March 30, 2023
Afro-Scope
(Directed By Harry Agina)
STEALING IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, WITH A WAR ON AFRICAN CULTURE
Greetings!
I am Harry Agina. Here comes another episode of Afro-scope drama series, titled, “In God’s Name.” It’s about African religions, Christianity, and ignorant destruction of the African Culture by Africans themselves.
An itsy-bitty click on the following link takes you to the fun. Thanks a million for clicking:
Greetings!
This is Afro-Scope, Beaming African Ways of Life to the world. And this is episode 7 of our AfroCultural drama series, titled, “In God’s Name.” It’s written by our dramatist, Michael Shaibu.
“In God’s Name” is about African Religions, Christianity, and ignorant destruction of the African Culture by Africans themselves. The destruction is championed by new-wave mischievous wealth-hunting Pentecostal Christian pastors. I call them funky pastors, who unleash their ignorant miracle-hunting followers on the African Culture. The ignorant miracle-hunter in our series is named Kono. His miracle-hunt is to become richer than he is. And his funky pastor is playing on his weakness over a scamming fallacy created by Pentecostal Christian pastors–The “Ancestral Curse” syndrom. Kono’s parents, his wife, Sela, and his friend, Ed, have all tried to call Kono to his senses, apparently to no avail.
Ed was the last to admonish his friend Kono for his gullibility to his funky pastor who’s scamming him for money in the name of God, with the “Ancestral Curse” fallacy. “How could you, with such a brilliant mind, even contemplate taking such monsense as a fact?” Ed asked as he left Kono’s office in the last episode. Let’s see what happens today, “In God’s Name.” Here we go:
IN GOD’S NAME, 7
- INT. OFFICE. DAY.
ED HAS JUST WALKED OUT AND KONO SITS THINKING OUT LOUDLY…
KONO (Sighs deeply, then V/O): Gosh! How can I make everyone see my point? … But…what is my own point exactly? … As it stands, there is no neutral position now. I am either on the side of the pastor or on the side of Sela. … But wait…this has to do with religion. So why should Sela’s decision influence mine? Or uh…why not? Everyone seems to see it all from her point of view. … Everyone except the pastor of course. If I take her side, the pastor would definitely discern that it was Sela’s position and lose his high regard for me. And if I go ahead and do as the he pleases…
HIS PHONE BEGINS TO RING, JERKING HIM OUT OF THE REVERIE. SELA CALLING…IS DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN. HE PICKS THE CALL…
KONO: Hey, Love.
SELA (Sotto voce, filtered): Honey, the pastor is here. Did he tell you he was coming?
KONO: Nope! What is he doing there?
SELA (Filtered): I don’t know.
KONO: Uh… are you calling in his presence?
SELA (Filtered): No. I just came into the bedroom to call you after letting him in.
KONO: Okay. And uh…he has not said anything yet? I mean…he knows I’d be at work. So he could not have come to the house to see me.
SELA (Filtered): That’s what I wondered too.
KONO: Well, go and hear what he has to say. You cannot keep alone waiting in the sitting room. Call me when he leaves.
SELA (Filtered): Okay.
THEY CUT THE CONNECTION. KONO SHAKES HIS HEAD IN DISPAIR, PUTS HIS PHONE BACK ON HIS DESK AND BEGINS TO SET UP HIS LAPTOP…
- INT. SITTING ROOM. DAY.
PASTOR STANDS ADMIRING A HANGING FRAMED PHOTO OF SELA AND KONO. SELA POPS HER HEAD OUT OF AN INNER ROOM, SEES PASTOR’S BACK TURNED, SKEAKS INTO THE KITCHEN DOOR, AND COMES OUT IN A FLIP WITH TWO GLASSES OF WINE ON A TRAY WHICH SHE PUT ON A SIDE STOOL BESIDE THE CHAIR THE PASTOR HAD FIRST SAT ON…
SELA: I am so sorry to have kept you waiting, sir.
PASTOR TURNS ROUND WITH A PLEASANT SMILE…
PASTOR: Nah, come on! I consider this as my home too.
THEN HE WALKS BACK TO WHERE HE USED TO SIT, AND PICKS A GLASS. SELA PICKS THE OTHER GLASS. THEY CLICK GLASSES.
SELA MOVES AWAY TO AN OPPOSITE SEAT.
THEY SIT AND SIP THEIR WINES…
PASTOR: Nice wine.
SELA: Yes, sir. Thank you.
PASTOR: And uh…I guess you must be wondering what I am here for, knowing that brother Kono would be at work.
SELA (Smiles): Well, like you rightly said sir, this is your home too.
PASTOR: That’s kind and thoughtful.
SELA: And uh…I work fully from home. So our doors are open almost 24/7.
PASTOR (Nods, smiles): As to why I came…well, I was in the neighbourhood and thought there was no better time than now. So uh…did brother Kono inform you about a meeting he and I had?
SELA: Yes, he did, Pastor. All about the ancestral curse, the fasting and prayers, the curse being already lifted or broken, and the recommended thanksgiving. Everything.
PASTOR (Nods): All summed up nicely. Good. So I was wondering…what do you think?
SELA: Uh…about which aspect particularly, sir?
PASTOR (Smiles): Well, about what God has done in brother Kono’s life, for starters?
SELA: Oh, I am grateful to God. Absolutely!
PASTOR: We all are. We all are. So you do agree that a befitting thanksgiving is in order, don’t you?
SELA: Well, yes, sir. Yes, I quite agree…depending on what could be accepted as befitting in this case.
PASTOR: Okay. And uh…what would YOU consider befitting? In this case?
SELA (Smiles): Sir, I don’t think it is my place to decide or even suggest what I think would be appropriately called befitting.
PASTOR: Why not?
SELA: Well, I am a wife. In matters of worship, isn’t the husband the one the Bible says should take the lead, sir?
THE PASTOR SMILES AND THEN NODS THOUGHTFULLY. THEN HE PUTS HIS UNFINISHED DRINK BACK ON THE TRAY AND RISES. SELA PUTS HER DRINK DOWN AND RISES TOO…
PASTOR: Sister Sela, you are a wise woman. A wise wife. And wise wives are assets to husbands who recognize and appreciate such wisdom in their wives.
SELA: Thank you, sir. But in truth, I doubt that I truly have wisdom enough to merit such great compliments, sir.
PASTOR: Those were not just compliments. Anyway, I must leave now.
THEY SAY GOODBYES. SELA HURRIES TO OPEN AND HOLD THE DOOR. PASTOR WALKS OUT…
- INT. KONO’S OFFICE. DAY.
KONO IS WORKING ON HIS LAPTOP NOW AND HIS PHONE RINGS.PASTOR CALLING…IS DISPLAYED ON THE SCREEN. HE PICKS IT…
KONO: Hello, sir.
PASTOR (Filtered): Brother Kono, kingdom greetings to you! How are you today?
KONO: I am very well, thanks to God. How are you, sir?
PASTOR (Filtered): We bless His Holy name for good health. And I am not asking after Sister Sela because I just saw her.
KONO: Oh, you just did, sir?
PULL OUT AND SPLIT SCREEN TO ACCOMMODATE BOTH. PASTOR IS NOW IN HIS CAR, MANOEUVRING TRAFFIC ALONG A STREET, USING HANDS-FREE TECH FOR THE CALL…
PASTOR: Yes, I did. I am sure she will soon call to tell you so. I was at your place.
KONO (Feigns surprise): Oh, really! Wow! Thanks for the visit, Pastor.
AN IN-COMING CALL SHOWS SELA CALLING…BUT IT STOPS PRONTO…
PASTOR: And you should learn to cherish your wife, brother Kono. She is an asset to you.
KONO: Thank you, Pastor. I will have that at the back of my mind always.
PASTOR: Good. By the way, I was wondering why I have not heard from you concerning the thanksgiving yet.
KONO: Oh yes, uh…uh…I uh…actually, I planned to uh…
PASTOR (Cuts): You haven’t changed your mind about it, have you?
KONO: Changed my mind, sir? Absolutely not, sir.
PASTOR: Well, I was just wondering…considering the sudden stammering.
KONO: No, that is nothing, sir. I will come and see you very soon, sir.
THE PASTOR GOES SILENT AND THOUGHFUL FOR A BIT. ANOTHER IN-COMING CALL: SELA CALLING...BUT IT STOPS AGAIN…
PASTOR: Very well. I will be expecting you then. Have a nice day, brother.
KONO: And you too, sir. Thanks again for the visit and the call.
THEY CUT THE CALL. KONO’S PHONE BEGINS TO RING IMMEDIATELY. IT SHOWS SELA CALLING...
END
Written by Michael Shaibu
Hahahahahaaaah!!! I started laughing when Kono’s funky pastor took his scam game home to Kono’s wife, Sela. He figured that it’s time to put a little pressure on the woman, to put some pressure on her husband. Kono is taking too long in letting loose the bucks.
If you have been following this series, then you must remember that this is the same woman who the funky pastor slighted earlier. He told Kono, in his own cunning way, that women are usually a clog in the wheel of spirituality and Godliness. And, of course, I countered that it was a blatant mischievous lie. It’s the opposite. African women are terribly too ignorantly spiritual for my liking…with an apology to great women out there who are different! On the average, African women are annoyingly gullible to the scams of their contemporary Pentecostal Christian funky pastors. It is clear that Nigeria is the headquarters of the new-wave Pentecostal Christian phenomenon in Africa. And Kono and his story are Nigerian.
Nigeria has more churches and mosques than anywhere in the world. Nigerians go to church and mosque more than any other people on the planet, too! Mind you, the proliferation of churches could have been great, if only the Pentecostal Christians were anywhere near being Godly in behavior. But, nope, it’s quite the opposite. Sadly, the more churches and mosques Nigerians build, the worse the morality and sincere worship of God by the people gets. That’s story for another day.
So, anyway, Kono’s funky pastor is now swallowing his earlier slight of Sela over spirituality and Godliness. He now feels that he needs Sela on his side to get Kono to act fast in the “thanksgiving” scam. The funky pastor has done a 360-degree turn, suddenly realizing that Sela is a great woman. “You should learn to cherish your wife, brother Kono,” he said. “She is an asset to you.”
Indeed, Sela did handle the funky pastor with great maturity and wisdom; won’t you agree? A less matured woman would show animosity towards the pastor. She would let him know that she disagrees with her husband over the “Ancestral Curse” fallacy among funky pastors. But not the wise Sela. She hosted him well, and pretended to be a submissive wife with no power or intention to challenge her husband’s decision.
As we stand now, the funky pastor has started his play on Sela. And Kono doesn’t seem to be sure which direction he is going on the “Ancestral Curse” fallacy; not with all the oppositions against his position. We shall see how everything turns out as the story unfolds. Please make it a regular date, by subscribing, free, to Afro-Scope.com. I am Harry Agina. Bye for now.
LINK TO EPISODE 8:
AFROCULTURAL DRAMAS ON RELIGIONS AND CULTURE, “IN GOD’S NAME,” EPISODE 8