Clash of Powers -Arondizuogu masquerade and medicine men challenge - TopicsExpress

Clash of Powers -Arondizuogu masquerade and medicine men challenge Baba Aladura Onyeleonu. The news filtered in that a male member has died and hails from Arondizuogu,a town known very well for their strong cultural values and beliefs. This male members death occured during the period when the towns masquerade parades the town and women are forbidden to see the masquerade. The Eternal Sacred Order of The Cherubim and Seraphim Church,Onitsha province - the only ESOCS province in Anambra state back then - was led by Elder(Dr.) Lazarus Onyeleonu,who was then a Senior Apostle. The church agreed that there should be a wake keep for the departed brother,knowing fully well that people are not expected to go out at night,especially women - and the church had female members who were to go for the burial. But the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof. On the fateful Friday,ESOCS members,led by Elder(Dr.) Lazarus Onyeleonu,arrived Arondizuogu with the unique ESOCS local drums and worship bell,and commenced the wake keep for the late brother. Many villagers expressed their fears on the outcome of this sacrilege carried out by the ESOCS members and begged them not to carry out the wake keep. But Michael is the Captain of the Church. The wake keep commenced and members sang,danced and drummed as they honour their departed brother. News reached the medicine men of Arondizuogu that a new church has dared the powers that be of the land and has committed abomination by carrying out a night vigil programme. A meeting was held by all the medicine men,and it was agreed that the fiercest and most dangerous masquerade of the town shall be summoned with all the attendant evil powers to go and confront this strange christians. This white garment people must be taught an eternal lesson,they concluded. Christians then in Arondizuogu dare not challenge these medicine men,no matter the circumstance. The die was cast! These medicine men and their greatest and most evil masquerade assembled and moved down to where members of ESOCS Onitsha province were holding the wake keep service. As the masquerade approached,some medicine men disrupted the service and called on Elder Lazarus Onyeleonu to take his flock and leave that arena,as fast as possible. No christian,especially women are allowed t move about at night as this is the time for the masquerade to parade the town at its leisure. Abomination,they shouted,this church must be fined and punished for this A spiritual clash ensued. Elder Lazarus Onyeleonu raised his pastoral staff towards heaven and prayed to Jehovah the Most High God. Something strange happened! A little male Army of Salvation Band member - Timothy Okpalla-who clung to his mothers(Elizabeth Okpala) arm was forceful detached from his mothers arm. The power Holy Spirit has fallen on him. Being possessed by such great power of the Holy Spirit,Army of Salvation Timothy Okpala ran towards the masquerade(just as David ran towards Goliath in the Bible). Sister Elizabeth Okpala screamed. Members were shocked and could not control the events unfolding before them. The young Army of Salvation band member,who by now has no knowledge of his actions,got to the point were the masquerade was,ignoring the enchantments and incantations of the legion of Arondizuogu medicine men and their dreadful masquerade, danced and went round the masquerade,seven times. The dreaded masquerade became powerless and was rooted to the spot were it stood - motionless. All signs of life left the masquerade,except for the breathing that was noticed coming out from the person wearing the masquerade. The unthinkable and unbelievable has happened in Arondizuogu! Darkness has come in daytime! Light has intruded into the sphere of Darkeness and darkeness lost its power! Little Army Timothy Okpala was led by back to his mother by the Holy Ghost. That was when it dawned on her and other members of ESOCS Church,that God has instantly answered Elder Lazarus Onyeleonus prayers. The members of ESOCS Church packed their musical instruments and left the arena. All the incantations and black charms by the medicine men to revive their masquerade failed. The medicine men and the town leaders went to Elder Lazarus Onyeleonu and begged him to intercede on their behalf to the Almighty God for the life of their masquerade(I.e the man who wore the masquerade). Elder Lazarus Onyeleonu on Saturday,after the burial of the late brother,sent all other members home and stayed back in Arondizuogu with few selected elders, for three days,asking for Gods mercy and the sparing of the life of the man inside the masquerade. Elder Lazarus Onyeleonu,after the prayers,on the third day went to where the masquerade was standing- by now the masquerade has stood rooted on that spot where it challenged God of ESOCS for Five days without water,food or passage of human wastes. And no sound came from it during its capture by the Holy Ghost - it just stood like a statute. As Elder Lazarus Onyeleonu finished praying,the masquerade moved and without being spoken to by anybody ran away from the arena where it has stood for five days without motion,and ended its race for safety in the towns local shrine. On getting to the shrine,the masquerade fell on the ground of the shrine and died. Many of the townspeople joined the ESOCS Church,from that moment. This incident happened years after the Nigerian civil war. Today,Elder Lazarus Onyeleonu is the Baba Aladura(prelate) of The Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim,Worldwide. Timothy Okpala is now a Special Senior Apostle and his Mother,Elizabeth Okala is a Senior Mother in the ESOCS Church. Lesson: Gods power and presence is still in the ESOCS Church. If we would only humble ourselves in this 40 days fasting and prayers programme,where sins are exposed and prayed against,seek the face of God and continue in holiness,greater glory than this shall be witnessed in our church. Accept Jesus as your Lord and personal saviour,confess your sins,be saved and be on your way to great experiences with the Holy Ghost! There is a God who dwells in the midst of Cherubim! After this lenten seasons,champions will arise! Transparency Michael. Vice President(Administration) SNTi. March,2014.