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Easter in Nigeria, blindfolded religious people and misguided worship of church cathedrals
Easter in Nigeria, blindfolded religious people and misguided worship of church cathedrals
By: Bodunrin kayode
One of the most unreasonable question that bestrides christendom in Nigeria is the phenomenon of what Church does one attend. And i wish to describe such a judgemental phenomenon as belonging to misguided “churchism.” Where some Christians play church, transform themselves overnight to blinded pharisees and go to the building because today is sabbath day. Some denominations i will not name here do not care if their members come for the desire to worship their creator or wanting to be born again as John 3: 1-21 stipulates, they should just come and fill the spaces because its a commandment.Looking at the verses quoted above it would be worthless going to fill benches and go home without any connection with our creator. This is because the founder of our faith warns that our righteousness is like a filthy rag before His father in heaven.
Again, the response of Jesus Christ to Nicodemus in thecontext of John 3 was apt enough for him to know that without going through the process of beingborn again he was a mere religious man. And just being religious could not give him entrance into the kingdom of God. As a matter of fact, with the burden of mere religion after the birth of Christ and still stealing billions of public funds for instance, does not make some of us better than the pharisees.
But why should the genre of church one attends be of importance to anyone except if one discovers that he or she is in the church of the anti Christ or the latest one they call Church of Satan? Why are the orthodox and African congregations so fixated about their traditions instead of salvation? Nigerians dropped orthodoxy for practical Christianity since the sixties and seventies when caricatures of judas was displayed and beaten in public for instance at times like this. We flew kites in the seventies as kids during Easter to celebrate the risen Christ but is that relevant today? The answer is no. Those who used the vehicle of Judaism like Elijah to drive to heaven lived by traditions and the law. But we don’t we live by his grace and shall drive to heaven by the vehicle of his salvation through Christianity. The message of salvation was all over the country by the early eighties. Why then should anyone be fixated about traditions and the celebration of cathedrals in the millennial age instead of praying to make heaven? There is some form of relativity in the Bible hermeneutics which talks about the difficulty of a Carmel passing through the eye of a needle but the sum total of the message is the same especially if our hearts do not become like that of little kids noted the founder of Christianity.
I agree that if one discovers that he is in the church of Satan, he should run away or as the good book describes it flee. The church of satan is already in Nigeria and young people who are not afraid of hell fire are already attending the place. Sadly some of them have read Rebecca Brown’s book “He came to set the captives free” yet are not afraid to experiment the dark kingdom because of the false gifts of the illuminati. They think those free gifts are really free. But does the devil really give anyone anything for free?
Mechanical church goers and their anti christ mentality
One feels sorry for such people when they ask funny questions as what church do you attend because they look at you in a judgemental way as if it is the Cathedral they attend that will take them to heaven. I was talking to some of their ilks, mostly young people in a platform recently and they asked me what was wrong in mixing their African spiritual traditions with their belief in christ. I said everything was wrong with that and they never liked my response. Because i let them understand that one cannot serve two masters and yet make it to the third heaven where the Ancient of Days live. We do not worship cathedrals because they do not have the power to take anyone to heaven. Neither should we worship “Sundays” because we are supposed to be above Saturday or Sunday with the ability to command Sunday to vomit our blessings as we do to other days every day we wake up from our sleep. The implication of this is that we are no longer tied to the Sunday Sunday tonic of going to church. A practicing Christian within or outside the congregation connects with his creator on a daily basis and shows love to all which is the summary of the Christian phenomenon that started in Antioch. That is what makes us slightly different from the Hindu, Bahai or over a thousand other religions in the world who have their own ways of reaching out to their gods. A practicing Christian asks how hot or cold you are and not what church do you go to or why did you not go to church this good Friday. No one can be in between, you are either hot or cold for the Lord. Those who do not want to be found in between sometimes abandon the cathedral completely and end up worse in the realm of apostasy.
Adherents of Islam in Nigeria however hardly ask such nonsensical questions about which mosque their neighbors attend before accepting them as brothers in Islam but will walk into any mosque and worship with their neighbors when it is time for prayers. What matters to them is brotherhood of their beliefs.
Sometimes I wonder why so called Christians display such gross ignorance when it comes to Christianity which should be a way of life other than a mere religion. Sadly, such practices are the exact opposite of what is expected from our Christian brethren who tend to “love religion” more than “Jesus Christ” who is supposed to be the author and finisher of our faith. Because someone was into spiritism during his life time in the church doesn’t mean he understood what Jesus said to Nicodemus about being born again. Such people when they transit from this world will love to be called religious people but they have their rewards for misleading many into the dark kingdom of masonry or the illuminati which has become the second largest religion in the contemporary Babylon.
People keep asking which church you go to such that they do not know that there is a generation of young people who now go to the latest anti christ Malian churches created by the evil one himself. So many questions cross my mind when i see Christians who go to church in a mechanical way like some of us used to in the 70’s when we were growing up in the orthodox traditions. In those days you are flogged if you do not go to church on Sunday as if Sunday was the only day meant to worship God. It was the orthodox phenomenon brought in by the white man who never knew anything about eternal salvation yet they were insisting that everyone must come to church on Sunday so that they hear from them and collect their tithes from their farm products.
In the sixties and seventies, Christianity was a mechanical machine movement. People went to church like zombies as Fela will call them without even knowing why they were going into the building. Sadly, some adherents still follow after that pattern in a dangerous and dogmatic way without knowing that practical Christianity has stopped being a religion with fixated traditions. What they fail to realize is that, traditions such as are spelt out in the Torah has nothing to do with salvation long ago. There is nothing wrong in going to church on Sunday but that is not the only day to worship God as far as practical Christianity is concerned. If Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith we must worship him daily and not one fixated day as ascribed in the Torah
for those who believe and practice Judaism till this day. A large chunk of jews do not believe in Jesus the Christ of Nazareth even though he came through their race but they will surely get to know what we know one day when the messiah returns to this earth. Some Church doctrines are so fixated that they are now reversing the thinking of their followers from Christianity to the
good old Judaism where only the laws matters above grace which is freely given by God. I mean from the city of Antioch back to the days of relying on the laws as stated by Moses in the Torah. Going to church is not what makes people Christian but practicing what christ stands for. When a young man of about the age of the late musician Majek Fashek begins to take drugs and follows after occult people then the church is loosing it already. And this should bother the Bishops and others with big titles. We should all try to dump too much emphasis on religion at this Easter period for practical Christianity which is a way of life. Let our way of life portray christ and let love, long suffering and all the good attributes outlined by the new testament guide us as we celebrate this Easter wherever we find ourselves. Happy Easter in advance to all of us.
Easter in Nigeria, blindfolded religious people and misguided worship of church cathedrals
News
Africa Must Lead Response to Growing Security Threats, Buratai Tells Forum
Africa Must Lead Response to Growing Security Threats, Buratai Tells Forum
By Zagazola Makama
Former Chief of Army Staff, retired Lt.-Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, has called for African-led solutions to the continent’s worsening security challenges, warning that the continent is facing an unprecedented convergence of threats requiring collective action.
Buratai made the call on Friday while delivering the keynote address titled, “Africa’s Priority Security Threats,” at the 32nd Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The retired army chief identified terrorism and violent extremism, transnational organised crime, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, governance-related instability, and the erosion of sovereignty through external dependence as the five major security threats confronting Africa.
According to him, the continent can no longer rely solely on external interventions but must strengthen regional cooperation, intelligence sharing and indigenous security capabilities.
Buratai described the Sahel as the global epicentre of terrorism, noting that the region now accounts for nearly half of all terror-related deaths worldwide.
He said that between January and November 2025, West Africa recorded about 450 terrorist attacks, resulting in more than 1,900 fatalities.
The former army chief noted that although Burkina Faso had recorded significant military gains under President Ibrahim Traoré, with government forces reclaiming about 72.7 per cent of occupied territories by June 2025 through Operation Lalmassga, extremist groups continued to stage deadly attacks.
He said intensified military operations in early 2026 reportedly eliminated at least 400 militants, but fresh attacks by jihadist groups, including those linked to Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), underscored the persistent threat.
Buratai also expressed concern over the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), saying the development had weakened regional intelligence-sharing and collective security efforts.
He warned that violent extremism was spreading beyond the Sahel into coastal West African countries, citing a sharp increase in attacks in northern Benin over the past three years.
On transnational organised crime, Buratai said West Africa was facing increasingly interconnected threats involving terrorism financing, piracy, arms trafficking, drug smuggling and cybercrime.
He noted that criminal networks were becoming more sophisticated and exploiting weak border controls, digital technologies and fragile governance structures to expand their operations across the region.
The retired general also identified cybersecurity as an emerging national security challenge, stressing that African countries must invest in cyber defence capabilities, digital infrastructure protection and regional cooperation to counter growing cyber threats.
Buratai urged African governments, policymakers and security institutions to adopt coordinated, home-grown strategies capable of addressing the continent’s evolving security landscape while safeguarding sovereignty and promoting sustainable peace and development.
He emphasised that lasting security on the continent would require stronger institutions, enhanced intelligence cooperation, economic resilience and greater political commitment among African nations.
Africa Must Lead Response to Growing Security Threats, Buratai Tells Forum
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Release of Oyo School Kidnap Victims, a Testimony of Effective Inter-Agency Collaboration- NSCDC Boss
Release of Oyo School Kidnap Victims, a Testimony of Effective Inter-Agency Collaboration- NSCDC Boss
By: Michael Mike
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has applauded the successful rescue of 44 pupils and teachers abducted in Oyo State, describing the operation as a major boost to the Federal Government’s Safe Schools Initiative.
The Commandant General of the Corps, Prof. Ahmed Audi, commended the coordinated efforts of security agencies involved in the operation, saying the rescue underscored the effectiveness of intelligence sharing and inter-agency collaboration in tackling insecurity.
The victims were kidnapped by armed terrorists on May 15, 2026, in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State before they were freed in a coordinated intelligence-led operation involving multiple security agencies.
Those involved in the rescue include the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) under the Office of the National Security Adviser, Defence Headquarters, the Nigerian Army Special Forces, the Nigerian Navy, the Nigerian Air Force, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and the NSCDC.
Reacting to the development, Prof. Audi said the operation reflected the Federal Government’s resolve to combat terrorism, secure schools and safeguard the lives of Nigerians.
He praised the courage, professionalism and commitment demonstrated by the security personnel, noting that the NSCDC would continue to support efforts aimed at protecting schools and other critical national assets through intelligence gathering, strategic deployment of personnel, community engagement and sustained collaboration with sister security agencies.
The NSCDC boss also called on Nigerians to support security agencies by providing timely and credible information that could aid the arrest of criminal elements, stressing that security is a shared responsibility.
Reaffirming the Corps’ commitment to its statutory responsibilities, Audi said the NSCDC would continue to protect critical national assets and infrastructure, respond to emergencies, strengthen disaster management and work closely with other security agencies to promote peace and security across the country.
Release of Oyo School Kidnap Victims, a Testimony of Effective Inter-Agency Collaboration- NSCDC Boss
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Airstrikes Destroy ISWAP Stronghold, Logistics Hub in Borno
Airstrikes Destroy ISWAP Stronghold, Logistics Hub in Borno
By Zagazola Makama
The Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI has sustained its relentless air campaign against terrorist elements in the North-East, destroying a key terrorist enclave and logistics hub during a precision air interdiction mission in Borno State.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the operation was carried out at about 2:40 p.m. on Friday, July 10.
The sources disclosed that the target was located at Yaganari, a notorious terrorist enclave within the Gezuwa general area, where insurgents had reportedly been regrouping and consolidating logistics for planned operations.
According to the sources, the strike followed credible intelligence indicating increased terrorist activities and the massing of fighters at the location.
“Persistent ISR missions were conducted to verify the intelligence before any engagement. The surveillance platform positively identified multiple terrorist structures, logistics hubs and visible movement of insurgents within the objective area,” one of the sources said.
Following confirmation of the hostile activity, the aircraft acquired the designated targets and executed a series of precision attacks in successive passes, delivering onboard munitions with high accuracy.
The coordinated strikes destroyed the identified terrorist structures, obliterated logistics facilities and neutralized several terrorists operating within the enclave.
Military sources described the mission as another significant setback to terrorist operations in the North-East, noting that the destruction of logistics infrastructure would further degrade the insurgents’ ability to sustain attacks and coordinate movements.
The latest operation emphasis on intelligence-driven precision strikes aimed at dismantling terrorist command centres, safe havens and supply networks while supporting ongoing ground operations by troops of Operation HADIN KAI.
Security sources said battle damage assessment is ongoing to determine the full extent of the damage inflicted on the terrorist network, while air surveillance over the area has been intensified to exploit the success of the operation and prevent any attempt by surviving fighters to regroup.
Airstrikes Destroy ISWAP Stronghold, Logistics Hub in Borno
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