By Onyeka Chiemelie
Kumuyi rode on the backlog of sustained dogmatic fanaticism that spread at a specific time in focus. Especially in the 90’s.
I remember attending the retreat with the theme “power as of old” this was one with a melodramatic impact. People would scream and run to the altar as crippled who began walking suddenly. Even as a kid, it didn’t make sense to my erratic mind. I opened my eyes wide to see a live miracle happen. It was always the next few seats not close to me.
His message was entrenched in fiery subject that gathered real attention, subject revolving around the eschatological teachings (teachings of the end times) holiness, piousness, long suffering and meekness which was the hallmark of the church which also includes walking circumspectly with a regular turban tying insignia for women deliberately covering the ear.
Outward show of profound camaraderie as this were by product of the apostolic faith who had almost similar modus operandi. This was where he was called from to start his own “company” and thus, fine-tuned the process to what we have described above in the previous paragraph.
He poisoned the heart of people against the use of jewelry which he said unequivocally and I can be quoted on this “…were connected with worldliness and fuelled the burning furnace of no television, where he cited reasons that includes technology being the cause of moral relapse and decadence.”
Alas today, it is a huge surprise that he used the same technology and science to build his massive central church at Gbagada with all glass embroidery and beams his message to the world using the same technology.
The big guess for every thinking man is to ask without ambiguity: what happened to the initial calling he had where all the above listed were touted as albatross for his “sheep.”
Was the calling a mirage or a product of hallucination?
My father had his television in the room because our house was a cell center. It was bad as a young growing child watching the Cadbury Breakfast show of Silverbird TV in whispers. I learnt to hide. To sneak in.
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It founded my response to believe that I was doing sinful practices by watching Television and sometimes I ask God for forgiveness only to go back and watch Cartoons Network and repeat cycle over and over again.
How religion can condition your mind to not be free is amazingly clear. It will make you subservient and docile and you see yourself as a filthy rag. It numbs the confidence away and leaves ashes where there once was fire.
One of his sons, would later leave the church to marry an unbeliever who wore all the jewelry of the world and even used the gown which was before then an anathema. There was zero reprimanding from the institution who clearly sites the use of the above.
Laws and precepts are only for the weak. The poor man is the one who falls by the swords of dictates, rules and regulations instituted by the strong, affluent and rich.
An average member of the church is aware that defaulting in the above would lead to suspension, ochee azụ or outright excommunication.
When my mother died, they sent cretinous dingbats although some were secular lawyers but their vacuous Grey matter couldn’t be excused. They were negotiating how much they were to pay for the dead. Usually, for all churches there is a specific amount to pay when a worker which is what they called those who served in different capacity in the church, dies.
In “Lawd chosen football club”. Mụọ pays them 50k, I learnt. This applies also to most churches and is subject to change with the personality involved or impact created. They planned to save cost and summarily asked we use the church as the service of songs center- a decision informed by deep selfishness and tribalism.
How can they spend money for chairs and tarpaulin on my mother? I told the idiots that if at any point they couldn’t bury my dead, we are capable. These clearly substantiate my point on this particular church being sectarian, tribalistic and selfish.
“No member from that church where my mother worshipped dutifully in her lifetime came for her burial. They were probably too busy to come.” As useless as this piece of information is, it holds a lot of lessons for the living.
When the music and romance is over… You will be forgotten. It is a painful lesson. I can show you the scars from all the episodes that played out.