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From Tony John, Port Harcourt; Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri; Noah Ebije, Kaduna And Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
Before the February 25, 2023 presidential election, some popular and not-so-popular clerics announced to Nigerians that God had revealed to them who among the candidates was going to win the election. There were about 18 presidential candidates jostling to occupy the presidency.
The curious thing, however, was that God purportedly ‘revealed’ to each prophet different candidates. And when the election result was announced, most of the prophecies missed the target. Some Nigerians reacted to the issue.
They do not speak the mind of God – Jackson Ojo, security expert
In the Nigeria political firmament today, a lot of prophets have been predicting and forecasting, calling it prophetic utterances, particularly when they want to get cheap popularity for pecuniary reasons and to become relevant via fake prophecies. In the recently conducted presidential elections, many prophetic utterances were in circulation, falsely claiming that they heard from God. But, at the end of the elections, the various gift of prophecy or divine inspiration, speaking for God became a colossal deceit. They do not speak the mind of God.
Those prophecies they got were never from God – Angus Chukwuka, legal practitioner
It is possible that some prophets already had personal political permutations or analysis that infiltrated their spiritual consciousness, and invariably affected their prophecy. It is also possible that they misunderstood or misinterpreted the prophecy God gave them. It is also possible that they never received any prophecy at all, but spoke as humans or that the prophecy they got was never from God, but from the devil. God prophecy will always come true.
It shows that man is not God- Enoch Okechukwu, businessman
The prophecies that do not come to pass reveal that man is not God. Everybody should know that nobody is perfect, only God is perfect.
Their prophecies not rooted in spiritual clairvoyance – Anthony Sani, pharmacist
Nigerians have heard and read so many prophecies by the pastors and prophets, most of which have not come to pass. The ones that have come pass come have been those of intelligent guesses. I am tempted to think that the prophecies by pastors and prophets are rooted not in spiritual clairvoyance but due more to fetish nature of our society, which is described as a country of religiosity without God. Just take a look at the number of churches and mosques across the country. Yet this country is not known for fear of God. That is why I do not give prophecies by pastors and self professed prophets any serious consideration.
They are only gambling in the name of God – Abdulhakeem Adegoke Alawuje, ex-military officer
Some of the pastors and so-called prophets have left their spiritual responsibility for politics and ‘pastorprenuership’. They are directly working with politicians. Those predictions are deliberately made to subtly twist and cajole the uninitiated and unsuspected sheep that are led sheepishly to follow a direction politically. Those fake predictions are meant to psychologically deceive the innocent and unduly influence their congregation as well as admirers to toe a particular direction politically. It is very unfortunate that they have changed their house worship to a political arena. Can you imagine? How can the same God reveal a particular prediction or prophecy on an election to about ten men in different forms and shades, and they all claim to be men of God? For sure, they are liars. Any sensible person would have realised they are only gambling in the name of God.
They spoke in accordance with the dollars they cornered into their pockets – Mordecai Ibrahim, evangelist
God is not the author of confusion. God does not speak at cross purposes. He will not be telling Pastor ‘A’ that candidate Obi for instance will win and another breadth be telling Prophet ‘B’ that candidate Atiku will win. They spoke in accordance with the naira or dollars they cornered into their pockets. They did not speak the mind of God”.
Prophecies are not empirical- Luka Binniyat, spokesman, SOKAPU
This happens in every major election in Nigeria. In fact, even in the presidential elections carried out in other countries, Nigerian men of God are always handy with their prophecies on which candidate will win. Unfortunately, prophecies are not empirical. It’s more like a gamble for them. Those who predicted that Bola Ahmed Tinubu will win, despite the odds against him, have become instant hits. Those who failed to predict correctly have disappointed their followers. But, in Nigeria, the best hardly emerge winners
Some of them don’t have PVCs -Bishop Osadolor Ochei
Some of those who prophesied do not even have their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and so, cannot vote. For their prophecies to have come to pass, they must first and foremost participate in the process of electing their choice candidates but such did not play out in most cases.
There was a clear unanimity on the winner – Festus Ogwuche, legal practitioner
For the presidential elections of February 25, 2023, there was a clear unanimity on the predictions from the pulpits of the winner. For the first time, the predictions were correct on the pattern of the votes and the possible declaration of Peter Obi as winner. They all were on common grounds that the victory would be snatched from him though. Today, we are awaiting the fulfilment of the prediction that would lead to Obi reclaiming his mandate.
Wait until the matter is concluded at Supreme Court – Divines Eches, chairman, CAN, Imo State
It’s too early to judge prophecies; wait until the matter is concluded at the Supreme Court before the prophecy issue could be broached.
I will wait for final court ruling – Chima Chukwuyenre, chairman, Hoteliers Association, Imo State
Right thinking Nigerians can express what they like. Peter Obi has said he’s going to court to challenge the outcome of the election. So, I won’t be in a hurry to call anybody a false prophet until the final court ruling.
It’s too early to conclude; anything can still happen – Moses Onodua, cleric
It is too early to conclude whether their prophecies came to pass or not as anything can still happen. The fact that some of the prophecies seemed not to have materialised is not enough for anyone to conclude that they didn’t hear from God. Spiritual issues are not to be measured by physical parameters.
