Growing up as children from the 1960s in a coastal community, and more importantly, from a God-fearing and morally rich family, whenever we hear elders say, ‘In our time’, we used to feel bad. At times we would think aloud, ‘But, you are still with us, living to this time, so, why speaking as if you are not part of the present time?’ Little did we know that they were saying so by carrying out a comparative analysis of societal indexes of the time against what was obtained hitherto. Ironically, seeing what obtains in contemporary time and society, we equally are victims of the same saying, ‘In our time’, having understood better what our parents and elders were then seeing, thereby prompting that statement and their resolute stand.
It is to be recalled that our Lord and Saviour, Jesus The Christ, who is omniscient, more than two millennia ago, advised mankind to abide by His divine teachings and to be circumspect if we want to have peace of mind as individuals and collectively as inhabitants of the world. The Messiah put it this way; “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14: 27). For the same reasons, He taught and warned in Matthew 6: 24, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon”. Was it not why Christ asked mankind the twin questions; “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8: 36-37)
Unfortunately, mankind is yet to provide answers; rather, we see these things playing out in our very eyes in our homes, neighbourhoods, communities, markets and business places, churches, schools, and everywhere. Let us tell ourselves the truth for once that, whether we believe it or not, humanity is today enveloped and living in the web of mammonism; and the evident dividends are not farfetched.
But what is mammon? The English 4.0 Dictionary (Offline) defines the word, “Mammon” as “The desire for wealth personified as an evil spirit or a malign influence” and “Often mammon: wealth, material avarice, profit”. Note especially the expression, ‘Material Avarice’! We can now understand that with money and wealth, which are worldly and satan’s weapons, the Devil and Tempter easily lures, deceives, and derails man from the path of God and rectitude. Equally, we can now see the reason why the scripture upheld that, “The love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Tim. 6: 10). No wonder Christ armed the world with the unequivocal warning thus; “These things have I spoken unto you, being present with you… And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe. Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me. But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do…” (John 14: 25, 29-31).
Who is “The Prince of the World” that must come who has nothing with Christ? Is it not Satan, the Devil? Yes, they have nothing in common, being two opposite poles and parallel lines apart which must never meet. While Christ, who is divine, gracious, life, peace, and the Builder of man, is giving salvation and eternal life; Satan, the Devil, is out to derail and destroy man heartlessly. In fact, these prophecies were targeted at nowadays, the end times; and are fearfully fulfilled in us.
Remember when Archangel Lucifer fell out of God’s favour and grace for disobedience and was forced down to the earth, thenceforth, he became Satan, the Devil/Deceiver, while the angels who were his accomplices turned “demons” because they were disconnected from the Holy Spirit permanently and perpetually. Did not a loud voice proclaim from heaven what laid in wait for mankind on earth? It said, “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time”? (Rev. 12: 7-12)
And, The Holy Father taught that Satan swore to God that he would ensure that God would have no man to obey and worship Him on earth, where he had been relocated and has since strived to convert all men and conquer this territory. Matching action with his words, the first casualties of Satan were our progenitors, Adam and Eve at the Garden of Eden. Their disobedience to God, like him in heaven, fetched them generational curses, the permanent enmity between man and Satan, plus the loosing of Eden’s Garden, and relocation to elsewhere (Gen. 3: 1-24). Let mankind not be forgetful of the fact that, Satan is working tirelessly to lure, deceive and destroy mankind! This, he did confess to God saying, “From going to and fro in the world, and from walking up and down in it”, but in his nature refused to add that, ‘he was seeking who to devour like a roaring lion’! (Job 2: 6-7; 1 Pet. 5: 8)
Coming back to the causal statement, ‘In our time’, we recall that in the 1960s to 1970s in our hometown, we were so much abreast with nature, so to speak. As unique and blessed as a coastal but island community, we may have been adjudged and perceived by others to be uncivilised, barbaric, and primitive, yet, there were those unique things, both spiritual and physical, that tied us together as a unique people of God’s creation.
Periodically, the sea visited us at our homes; of course, preparations were made for such times. While at the seashore, one sees fishes which, at times were caught even by children. Seafood was mostly for women and children to catch. We, no doubt, enjoyed the lustre of nature! But today, we have lost all that as everything has been altered by man.
Communal life at the time meant that a child is only the parents’ when he/she was in the mother’s womb; but as soon as the child was born, he/she belonged to the community. Due to this communal theory, it was incumbent on all and sundry (old and young) in the community, including resident emigrants, to see to the proper upbringing and training of the child; as the child was seen as carrying the community’s image, as such, a promising future ambassador or representative of the community elsewhere.
I can still recall that even though there was evidence of personal gods at the corners of houses and the influence of our traditional religion and customs, there was real love, morality, and the fear of God, in the real sense of it. Yes, although Christian churches and mission schools were there; the traditional African (so-called informal) education and child upbringing to prepare the African child for the future, that is, into adulthood (manhood and womanhood) were in vogue and going on pari passu. Permit me to add that smoking and snuffing were the business of the matured adults, and piping, mostly for the aged of society.
Evergreen are memories of when the formal education of a child was a partnership of parents and teachers, especially in terms of discipline. Right from the elementary school level then, pupils were taught vocations like carpentry, etc. practically – the very essence of termly handwork and annual sporting activities. At the secondary school level, home economics and fine arts, in theory and practice, were taught. Secondary education had subdivisions: technical, grammar, and commercial (here, mostly private schools) education for one to choose from. For tertiary institutions and university education; no doubt, one is distinguished and a specialist in his field of study. The education curriculum was never compromised, and the school system enjoyed autonomy with no interference from other sources; we mean, the police never went there to harass teachers for whatever reason(s). Of course, then, teachers respected themselves and had the dignity of labour which they never compromised in whatsoever circumstance. And so, they had the parents’ and students’ trust. This does not mean that there were no deviants; but it was a highly negligible few, who were dealt with commensurately by law when culpable. The quality of education with steady inspection and supervision made for a qualitative turnout of graduates at respective educational strata each year. Jobs were also available to absorb them in any discipline, and job offers and employment were purely on merit. And in all walks of life; whether a fisherman, civil servant, company worker, farmer, labourer, etc., and whatever someone did legitimately for a living, there were those guiding principles and dignity of labour.
Although stubbornness existed, no matter the degree, one was contained everywhere. For instance, if a child succeeds in avoiding work in your home, he/she cannot escape working for relations in the family or compound; let alone working for elders anywhere in the community. And for a child, services are rendered free of charge, even gifts for such services were never encouraged to be accepted. If given, morally, it was not acceptable rather, the outpouring of blessings verbally was more cherished. Everyone, including children, was taught about dignity in labour, and laziness and gifts were not encouraged. Giving money to a child was taboo and if for whatever reason money was given, that child must surrender it to the parents or guardians to decide how it was to be used. The system stood for hard work!
Morally, the elders, who mostly were no churchgoers but traditionalists, feared God Almighty in all their social dealings with fellowmen. They were fetish but they never compromised morals. Because they were attuned to nature’s dictates, they morally would avoid having any dealings with the spouses of other people; they would avoid coveting what belongs to another person, even at gunpoint. Therefore, what belongs to a child, would be secured and handed over to the rightful owner at adulthood (be they land, house, chieftaincy stool, etc.) as they knew the adverse effects of doing otherwise. Also, the elders always spoke and stood for the truth, no matter the amount of money involved or promises made to them. In a family setup, they preferred an amicable settlement of all misgivings internally. Children respected elders and the elders reciprocate too.
In terms of fashion, there was no trespass or crisscross as women distinctly maintained theirs and so did the men. They dressed properly and neatly to cover their bodies. The menfolk (men and boys) go on linen clothes, trousers, shirts, and short knickers reaching their knees; while the womenfolk (women and girls) go on linen clothes, blouses, gowns, and skirts (the shortest, were those reaching their knees). These were complemented with underwear (singlets, pants, brassieres, etc.). It was taboo to expose the sensitive parts of one’s body in public, whether a man or woman. Whereby it was mistakenly done, the person in question would be called to order and warned. But should that persist, one was noted as a social deviant; and close associates had no other choice than to distance themselves from such a person thenceforth, in order not to be blamed because every family tried hard to protect their image and moral integrity.
Security was the responsibility of all and sundry, especially the youthful menfolk. They ensured that peace and order were maintained in the community, and also stood up to any external aggression(s). For marriage, parents played major roles to ensure that their children got espoused to credible partners and families with high moral standing, not necessarily affluence; in most cases, the parents ensured that they chose whom their children got hooked to. To say the least, they married for their children. If at all conjugal relationships were indulged in before marriage, the parties did so discreetly and decently, respecting their parents and elders alike.
In an ideal nuclear family, while the father and husband went out to labour and provide for the family upkeep daily, the mother and wife kept the house and ensured that the children were disciplined and well behaved. Any deviant behaviour from any child was immediately and expressly reported by the mother to the father, who would promptly intervene to righten things as necessary; and the child disciplined if the circumstance necessitated that. Even though a housewife, it never meant that the woman would be lazy doing nothing; she usually was engaged in keeping herself busy with one form of trade or the other, having a craft, added to the primary assignment of keeping the family. One important aspect of the nuclear family is that, while the male children understudied and were groomed by their father, the female ones were also taken care of by the mother. Therefore, children took seriously the pieces of advice of their parents and elders of the family and community, especially if aspiring to build on existing parental legacies of morality.
Stealing, witchcraft, and murder for whatever reasons and circumstances were taboos, and never tolerated. If one was caught stealing, he/she was made to carry the exhibit(s) and paraded around the community amidst songs, dancing, and the culprit was made to confess the crime for all to note. For witchcraft and murder, the person in question, when truly established, was either ostracised or exiled and, at times, killed. In all cases, the family members of the criminal bore the bad name and stigma for generations. They were most times treated as outcasts by indigenes of the community who feared any form of association with such a person would soil their names.
If in an extended family one was childless, a child or children from the extended family would be attached to that family member to bring up, train, and own as his or hers. For the indigent and vulnerable, outside individual contributions to them notwithstanding, they were primarily the immediate and extended family’s responsibility up to death. To those who entangled themselves with one cult or the other, usually, they used to disclose to their children, siblings, and/or confidants how best to appease such elementary spirits whenever they were no more. It was only children and families who cared less about such things that suffered the adverse consequences in those years of yore.
This is not to insinuate that there were no crimes and problems in those days in the community, but that because of the practical love, care, and social ties for one another when problems and challenges ensued, the communal people would readily come together to proffer solutions to them amicably; sometimes, not to the visibility and notice of external people.
The story above must have taken place in your community uniquely as the community was all over the world, possibly about the same time. Even the advanced countries of the world today can testify about similar experiences in their localities as outlined above. But one pertinent question is if as recent as the 1960s, life seemed more moral than now, can one imagine how morally sound it was decades earlier in human society? Meaning that our parents and elders were very right about the social ethos, norms, and belief systems of their times. Again, in the same vein, beholding contemporary lifestyle and goings-on in society, we also are right to talk about our cherished societal norms, values, and belief systems that have unbelievably gone into oblivion. It is like some of us are living today in borrowed time! Even so, The Father is our Strength, Comforter, and Hope! However, what are today’s world’s values like?
Perhaps preparing for this time, The Holy Father declared sometime in the early 1980s that He was sending into the world female angels; just like the way we are presently living with angels of destruction, say two or three years now. Pitiably, since religion (which is saddled with our spiritual wellbeing and teaches morality) lost its essence and path, (especially those of Christendom, who now only propagate the sermon of ‘Prosperity’, that is, “The Doctrine of Mammonism” in the churches) everything went haywire physically in the world.
Happily armed with beautiful women from The Father, Satan, the Devil, started his ‘magic’ using the women to penetrate the so-called timbers and calibers at the corridors of power, opinion leaders, the cream of society, and the captains of industry who are mainly men, to infatuate with their beauty and use them for Satan’s ‘operation of onslaught and destruction’!
Of course, having in his control earlier, money and wealth, to deceive mankind using the instrumentality of Illuminati, the clandestine operative and industrial conglomerate – all are trooping into Satan’s web of deceit, eternal condemnation, and destruction. Illuminati’s operations take diverse and different forms with its tentacles widespread including the overrunning of the religions of the world, Christianity not exempted. In fact, the general overseers and heads of churches spread boldly and openly the propaganda of this “Doctrine of Mammonism” in the guise of sermon more, garnished with the so-called “Miracles” from demonic sources “in the name of Jesus”! Most, if not all, are initiates of Satan the Devil, and taking advantage of the ignorant populace; indeed, converting souls to Satan in their pretentious works for our Lord Jesus Christ.
With Illuminati as experts in clandestine machinations, before the world realised, everything had a sudden turn around; and all that the soulless beings of today’s humanity yearn for desperately is only ‘quick money and wealth’, regardless of how they come about. Worse still, nobody wants to pause for a second to think and talk about hard work, the dignity of labour, integrity, or a good name. These desperados, painfully, do not mind for how short or long this ‘whirlwind-of-an-acquisition’ would last for enjoyment. Pitiably, their only interest is, ‘It should just come whichever way’, and they do not give a damn! They are restless, running from pillar to post patronising juju priests, soothsayers, voodooists, necromancers, sorcerers and you name it.
Before we go further, let us at this juncture share a spontaneous but sorrowful discussion we had with a Brotherhood youth a few years back. Discussing the deplorable state of things in our country, Nigeria, due to the endemic corruption; at the end, he said, “This corruption they want to fight, they should hold on until me too I have taken my turn. Since I was born to date that I am a graduate, all we hear is corruption. Please, they should wait until I, too have partaken of it. We all need money!”
Sincerely, I caught a cold but was he to be blamed? A country, he had come to meet where thieves, robbers, charlatans, hoodlums, thugs, and criminals, are being celebrated and honoured with titles they do not merit, but for spraying money in public that they have stolen from the nation’s coffers. Merit in anything is no more; sacrificed at the altar of nepotism, tribalism, cabalism, etc. Yet, they are in the corridors of power, they are the opinion leaders and renowned statesmen who are, more or less, gods. So, why should he think less of himself? In all, our major sorry state was that, if he, a “Born-Brotherhood” as they are christened, who hears The Holy Father’s Everlasting Gospel and is acquainted with the Supernatural Teachings all these years, could think this way, how much less those who are not so privileged spiritually? Can we see the dilemma today’s world is in?
It is said, we are in the Information Age. No doubt, scientific and technological advancement have done mankind so much good as well as evil. It is most pathetic that in this age of information, the people to drive the age, even amid enough information, are not ready to study and have no strength to labour but are only in the mania for quick riches! Bad enough, government and educational authorities are not helping matters at all. Worsened by the globalisation reality, these syndicates have a very strong network(s) of interconnectivity in their operations to easily influence people, especially the desperate youth. All one can hear everywhere is ‘Yahoo Boys and Girls’ and their activities (scamming and rituals). There is an all-around generational gap!
The manifestation of their get-rich-quick activities is seen everywhere. Human trafficking to foreign lands luring and promising victims of greener pastures only to find themselves helpless and taken advantage of in forced labour, dehumanised in prostitution, slavery, and also used for rituals. Meanwhile, the relatives with high hopes of changing their situations for the better, are waiting endlessly for them; and bad enough, they cannot even reach them or trace their whereabouts. We are all aware that the human parts business has gone so-called legitimate and international with price tags for different human parts spread about on social media. Unfortunately, national governments and international institutions, and their agencies, are not doing anything tangible enough to forestall such operations in their respective countries and globally.
Another aspect is that young ones, especially teenagers, or even those as young as ten years, both male and female, initiate into secret societies and occultic practices. And because they are not mature enough to handle, they proliferate those heinous practices and crimes openly in public. Consequently, we hear of incessant ritualistic killings everywhere, even in the churches.
Sorry, we forgot that the church business operators are part of the deal! Indeed, it is the greatest undoing that mankind cannot fear and reverence God anymore, but daring Him to a fight even in His territory. The question is, can they withstand His wrath when He would be ready for them? Why are they taking His long patience, tolerance, and longsuffering for granted? The ritualist themselves are not safe as retributive justice ensures that they die or run mad at the slightest mistake hence the increasing number of lunatics in the society.
We are not forgetful of the activities of serial killers for no reason, rapists, kidnappers, terrorists, bandits, and the like. To help them to commit these heinous crimes well with impunity, the boastful predators use substances that can keep them “high”, according to them; hence the prevalence of drug trafficking, abuse and addiction, alcoholism, chain-smoking, narcotics, etc. Gay activities and suicide are on the increase by the day. Meanwhile, hotel, restaurant, brothel, and bar businesses are flourishing. These are the havens the unsuspecting preys are taken to for them to unleash their mayhems. Security systems are beaten effortlessly, and even security agencies and personnel are not safe. So, who is safeguarding who? Crime is the order of the day, and the rate is uncontrollably on the increase!
Another phase is the international fraudster business or scamming. With the help of computer systems, transnational businesses and business moguls are easily defrauded of huge sums of money by hacking through mere phones. Individuals are not safe as personal bank accounts are accessed and persons’ life savings emptied with impunity; sometimes these deals are carried out in collaboration with criminal bank workers. There is no safe place now on earth; individual homes, churches, mosques, temples and shrines, offices, market places, communities, and you name it.
Doubtless that, there is too much evil in the world; safety and security, if at all, only come from The Father. No wonder, the scriptures rightly upheld about this time that men’s hearts will be failing them for the things that shall be befalling the earth; more so, the love of many shall wax cold; and that, if God should not cut short the days, even the very elects of His shall be victims.
Just imagine a situation whereby one cannot even accept gifts, especially money from known or close persons; otherwise one turns into a yam, snake, or other creatures or objects. It is rather scary and as bad as that! After all, they use beloved ones (parents, children, siblings, and friends) for these rituals; and even start practicing scamming with such beloved ones as they no longer take sound advice(s) or guide from parents and elders alike. As such, while suspicion has permanently come to stay, trust and peace are things of the past for today’s mankind. Indeed, the days are awful and evil, smelling with sin everywhere! (Matt. 24: 12; Mark 13: 20; Luke 21: 26) There is a total absence of the fear of God!
The world is so morally bankrupt to the extent that grandparents and parents have carnal knowledge of their children, minors as tender as 3 years – the children they are supposed to protect by all means including staking their lives to prevent external abusers – and some of these misadventures are ritual-intended. We hear of parents-in-law doing the same with spouses of their children. What about the issue of parents marrying their children (even of same-sex). Of a truth, the home itself is not safe at all for anyone. In other cases, people get married to other creatures like snakes, cats, dogs, and even objects like dolls and the like.
Some of such marriages are consummated by law including religious rites. Oh! what an outright insult to God Almighty? Again, what about the dirty activities of sugar daddies and mummies luring teenagers with wealth and money to destroy them and their future? Some of such so-called “enjoyment” which are ritualistic empty such youngsters spiritually, with serious adverse effects for their future. This is how immorally loose our society of today is. Are these not the fulfillment of the biblical prophecies of “tribulations and desolation” at this end of time? In short, our world needs urgent spiritual cleansing and salvaging!
In the entertainment industry and sports, the order of the day is tattooing the entire body, that is, the mark of the beast, but who cares? Fashion-wise, they cross-dress and prefer to go naked, showing the sensitive parts of their bodies and all sorts of rings at every part of their bodies, with no respect for God’s injunctions. In terms of music, the lyrics are so watery and nothing to learn from, yet they are moved, they claim. The question is, by what spirit? Of course, that of Satan, their father, and demonic spirits, no doubt! Their situation is a sorry state, and makes nonsense of real life, having nothing tangible to offer even to themselves. This generation is lawless, most unfortunately. It is a wasted generation, so to speak, except for the hope that The Holy Spirit and The Godhead is physically with mankind now, silently waiting to take total charge of His world, as promised by our Lord and Saviour, Jesus The Christ.
Of a truth, if we sit down in a sober reflection, it is obvious that what the contemporary globe has turned into, has a spiritual undertone than what the ordinary eyes can see. Resultantly, there is nothing sinful man can of his own do to change this precarious state of things, except through concerted deliberate effort to come together to reason, and sincerely invite God Almighty to hand over this ugly situation into His mighty hands to take charge of.
Let us pray in unison because God Almighty has promised that when we ask, it shall be given; when we knock, it shall be opened; and when we seek, we shall find. This is the sine qua non and panacea to this quagmire of spiritual blindness and darkness upon the earth and its dwellers. Remember, the government, their agencies, and everything have failed mankind! All that mankind is passing through now is the taste of the kind of peace that comes from the world as gingered by Satan, the Devil to achieve his target of destroying God’s creation. Read John 14: 24 and 29 for confirmation.
Did not The Messiah proffer the ready solution when He proclaimed that He had left His peace to mankind, and therefore, we should not worry our hearts or be afraid? He introduced and handed mankind over to The Holy Spirit of Truth and The Promised Comforter as our comfort and hope in this time of the world’s great distress. Christ said; “…He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” and “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:… and he will shew you things to come” (John 14: 17-18/27, 16: 13).
That notwithstanding, the Omniscient Christ warned that the world would refuse The Promised Comforter because they would be spiritually blind and deaf about Him and His activities. Hear Him; “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever, Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14: 16-17). No doubt, these scriptures are fulfilled in us, and in our time.
Truly, The Holy Spirit of Truth and Promised Comforter is the only hope of the world as it stands today, to salvage the ugly situation. As promised, for the sake of the ‘Remnant and Redeemed Children of God’, the biblical “Elects” He had chosen for Himself, The Holy Father will, imminently, divinely intervene. Secondly, The Father of Creation created the world for a purpose, more so, for His own pleasure, therefore, He is to save His world from the strong grip and shackles of Satan, his demons, messengers, and their darkness. He is that “Supreme Light” that darkness can never comprehend (and withstand)! Even so, it is just the appropriate time, He is quietly and painstakingly waiting to act, being the ‘Sole Power’ that exists in the entire creation!
Paradoxical enough, but fulfilling the scriptures, for more than a century, The Holy Spirit Personate, The Promised Comforter and Supernatural Teacher, has been on earth physically with man in His New Kingdom, Brotherhood of the Cross and Star (BCS), tirelessly teaching man His recondite wisdom and giving out the secret key to survival in the New World Order being ushered in. Worse still, He had imposed His New and Supreme Government called the Unified Universal Theocracy (UUT) upon all the governments and kingdoms of the world; thereby destroying them to be subsumed in His eternal divine government, rulership, and reign.
The sole panacea to the global problems and giver of permanent and eternal peace on earth is no other than the HOLY FATHER OLUMBA OLUMBA OBU – The Ancient of Days and Sole Spiritual Head of the Universe. His supernatural teachings called “The Everlasting Gospel” are available for all and sundry to pick up and own to salvage oneself and others. Mankind, it is said, “A stitch in time saves nine”, and “Make hay while the sun shines”.
Thank You, Father
