah Elohim wills, some day I shall write a volume that will deal comprehensively with these issues—the history of the Hebrew Scriptures.

I wish to note here that the word Sabbath as used or discussed in this book does not refer to or have anything to do with white-garment Sabbath keepers or churches. Nor does it refer to occult Sabbath-keeping churches or groups which perform animal or fruit sacrifices. Just as there are churches and groups which perform animal and fruit sacrifices on Sunday, there are those who do the same on Saturday—the Sabbath. The Sabbath has been treated in this book from the vantage of the Creator, who created that day as ‘a day of holy rest’ (Genesis 2:1–3) and ‘a day made for man’s use and benefits’ (Mark 2:27), and from the vantage of His Living Word.

Although there are multitudes who gather to worship God on the human-appointed, pagan day of Sun worship—called Sunday (the first day of the week)—there are few who keep the Sabbath, or rather Sabbaths. These few gather to worship the Creator, YahVah, on His appointed and commanded days of assembly—the days of holy convocations. The holy days are the seventh day of each week, commonly known as the Sabbath day, and the annual Sabbaths, which are annual festivals. If you want to learn more about the sacred names and titles used in this book and about the Sabbaths of the Creator, search the Scriptures and research biblical history.

Part of my qualification to write this book laid in my desire in the mid- and late ’90s to know the meanings, purposes, and functions of the Sabbaths and why those who knew and kept them seemed so inactive and unproductive in the making of disciples from all nations for the Kingdom of Heaven. Indeed, I queried the relevance of the Sabbath in the light of the impotence of Sabbath keeping groups amidst the bubbling religions and religious activities in the world. Born and bred in a Sabbath-keeping family, I wondered about the relevance of the Sabbaths judging the lack of impact of Sabbath keepers in the religious and political arenas in the countries of the world contrary to the teachings of the Scriptures and the beliefs, practices, and works of the people of the Scriptures. The sections on the Sabbaths are the lessons I learned and experiences I gained as answers to my posers on the Sabbaths. During this same period I developed an active interest in the affairs of Nigeria and the backwardness of the black race. This interest had led me to write a poem in 1997 where I expressed some deep feelings on the history, growth, and development of Nigeria, Africa, and the black race.

Thus the vertebrae of this book were derived from the poem on Nigeria (and Africa) which I have included in appendix 8. (The skull, brain, and spinal cord are found in chapter 3.) If the Sovereign wills, this poem will be published along with many others after the publication of this book. In the meantime, my earnest prayer to YahVah El Shaddai is for His light and His glorious evangel to continue to shine upon Nigerians (and on the black race) until they envelop us. I pray that He continues to bring us out of darkness into His marvellous light, that He forgives us all our iniquities, including those of our ancestors, our kiths, and our kins, and that His blessings which He promised His faithful servants and friends of old, though rejected and fought against by ourselves and our forebears, should become ours as we await the dawning of His Kingdom and reign on Planet Earth.

When this book finally reaches the reading public, I beseech the Mighty One to back it up with His Holy Spirit—His Spirit of understanding (sound mind), knowledge, and power. May the Sovereign’s Spirit help us, Nigerians and non-Nigerians alike, to know where to direct our prayers. This book affords those who have been praying for Nigeria the opportunity to direct their prayers to the appropriate quarters, to send them to the right targets, rather than praying randomly and non-specifically. Prayers for Nigeria which hitherto have been non-specific and non-targeted and outside the range of Heaven—the throne room of the universe—can now be made specific and targeted directly to Elohim YahVah, the Creator who alone answers true and genuine prayers offered to Him.

All gratefulness, thankfulness, honours, majesty, sovereignty, and rule be unto the Sovereign One, the Father of the heavens and the Earth, the Creator of all things, and to the Sovereign, Master, and Rabbi, Yahshua the Messiah, that the Father’s will has been done! I thank them specifically for giving me the grace, influence, and ability—the Holy Spirit—to do this work. I thank them for providing for my daily needs throughout the period of the work. The Father has been more than faithful to His covenants and promises. It is we humans who break (or fail to do our parts of) our agreements with Him.

Forty years before I wrote this book, the Nigerian legislature responded to the queen of England’s request for the two national houses of assembly to pass a motion requesting England’s legislative house to grant Nigeria independence on 1 October 1960. Finally, forty years after that motion for Nigeria’s independence was passed, the Eternal One’s request, commission, and mandate for this book is carried out and completed.

Therefore, while this book awaits publication it is my earnest hope, belief, and prayer that as her majesty fulfilled her promise to grant Nigeria independence on 1 October 1960, His Great Majesty the Creator and Ruler of all things will grant Nigeria a second and better, true, and permanent independence—at His appointed time and in His appointed way. May it be a new dawn for Africa’s most populous country! May the Eternal, the Holy, and Living One grant a new beginning—a new birth—to Nigeria. May He do this for His end-time work and purpose.

May the Eternal One, YahVah El Shaddai, be true to His Word, to all that has been written in this book in accordance with His directive. For He said in His Word, the Holy Scriptures, that He has exalted His Name and Word above all things (Psalms 138:2 RSV).

May the Creator, Elohim YahVah, be true and faithful to His words, in the mighty and saving Name Yahshua, the Messiah. HalleluYah!

29 January 2000

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This book, which I began in January of 1999 but laid aside after each phase of completion, has waited five years to mature and become ripe enough for publication. The soil in which it is to be sown has also been ploughed enough to receive it. This fourth section of the preface became necessary after the manuscript rose from a dusty three and a half years for rewriting and updating. Interestingly, four is the number for the ‘creative works’ of the Holy Spirit of YahVah the Creator whereas three is the number of (physical or material) ‘completeness,’ according to appendix 10 of The Companion Bible. This book is a creative work of the Holy Spirit.

When in 2002 I received instructions from Heaven to revive the manuscript of this book only after successful national and state elections and a peaceful handover, it was with apprehension, soberness, and prayer that I waited for the elections and handover in 2003. This was because the chances of aborting the fledgling democracy in Nigeria during the elections were still quite high. And when more threats to successful elections started happening in the second half of 2002, I was all the more apprehensive. Among the threats were

1. The deficiencies in the electoral provisions as stated in the Constitution and the electoral bill.

2. The issue of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) poor funding and lack of early preparation for the elections.

3. The court cases against INEC and the holding of elections.

4. The prolonged and protracted closure of the nation’s universities and other higher institutions of learning from December of 2002 because of industrial actions embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities, NASU. (The schools were reopened in June, after the handover on 29 May 2003.)

5. The unexpected and acute fuel crisis (scarcity) of early 2003, starting from 1 January and lasting till after the elections.

6. The generalised fear of a nonsuccessful and peaceful civilian-to-civilian transition.

These and other problems were climaxing to a state of turmoil and emergency in the country. Nevertheless, I thank the Shaddai for aborting the crafts of the kingdom of darkness against Nigeria in the year 2003.

Yahshua, Ben [son of] Sirach, says this of the Almighty and His servants:

YahVah has not granted the Holy Ones the power

to tell of all his marvels

which the [Sovereign] YahVah has solidly constructed

for the universe to stand firm in his glory.

He has fathomed both the abyss and the human heart

and seen into their devious ways;

for the Most High knows all there is to know

and sees the signs of the times.

He declares what is past and what will be,

and reveals the trend of hidden things.

Not a thought escapes him,

not a single word is hidden from him.

(Ben Sirach/Ecclesiasticus 42:17–20 JB)

In addition, Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:1–7, says:

It is not expedient for me. . . to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of YahVah. I knew a man in the Messiah above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: YahVah knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: YahVah knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

The Shaddai does not allow His holy ones to utter or reveal everything he shows them. Therefore, I cannot write down what crafts against Nigeria my eyes saw, my ears heard, and my skin felt in the first half of 2003, the period of the elections and handover, though I feared for her and for myself.

Turmoil erupted and raged for eight whole days, from 30 June to 7 July, in the trade dispute between the Nigerian masses (represented by Nigerian workers under the umbrella of the Nigeria Labour Congress, or the NLC) and the government over the issue of fuel-price increase, which was occasioned by the economic deregulation policy of the government. During this period of workers’ strikes, the whole nation experienced war—a trade war. Those Nigerians who have not experienced war or lived under a state of war should learn lessons from the standstill the country experienced and the suffering of the people during those eight days. That suffering was just a scent of the effects of war. Wars have always been brought about by the decisions of the elders or fathers (that is, rulers), whether from good or evil motives, whether for holiness or for covetousness and lust. Unfortunately, strikes have never and will never stop or prevent fuel-price increases in the country. Strikes have hardly provided permanent solutions to economic or political problems in the country.

Official fuel-price increases are a major cause of inflation and of increases in the costs of goods and services. On the other hand, labour strikes against fuel-price increases do not only further skyrocket the costs of goods and services, including fuel, they worsen the hardship of the masses, whose lot the strikes are meant to improve. They also lead to loss of lives and properties. I think that labour organisations should devise a better way than mass protest and industrial action for managing fuel-price increases and the deregulation policy of government.

I was happy the year 2003 ended on a quiet and positive note for Nigeria and Nigerians. It was even crowned, ‘blessed,’ by a visit from the queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II, from 3–5 December, during which she opened the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting which was held in Abuja on 5–8 December. The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, CHOGM, is a meeting of the heads of government of the Commonwealth countries. The organisation is composed of fifty-four countries, and fifty-two heads of state attended the Abuja meeting. The Commonwealth, as we will learn in this book, is the body of nations that once came under British rule but have since gained independence. There are other countries that once came under British rule but are not members of the Commonwealth because they do not speak English as their national language. The United States of America is an exception, being a brother to Britain.

The CHOGM and Eighth All-African Games (commonly called COJA, Comite d’Organisation des Jeux Africains) in 2003 were organised to showcase or advertise Nigeria—to launder Nigeria’s image abroad. They actually came at the cost of widespread poverty and wretchedness among the masses in the land of Nigeria.

I was the happiest Nigerian in 2003 because once again Nigeria overcame another year of national disasters and wars—it would have been another year of national turmoil. Though it is hard to say, Nigeria’s survival in 2003 is one of the blessings I have found difficult to count in the face of continued tumult in my own life. Nigeria’s survival in the election year of 2003 was a blessing. But I find it difficult to count this because there is not much to show for this survival and blessing. Moreover, my own life is still embroiled in the turmoil of the battle for the salvation of the beloved and blessed land of Nigeria.

As it turned out, 2003 was a year of illumination for me. One teaching of the Messiah that I had never fully understood before the general elections in 2003 is the teaching on how ‘the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over their people.’

And there was a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, the kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at meat? But I am among you as he that serveth. (Luke 22:24–27)

During the elections, I could not believe the lust with which everyone wanted to become the president of Nigeria. How can a nation in which every serpent, snail, bat, vulture, cat, dog, pig, and tortoise wants to be king be good?

What reason has anyone who has been a number-one or number-two citizen of this country to desire to return to power and reoccupy the seat he had previously sat upon? Is it because they are the best the nation can produce? Is it because they mean well for this country? No! They are not the best Nigeria can produce. And if they meant good, they would stay in the background to serve as statesmen who would advise and guide those after them as