Eggon cult and Nasarawa crisis God spoke all these words: “I am - TopicsExpress

Eggon cult and Nasarawa crisis God spoke all these words: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” – The Bible, Exodus 20:1-6. Events in the past few days in Nasarawa State have created tension, causing bitterness in the hearts of the people, and drawing the attention of not only the people of this country to these happenings, but also, that of the international community, not for anything positive, but for the waste of human lives.I have read of the brutal killings of about 95 police officers and other security agents by members of an occult group known as OMBATSE, a sect said to be eroding the gains of the Christian faith, which has brought the Eggon people out of the bondage of Satan and placing them in high places in this country. Reports showed that thousands of Eggon youths have been trooping to join the occult movement that sprang up a few years ago, championed by some false prophets in Eggon land. They have diverted the attention of Eggon people away from the path of righteousness, a liberation path. The impact of the Christian faith among the Eggon can be seen in the number of churches that are spread across their towns and villages. From Arikpa to Awayi, from Kagbu to Kagbu Ero, from Ogba to Ogbagyi, from Alogani to Awoghanshen, from Wulko to Wowhen, and from Washo to Wakama. The history of the development of Christianity in Nasarawa State shows that the dominant church today is the Evangelical Reformed Church of Christ in Nigeria (ERCC), a church planted in 1920 by the missionaries of the Sudan United Mission (SUM) led by a German Missionary, Dr. Karl Kumm. The Eggon provide the leadership of this church today as more than two-third of the pastors in this church are of the Eggon ethnic extraction. So also, another dominant church in Nasarawa State is the Catholic Church planted amongst the Eggon in 1938. The Eggon constitute the major population of the adherents of the Catholic faith in Nasarawa State. I was privileged to have attended the St. Michael’s School, Akwanga, a school established by the Roman Catholic Mission; alongside some notable Eggon political leaders like the Late Chris Abashi, former Chairman of Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Council and the present Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Labaran Maku. Furthermore, there are other churches like the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), the Nigerian Baptist Convention, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), and other Pentecostal churches spread across Eggon land. It is the work and ministry of these churches among the Eggon people that provided their children the opportunity to acquire education, which has today placed so many of them in leadership positions in different capacities across Nigeria. In fact, there is no institution in this country today where you will not find an Eggon man or woman. For instance, the Eggon have political leaders like Sen. Solomon Ewuga, a former Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and now a Senator of the Federal Republic. Also, there is Labaran Maku. This is apart from legislators they have as members in the House of Representative, and in the Nasarawa State House of Assembly. This is not to even mention that there are Eggon serving as commissioners in the Nasarawa State Executive Council and also that they constitute a sizeable population of the work force in the state civil service.Against this background therefore, I find it very difficult to understand the sudden drift towards Satanism. Why would the Eggon suddenly abandon the Christian faith that has brought them out of bondage and embrace Satanism as manifested in OMBATSE cultism?Are the Eggon not proud of their achievements in producing leaders? Why should the Eggon abandon the path of righteousness and return to captivity in Egypt and Babylon?I am not of the Eggon ethnic group, but I am a neighbour. I have friends amongst them, and we have lived together for long as neighbours. My tribe, the Mada ethnic group has been involved with the Eggon in terms of intermarriages. In fact, my immediate younger brother is married to an Eggon woman.The occult group, OMBATSE, was responsible for the outbreak of violence in Assakio and Agyaragu towns recently. It is again creating unnecessary crisis in the name of cultural revival. Why the violence? Must the group’s goal be attained by violence? When people are initiated and made to enter into a blood covenant with a deity whose quest is for human blood, then can we say that this is a path to a true living God? I doubt so. The Bible, which is the inerrant word of God warns about the consequences of committing murder under any guise and Jesus Christ warned about it seriously:“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool,’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” (The Bible, Matthew 5:21-24).Jesus is simply telling us here that insulting others, killing others, and harbouring the spirit of unforgiveness attract the wrath of the living God and the victim of these vices no doubt will end in hell.I have a burden to speak the truth to my Christian brethren. Where are our Pastors in Eggon? Where are the teachers of the Word of the living God? Why have they allowed things to degenerate to wasting human lives? Are we being told that the God we serve as manifested in the incarnate Word, Jesus Christ, is inadequate, and hence, a return to the ways of the devil? I do not think so. Our Pastors in Eggon must wake up from their slumber and challenge the use of their pulpits as altars of Baal and their churches as temples for Baal worship. There was once a prophet in Israel, Elijah, who rose to the challenge of falsehood and defeated Satan’s schemes. There were false prophets in Israel who led the people astray. These false prophets were 450, and even though Elijah was the only prophet of Yahweh left in Israel, he challenged the satanic doctrines of the prophets of Baal, ( Read 1Kings 18). It is, therefore, incumbent on our Pastors to rise to the challenge of the evil one and dismantle the altars erected in worship of Baal in Eggon land disguised as OMBATSE. Another dimension is the claim that OMBATSE is out to fight to ensure that political power must change hands in the state come 2015. Well, I have no problem with an Eggon man aspiring to govern Nasarawa. But must there be killings before an Eggon can be entrusted with political power? I do not believe so. Under democracy, it is the electorate that decides who governs a state. It, therefore, logically follows those politicians from the Eggon ethnic group must work together and mobilise the support of other ethnic groups to get a mandate to govern. However, in a situation where OMBATSE cult group is attacking other communities from other ethnic groups, how can these ethnic groups then give their mandate to an Eggon son aspiring to govern? Please this has to stop, if we truly desire to see an Eggon man becoming the Governor.Nasarawa State is today under the onslaught of the devil as Fulani herdsmen are attacking our communities without provocation. What this means is that for us to be able to defend ourselves against this onslaught all ethnic groups in Nasarawa State must learn to work together in a united effort, and this can only be done if we halt the bickering among our various ethnic groups. So, vices and occult groups like OMBATSE must be done away with if we are to succeed as a people.With all said and done, I appeal to the leaders of the Eggon ethnic group to halt this bloodbath in Nasarawa State. They have the responsibility to call their subjects to order. We cannot continue like this, someone has to brace up to the challenge to halt the drift towards Satan. Remain blessed!Q2 Vices and occult groups like OMBATSE must be done away with if we are to succeed as a people Obed Minchakpu