Follow Us on Google
By Olakunle Olafioye
Like the previous election years in the country, the year 2023 came with palpable fears and anxieties as Nigerians were eager to know what the year had in stock for them.
These trepidations were further heightened by heart-quacking predictions from notable clerics who churned out diverse prophecies for individuals, organizations, institutions and for the nation as a whole.
With the year rapidly coming to an end, a number of these prophecies could be said to have turned out as predicted while several others could be said to have failed, or yet to happen given the fact that there are still a few more days to the end of the year.
Prophet Bisi Olujobi of the Wisdom Church of Christ International Ketu, Lagos is one of the few Christian clerics who gave far-reaching prophecies in the outgoing year. Among his major predictions that came to pass is his prophecy on the emergence of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at the end of the presidential election in February.
“Bola Ahmed Tinubu will win the 2023 general election, Atiku will follow while Obi will take the 3rd lead,” Olujobi had foretold before the election.
He also predicted that the victories of several other politicians, including those of Governors Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun); Mai Mala Buni (Yobe). The only dent on his predictions is in Zamfara State where the PDP governorship candidate, Dauda Lawal defeated the sitting governor, Bello Matawale whom his prediction favoured to retain the governorship seat in the state.
Similarly, Olujobi’s predictions about Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State losing the state to Senator Teslim Folarin and Imo State Hope Uzodimma’s ‘massive disgrace’ also failed to come to pass.
His words: “Governors Dapo Abiodun, Ogun; Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos; Babagana Zulum, Borno; Bello Matawalle (Dauda Lawal PDP), Zamfara; Mai Mala Buni, Yobe; Mohammed Yahaya, Gombe; Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, Kwara; Abdullahi Sule, Nasarawa, will all be re-elected.
“Oyo Governor, Seyi Makinde will not be re-elected. His defeat by the main opponent, Senator Teslim Folarin (APC) will be massive. Imo Governor, Hope Uzodimma should not seek re-election in November 2023. I foresee a massive disgrace if he does.”
Reputed for his apolitical stance, Primate Elijah Ayodele’s prophecies rather emphasized what major political parties needed to do to win the last presidential election.
He was, however, emphatic at different fora that the ruling APC was desperate to win the election, insisting that the results would not be upturned by the tribunal.
“PDP isn’t yet serious for this election, Labour Party isn’t yet serious (either). What I saw all night is what I am saying right now. The Lord showed me that APC is ready to win this election technically, politically, economically, financially, and spiritually. I see APC putting all their arsenal together to get this power and if you are taking them for granted, they will get it. If they can maneuver INEC, PDP and Labour Party are in trouble. They are ready to do otherwise in all ramifications. They are extremely desperate and it will cause the failure of the opposition if they don’t wake up now. Peter Obi should not allow the crowd to get to his head, Atiku is still sleeping. I don’t belong to any of them, but I am saying how God sent me. If they take it to court, no court will change it,’’ Ayodele predicted.
Again, while many Nigerians were optimistic that the electoral reforms that preceded the 2023 elections would curb or at least minimize electoral fraud, the man of God at INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, did not mince words as he announced to Nigerians through his prophecies that the INEC and BVAS would fail the country.
“The BVAS and card readers will disappoint a lot of people, I don’t know how they want to do it because these machines may not give us the answer. INEC must do something urgently in order to put their records straight,” he predicted.
Perhaps two of the 2023 major predictions of Primate Ayodele most Nigerians will not forget in hurry are that the 2023 elections will be defined by ethnicity and his prophecy on the nation’s economy. “Concerning this year’s elections, we must be careful and prayerful in order to avert religious and ethnic crises in Nigeria as revealed by the spirit of God. Let us avert all forms of crisis situations that would create problems and generate tension in Nigeria. Nigeria needs prayers to avert the crisis,” he stated.
As for the economy and cost of living, he predicted that “if we pick a wrong president, things are going to be very expensive. I foresee a bag of rice would be very expensive, two sachets of tomato paste would cost N500. Imported rice will be as high as N80,000 per 50kg bag. Local rice will go for as high as N50,000. Prices of vegetable oil, palm oil, coke, bread will also skyrocket. A sachet of pure water will go for N50. The essential commodities will attract increases in prices. Cement price will go to N4,800 – N5,000.’’
Not a few Nigerians will be quick to dub the release of the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, as miracle of the year should it happen before the year finally winds down considering the latest development as far as his continued incarceration is concerned.
But Prophet Joshua Iginla of the Champions Royal Assembly, Abuja, predicted that Nnamdi Kanu would breathe the air of freedom in the outgoing year. However, this is yet to be seen. If anything, the latest developments in the case of the IPOB leader do not support this prediction by the popular Christian cleric.
“Nnamdi Kanu will be released, but he has to pray for his health. He has to pray even after his release, indeed the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. He must fight to stay alive and think about his health,” Prophet Iginla had foretold.
Although Iginla’s prophecy on Nnamdi Kanu may not have come to pass, the same cannot be said about his prediction on the former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, whom he predicted would play a defining role in the 2023 presidential election.
Iginla had predicted that Governor Wike would be a major factor to reckon with ahead of the last election. Wike’s name ricocheted audibly as the APC presidential candidate won the election in Rivers State in what many analysts ascribed to Wike’s impact.
He had noted that the governor would play a major role in deciding Nigeria’s destiny. “Wike’s political destiny is not yet over; he will play a major political role in the destiny of this country, the star is on his head somehow. He should watch over his health too and avoid being poisoned. Like I said, Wike is a factor,” the prophet said, and urged the governor to pay more attention to his health to avoid being poisoned.
Over the years, followers of yearly prophecies released by top men of God in the country have been able to classify predictions by Christian clerics into explicit and implicit prophecies.
Why most pastors are direct and explicit with their prophecies, a few others are reputed for their non-specific prophecies, a development, which takes the review of their predictions far off journalistic binoculars.
Popular Christian clerics notable for their non-specific prophecies include the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye.
The revered man of God during the Crossover Live Service 2022-2023 at the New Arena, Simawa in Ogun State, had categorised his prophecies into World, RCCG Members, and Individuals.
In his message, the cleric said that for the 2023 world prophecies, migration would take a new turn in the outgoing year and added that the world would be “relatively more peaceful” in the year.
Not a few would give this prediction a pass mark as the pandemic which ravaged the world in the preceding years gave way to a new lease of life in the world in the outgoing year.
Pastor Adeboye also predicted that the weather pattern would be “more erratic”, but it would be nice wherever God’s children were.
On individual prophecies, the RCCG General Overseer, said that people’s biggest challenges of 2022 would lead to their biggest testimonies in 2023.
”In 2023, the Lord will speak peace to some troubled homes.
“In 2023, for quite a few people, there would be restoration of lost glories.
”Many trouble makers will lose the ability to make trouble this year.
“Few balloons will be deflated this year. There will be a bit of wealth transfer,” he predicted.
Dr Daniel Odukoya, the founder and General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, MFM, is another Christian cleric whose style of prophecy is implicit.
In his 30-point predictions for the outgoing year, tagged the Year of Death and Resurrection, the man of God who admonished Nigerians to be prayerful and vigilant, foretold that God would deal with the wicked and corrupt leaders.
“It is going to be a year of recovery and turnaround restoration to so many people
“It is a year when serious prayers against violent revolutions and overthrows are required.
“We must pray against the miscarriage of God’s will in this season,” he said among other pronouncements.
Bishop David Oyedepo of Living Faith Church also known as Winners Chapel Worldwide predicted that some Nigerian Christian politicians, whom he described as church goers, might renounce their faith to win elections.
He said: “Some Christian politicians will deny Christ for money or so that they can win elections. Anyway, most of them are only Church goers”
Indeed, denials and betrayals have always been part of politicking. This perhaps could be responsible for the not so deep attention Nigerians gave to these predictions, particularly with the cases of obvious acts of treachery which characterized the last elections in the country.
