No More Fear Of The Unknown’

MAN’S culture, language, environmental inventions, and most importantly religion help him to find mean­ing in his world. Hence, by nature man is a religious being. Religion is from the Latin word religare, which means “to bind”, with a bond. In religion, man binds himself entirely to a supreme being whom he believes is the author and sus­tainer of his life. For many, the idea of the Supreme Being reigns supreme in the idea of man and if there is no God, then God is incalculably the greatest single creation of the human imagination (Anthony Kenny, Faith and Reason, p. 59). For people in this camp, the idea of God existed in the thought of our ancestors/forefathers and they always worshipped him. For some others, they did not have the idea of God; hence they did not worship him. But the implicit implication of this thought is that our forefathers worshipped not God but the devil. However, this idea that our ancestors worshipped the devil is highly debatable.

For our ancestors, God is the supreme spirit. He did not only create the universe, but also holds everything in being. He knows everything and can do everything. In fact, they believed that it is in God that we live and move and have our being. But God they contended created the inferior spirits who are nearer to man and through whom they can offer sac­rifices and offering to him and worship him. Our forefathers felt more comfortable to worship the spirits because there existed an air of mystery about the Supreme Being. Even in Judaism, this is evident, perhaps much more, as the Jews dare not even pronounce the Divine name. The Supreme Being is so awesome, powerful, and magnificent that they did not know how to approach him in worship. So, they were more comfortable to approach him through the minor spirits.

There was no clear divide between the religious life of our forefathers and their social, political, and economic life. Everything they did was tied to their religious orienta­tion and inclinations. Hence, they worshipped God through their prayers, sacrifices, offering and other social forms. The Morning Prayer which is said by the father of the family when he wakes up in the morning with a bottle of dry gin or wine in his hand is principally addressed to God. It is not addressed to the spirits, but God. At this prayer, the name of God is mentioned first before the spirits and the ancestors. He gives thanks to God for the gift of life which is the most treasured valued among the family. He prays to God to pay his enemies in their own coin and finally makes a conclusion.

This practice that is term today as worship of idols and Dame gods by this generation propelled our forefathers in the path of righteousness, peace, love, virtues and respect for human life and the society. That is why in those time, you can sleep with your doors wide open, you can groom your friend’s daughter from infancy and later marry her to your son at the ripe age, for fear of the immediate repercussion of God, you desist from sleeping with another’s wife and women dare not get involved in infidelity, the taking of another’s life is seen through witchcraft and other dubious means by very hardened people who dares the gods and not by the daylight crime of killing, kidnapping and destruction we have today. As a child then, you can be put in trust with the next door neighbour, she feeds you, bathe and cloths you when your mother did not return early from the farm or market.

The fear of the unknown keep our fathers back then from evil practices and mayhem to each other, mayhem or evil to each other then, is usually tag to reasons by the perpetra­tors, and the reprisal is always immediate while the calamity usually befalls the entire household. So, men dread to do evil, men dread to defraud his fellow man, men dread to cheat his society. Yet while our ancestors worshipped the gods and idols as alleged by this generation, they were spiritually inclined to their beliefs and they run away from evil. They are afraid and cautious because the priest and wise men of old will tell them the atrocities committed and pronounced gods judgement. Priest proclaim or prophesy the impending doom and possible blessings before them and it thus come to pass, so they are always careful and vigilant.

But today, Bonano analysis means today, Africa especially Nigeria have a great number of Christians and religious bigots. And this raises a lot of questions: With this influx of religious influence, what could make Nigeria experience what is going on in Europe and America today? Too much religi­osity! Could the high religiosity be as a result of poverty?, kidnapping? hatred? Lawlessness? and lost of societal and moral value plus virtue? Obviously, many Nigerians go after miracles in the name of worship of God. For some, a Church that is not a miracle performing centre is not the name. A Pastor without manifestation of powerful gift of performing miracles is not to be taken seriously. Evangelization has now been replaced by aggressiveness, greed, the deceit of the money changers and fake prophesies.

Sadly enough, this type of prophesy will continue in the religious circle and the clerics will continue to have a filled day and the misconceptions will continue because of the people’s poor knowledge about prophesy or should Bonano say because the people have turned themselves to religious bigots?

With this generation, the discipline, humility, self sacrifice, simplicity, love of Jesus himself which serves as a hallmark of missionary activity have been relegated to the background. More so, ethnicism and sectionalism, which were socio-economic and political issues, have come into the Church. We claim to be the worshippers of the true God today, yet our beds have been defiled, you cannot leave your door open for your fellow Christian or neighbour, indecent dressing and sex hawkers have taken over our streets, and our clerics continue to preach the message of prosperity.

While the people or should Bonano say congregations troops to service or worship everyday of the week, singing and praying in tongues at every corner and streets, two friends or believers of that same congregation lack trust for each other, you wake up to find out that the man who slept with your wife is the deacon from your church or commu­nity, your neighbour has gone behind you to purchase that land you confided in him you want to buy. Your colleague betrays you in the office and takes your position, then he goes to church for thanksgiving! The other day, I heard a brother trying to encourage his fellow member to come to church despite the evil done to him by church pastor, I as­sume. The response by the aggrieved member gave me food for thought; “ He said, my brother, how do you expect me to attend a church where the pastor will shout, Praise thy lord! and I cannot say Hallelujah? This is to show the magnitude of pain the man is experiencing!

As far as this generation is concerned, there is no more fear of the unknown, political maneuvering, political back­stabbing and betrayer takes the centre stage in our political highway, the girl on the street flaunt her nudity with reck­less abandon and without recourse to morality, the women never blink her eyes in shame when indulging in adultery, she stands tall and shoulder high in the midst of reproach. Why? Because there is no god or deity to strike us immediately. So we go to church and the pastor while preaching prosperity to us will say, it is not what you do or how you dress but what your heart says to God. Bonano analysis asked, which heart? The one that is filled with atrocities?

Bonano analysis dare to say, that our ancestors have been more spiritual in worship to God than this generation. But if we must surpass this feat, then the Church should be a fundamental family. The salvation she proclaims should encompass man in his totality and cannot be reduced to the salvation of the soul alone. From human and relational view point, the quality of inter-personal relationship determines a degree of holiness in the society. The religious role in Nigeria is to draw people together as brothers and sisters. In this way, we will be able to show that “Jesus Christ died to gather together in unity the scattered children of God”.