I wish to respond to the   interview granted by Dr. Ferdinand Anikwe, Director-General, Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAG), which appeared on  Sunday  October 16, 2016.

In it, he told the nation of his plan to host another Festival of Arts (FESTAC), in February 2017.

As concerned Christian Nigerians at The Christian Brethren Church International (TCBCI), Iyana-Ejigbo, Lagos, we are protesting the restaging of such with a resounding No for the following reasons.

This is dangerous! It smacks of evil machination from hell and must not be allowed to hold, as it portends great danger for the citizenry and the nation herself.

The economic benefits which he postulates cannot fly as tourism thrives when there is a well thought out policy framework that includes articulated tourist events –a calendar of events, good road networks to get to tourist sites, good hotels and adequate security.

One event, last held in 1977, cannot replace the above.

And even if it can, the economic gains cannot be compared to the aftermath. The tears, pains and sorrows we will experience as a nation will be unprecedented as FESTAC unleashes demons and wicked spiritual elements, and we will join the nations who get visited with natural disasters constantly.

The Devil saw us winning against Ebola; to his chagrin, Boko Haram has been largely upstaged and the Niger Delta Militants who are bent on destroying their own land –cutting your nose to spite your face –are also cooling down.

Because God loves Nigeria, He pushes us to pray and we see results.

In this time of recession, God is helping us out with bumper rice and food crops harvests. Investors are still coming and donor agencies are giving us credits on soft and favourable terms.

Our thanksgiving and shouts of praise is about to erupt, but the Devil is out to stop it. He is saying, you guys are praying too much, let me bombard you with more demons. His new master plan? He wants to do another Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC) in Nigeria, in February 2017.

A poll conducted by nairaland.com Forum that ran from April 2010 to Oct. 2010 with the question. “Did FESTAC ‘77 Start Nigeria’s Problem” saw about 80percent saying “No”, and a lot of respondents saying though they were not born, they could not see the correlation between culture and problems.

Let me now address that: yes, to those who were not adults in 1977, you may not be able to relate to FESTAC. It was supposed to be an innocuous gathering of artists, dancers and actors coming together to showcase the culture of their countries, but the opening ceremony done at the National Stadium on January 15, 1977, under the watchful eyes of General Olusegun Obasanjo saw a SHANGO PRIEST setting the Festival Bowl aflame to declare it open.

It’s like when Obama was being inaugurated in 2008, Rick Warren preached and a Gay Pastor prayed for him; and people were surprised when the first thing he pushed for was to legalise Gay rights and same sex marriage. With the way he started, no wonder all manner of natural disasters bedevilled America in his reign.

Demons don’t live in the physical dimension. They live in spirit dimension, but are constantly looking for doors or vehicles to come into the physical dimension. Any opportunity like wilful sin is a door for them to come in and cause havoc. What then do you think will happen on a nation welcoming a conglomerate of culture –demons into the country. Utter chaos!

For a few examples consider:

• Haiti –they pride themselves as the nation with Voodoo as a widely accepted way of life their official religion, and unwittingly are suffering for it: earthquakes devastate the country, as they are recovering, cholera strikes, killing more people; as they are recovering another hurricane strikes. They are perpetually in misery; and
• Asia -freely killing Christians as they worship Buddha and Hindu gods; they are the poorest nations in the world, with earthquakes and typhoons flooding them at will.

You cannot separate culture from demons –culture usually revolves around local deities: a fancy name for demons and principalities. Ipi Ntombi, a home-grown dance and music celebration of black South African culture featured at FESTAC ‘77. They danced half naked. That’s a Zulu culture still being practiced. Incest and rape happens everyday in South Africa. Bring them in and you will have demons of lust and incest moving into your country. This is not farfetched; it is the reality. Hence God commanded the Israelites not to practice the culture of the Canaanites; because for their idolatry –culture, He was driving them out of the land 2nd Kings 17: 8,11 &15: 2nd Chronicles 20: 6; 28:3.

Dr. Rueben Abati wrote in naija.com on 14th of October 2016 of the ominous and eerie happenings in Aso Rock, the kind of tales that makes a good horror movie. His submission: very potent demons and principalities roam around freely to intimidate occupants of Aso Rock, injure and afflict them with strange diseases at will and most importantly influence decisions taken by those in authority.

The simple at heart may not believe him, but those steeped in occultism knows he’s saying the truth. The average Bible student will also attest to the veracity of his claims, based on Daniel 10:12,13,20 where demonic personalities were described as rulers of nations –Prince (ruler) of Persia, Prince (ruler of Greece –a nation that had not even been born as Angel Gabriel spoke to Daniel).

From all indications the Prince (spiritual ruler) of Nigeria is not having it easy. The concerted prayers of God’s children are disturbing and barring him, so he needs help. That’s why he is instigating some people to import demons again –that’s what another FESTAC will do!

In the face of hard biting recession –when many have dropped from school because of school fees, many Governors are opting out of paying WAEC fees and to eat once for many is hard, someone wants to host the world in a Festival of Arts and Culture.

Ordinarily, this would cost a huge amount; by the time the fake consultants and blown up figures are added by people in authority, the amount become humongous –our suffering exacerbates.

The National Assembly men should rise up for the nation and oppose it. Are they even in the picture at all –I haven’t heard them mentioning it. Is Dr. Anikwe and CBAAG free to do whatever they like –spend our money without the permission of the National Assembly and bring further evil upon a struggling nation? Wake up sleeping rulers!

There are five pillars that exalt a nation. These are:

ü Justice

ü Righteousness

ü Removal of oppression

ü Caring for the widows and the needy; and

ü Seeking for, and maintaining the presence of God. Please see Deuteronomy 16:20, Proverbs 14:34, Isaiah 1:17, 20, 21, 26

This should be our focus if we are looking for a better Nigeria.

Even if, as Dr. Anikwe said (and I don’t believe it) that it is mostly going to be private sector driven, the Private Sector should be informed to use their money to drive the economy out of recession and not waste money on projects that will bring the nation down –spiritually and physically.

To them it can be crafted to become tax deductible expenses (and so may not affect their income, while giving them advertorial exposure), but to the citizens, it will become a quagmire when the demons that are now devastating other lands are invited into the country to unleash terror on us.

Let the children of God begin to pray against it; let the citizens begin to speak out against it and let the “voice of the people” –The Assembly men and women put a stop to it –To SAVE NIGERIA from a tomorrow characterised by what people call natural disasters, instead of the true name –God’s judgement on errant nations.

When God warns and people don’t listen and heed, when the judgment comes, He doesn’t help: “Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore, shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.” Proverbs 1:24-33

Truth be spoken -there is nothing you can do in this life that can give you joy, without God. The Psalmists says it is only in His presence that there is fullness of joy, and at His right hand, pleasures evermore. Psalm 16:11.

He alone is the Author of peace and without Him a nation cannot prosper. And He has demonstrated this over time in the life of Israel, the nation He chose to be the example to the world 2nd Samuel 7: 23; Deuteronomy 4:5-6.

David’s time is described in history as the golden era of Israel. That was when the small nation, no bigger than Oyo State raised $1trillion (Jimmy Swaggart Commentary Bible, 1984) to build Solomon’s Temple.

There was also Jehoshaphat who taught the people Godly principles and the Lord showed His pleasure by blessing the land and the people of God: “Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, even to Benhail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah. And with them he sent Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests. And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people. And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. Also some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and tribute silver; and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he goats. And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he built in Judah castles, and cities of store. And he had much business in the cities of Judah: and the men of war, mighty men of valour, were in Jerusalem.” 2nd Chronicles 17:7-13.

This is where the Devil comes in; he doesn’t like peace and he doesn’t like God-given prosperity. He is described by Jesus as the killer, thief and destroyer. He takes his job very seriously and the flags of pain flying across the world attests to his hard work. He is ruthless and will use all available hands, from lazy, jobless youths doing 419 to the armed robbers who like to reap where they have not sown, to leaders who want to keep the populace in perpetual bondage, pains and poverty through corruption and outright invitation for demons to come and cause more problems for Nigeria; and unless Nigerians speak out now and pray the Devil away, Nigeria’s tomorrow may not be as you envisage.

• Morgridge is the pastor of The Christian Brethren Church International, Lagos