January 18, 2023
STEALING IN THE NAME OF THE LORD WITH A WAR ON AFRICAN CULTURE
Greetings!
This is Harry Agina, and I have episode 2 of our current drama series for ya, titled, “In God’s Name.” It’s about crooks who call themselves Christian pastors, who are Stealing in the name of the Lord, while destroying the African Culture. I call them funky pastors.
As I said in the first episode, my country Nigeria, in West Africa, is apparently the headquarters of “Stealing in the name of the lord.” So, this is based on the realities (non-fiction) of Nigeria’s Pentecostal crooks who are called pastors. No fabrications. Indeed, all our dramas are based on the true environment, true events, or customs/traditions of Africa. Some may even be verbatim dramatization of the events. Naturally, names of persons may be changed where necessary, but each story is “Based on true, factual African story.”
Our Afro-Scope angle in this drama is how the rotten part of contemporary Christendom has adversely affected the African Culture. The recalcitrant so-called pastors are practically At War With the African Culture. They ignorantly and mischievously demonize and destroy the elements of the culture in their fake monetized “spiritual cleansing.” In the last episode of this series, one of such so-called pastors was already selling a fake “message from God.” Let’s see what is next, according to our dramatist, Michael Shaibu, thus:
AFROCULTURAL DRAMAS ON RELIGIONS AND CULTURE, “IN GOD’S NAME,” 2:
- INSIDE, AN OFFICE, IN THE DAY.
KONO SITS AT HIS DESK, BUSY WORKING ON HIS LAPTOP OR DESKTOP. BESIDE THE LAPTOP OR DESKTOP IS A NICE PHOTO OF HIMSELF AND HIS BEAUTIFUL NEW BRIDE SELA IN A MEDIUM SIZE FRAME. HIS PHONE RINGS AND HE PICKS IT TO LOOK AT THE CALLER ON THESCREEN. IT SHOWS: PASTOR CALLING…
KONO: Hello, Pastor!
SPLIT SCREEN: BOTH PASTOR AND KONO IN PHONE CONVERSATION…
PASTOR: Calvary greetings to you, brother Kono. How are you, and how is Sela, your wife and sister in Christ?
KONO: Sela is very well, thanks to God. So am I. How are you, sir? And Mommy?
PASTOR: We both thank the Almighty!
KONO: That’s great! I hope all is well that you called.
PASTOR: Hmmm. Well, the call is, in fact, so that all may not only remain well but get better. Are you free for lunch?
KONO: Uh…well, with what you just said, I guess, even if I were not free, I’d have to make room for it now.
PASTOR (Smiles): The good book says wisdom is profitable for direction. I’ll be expecting you in my office then.
KONO: Thank you, Pastor.
PASTOR: If there are many waiting to see me, just tell my receptionist that you and I have a pending appointment.
KONO: Yes, Pastor. And thank you. Uh…is it necessary that I come with Sela?
PASTOR: Uh…not really. But if it is convenient, then come with her. After all, who am I to put asunder what God has joined together?
KONO: In that case, I will come with her then. If she is right there when you tell me whatever you tell me, it’d save me the trouble of having to explain them to her later.
PASTOR: Good thinking. But uh… Anyway, never mind. I’ll see you at lunch then.
THEY SAY GOODBYES AND CUT THE CALL…
- INSIDE, IN DINING/SITTING ROOM; IN THE DAY.
SELA IS AT THE DINING; HER LAPTOP IS OPEN RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER AND SHE IS ON THE PHONE…
SELA: …yes, sir. I am working on it right now. … Yes, of course, I can come in tomorrow. … I should be through with it in the next hour or two and send it immediately. … Okay, sir. I quite understand. … Bye, sir.
SHE CUTS THE CALL, KEEPS THE PHONE ON THE TABLE BESIDE THE LAPTOP, AND MAKES TO RESUME WORKING ON THE LAPTOP. KNOCKS ON THE FRONT DOOR FILTER IN AS IF ON CUE. SELA SHAKES HER HEAD FRUSTRATEDLY, GETS UP AND GOES THERE…
SELA: Who is it?
MOM (Out of site): Your mother ooo!
SELA OPENS THE DOOR AND HER MOMTHER STANDS THERE, CARRYING A RAFFIA BAG FROM WHICH ASSORTED LEAVES SHOW. SHE IS WEARING HER USUAL IYA OSUN OUTFIT. THEY GREET…
SELA: Well, come right in! You’re not going right back after seeing me, are you?
MOM (Entering): Well, it depends.
SELA (Shutting door): It doesn’t depend on anything. When you are here, you must enter.
MOM: Okay o. How far? Have you and Kono gone to see that prophet?
SELA (Nonchalant): Not yet.
MOM: And why not?
SELA: Just not yet. We will take care of it when we are free. So, what brought here?
MOM: I was just passing by from where I went to collect these herbs from a fellow Osun devotee. I just said I should check, since you said you work remote now.
SELA: Yes, I work fully remote now. But my boss wants me to come to the office tomorrow. I just spoke with him on the phone. Let’s go to the dining. I am working there.
THEY WALK TO THE DINING AND SIT. SELA RESUMES WORKING ON HER LAPTOP. HE MOTHER PUTS HER RAFFIA BAG ON THE TABLE AND BEGINS TO SEARCH IN IT FOR A PARTICULAR LEAF. SHE FINDS IT, LIFTS IT, PLUCKS A LEAF FROM THE STALK, AND THE LATEX BEGINS TO DRIP…
MOM: Bring your eyes and let me drop the latex in them.
SELA: Hmn? What is that for?
MOM: With it, you will be able to “see” supernaturally. And as you can see, it is purely natural.
SELA (Doubtful): Really? How do I know you have not said some silent incantations while…?
MOM (Cuts in angrily): Will you stop it?! Are you saying I can lie to you now? I said it is purely natural, didn’t I?
SELA: Alright, I am sorry, mom. But Kono is not home now. We promised to do things together. And you even said that was a nice thing. Could we do this when he is at home, please?
MOM SHAKES HER HEAD IN DISAPPOINTMENT, BUT NODS AGREEMENT, DROPS THE LATEX IN HER OWN EYES, AND PUTS THE LEAVES BACK IN THE RAFFIA BAG. THEN SHE PICKS HER BAG AND RISES TO LEAVE…
MOM: Well, let me know when Kono is in so I can come back. I will go now so you can concentrate.
SELA: Yes, mom. Thank you.
SELA SEES HER OFF TO THE DOOR, THEY SAY GOODBYES, AND SHE LETS HER MOM OUT…
- INSIDE, IN PASTOR’S OFFICE; IN THE DAY.
THE PASTOR SITS BEHIND HIS DESK WATCHING THE DOOR EXPECTANTLY. ONO WALKS IN AND GREETS. THE PASTOR RISES FROM BEHIND HIS DESK AND WALKS ROUND TO SHAKE HANDS WITH KONO…
PASTOR: Please sit down. Sit down please!
KONO TAKES A SEAT. THE PASTOR WALKS TO HIS DESK AND PERCHES ON AN ADGE…
PASTOR: Sometimes messages from God could be frightening. But in truth, you are not looking bad, brother Kono.
KONO: Thank you, Pastor.
PASTOR: So where is Sela? You said you were coming with her.
KONO: Yes, Pastor. But when I called her, she said she had a project she must deliver to her boss unfailingly today because she needs to be in the office tomorrow. So, she could not make it.
PASTOR: Even better! Because, believe it or not, some wives, as loving as they may be, could be subtle clogs in the wheels of their husbands’ progress. Don’t get me wrong. I am just saying.
KONO: I quite get you, pastor.
THE PASTOR SMILES, NODS, THEN GETS BEHIND HIS DESK, SITS, PULLS OUT A DRAWER, PICKS A FILE, AND PUTS IT ON HIS DESK…
PASTOR: This is your church membership file, brother Kono. While going through files of members of your status and came across yours, I got disturbed and decided to make it a subject of prayer.
KONO: Thank you, Pastor. But, uh… disturbed?
PASTOR: Yes, brother Kono. With your activities here, and your usual immense contributions to the growth of the church…your financial status is no longer expected to be where you are now.
KONO: I don’t understand, Pastor. I think I am quite fine where I am right now.
PASTOR: You may not understand what I am talking about. And you may think you are quite fine where you are. But like I said, I made it a subject of prayer and fasting. And what I discovered would baffle you to no end!
KONO: Really?
THE PASTOR NODS SOLEMNLY…
KONO: Wow! This is quite serious then. What did you find, Pastor?
THE PASTOR SMILES, RISES, WALKS BACK TO HIS FORMER POSITION, PERCHES ON THE EDGE OF HIS DESK, AND FIXES A STRAIGHT GAZE AT KONO…
END
I have already established my key observations about the rot in contemporary Christianity. The rot is especially pervasive in the commercialized new-wave Pentecostal churches. And I am particular about the new-wave Pentecostal churches in Nigeria. One of my observations is that the women folk are the weak link in the rotten game of stealing and emotionally extorting in the name of the Lord.
Relatively speaking, the scammers who are called pastors largely rely on the emotional gullibility of the women folk for their emotional blackmailing extortion scams. However, it seems to me that the reverse is the case here in Michael Shaibu’s, “In God’s Name.” I will leave it at that for now, until Mikey’s story unfolds. And to keep up with this and other series in our InfoTainment presentations, please remember to subscribe to Afro-scope.com for alerts, if you haven’t done so. Bye for now.
THE LINK TO EPISODE 3 OF “IN GOD’S NAME”:
AFROCULTURAL DRAMAS ON RELIGIONS AND CULTURE, “IN GOD’S NAME,” EPISODE 3