By Uzo Ugwunze
Human Right Lawyer and Social Critic, Sir Ifeanyichukwu Ejiofor Esq has called upon the leadership of Christian Association of Nigeria CAN to caution certain self-acclaimed prophets whose daily obsession with political permutations has effectively transformed the prophetic ministry into a theatrical political commentary platform.
Ejiofor in his article titled ‘WHEN THE ALTAR BECOMES A POLITICAL WAR ROOM: THE DANGEROUS RISE OF PROPHETIC MANIPULATION IN NIGERIA’S ELECTORAL SPACE’ described activities of these clerics as an abandonment of their spiritual responsibilities to generate unnecessary heat to the already tensed polity during election periods.
According to Ejiofor, in the formative years of our Christian upbringing, particularly within the revered folds of the Anglican Prayer Association (APA) and the Evangelical Fellowship in the Anglican Communion (EFAC), we were profoundly taught the sacredness of divine utterances proceeding from genuine servants of God. We were instructed that prophecy was never designed as an instrument of sensationalism, political manipulation, public entertainment, or reckless intrusion into secular power contests. Rather, it was presented as a solemn spiritual responsibility requiring humility, restraint, holiness, and deep reverence for God.
“The prophetic office, as handed down through Scripture, was one clothed in dignity, caution, and accountability. The words spoken by true prophets carried divine weight and were expected to edify, admonish, reconcile, and direct men towards righteousness and repentance. Little wonder the Holy Scriptures sternly admonish that: “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40). Equally, the Bible warns in Jeremiah 23:21: “I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.”
“Sadly, the prevailing religious climate in contemporary Nigeria appears to have dangerously drifted from these sacred foundations.
“Today, we are witnessing the alarming rise of certain self-acclaimed prophets whose daily obsession with political permutations has effectively transformed the prophetic ministry into a theatrical political commentary platform. Particularly troubling is the growing notoriety of one religious figure within the Niger Delta region, who appear to have almost entirely abandoned spiritual evangelism for incessant political prophecies bordering on obsession.
“Hardly does a day pass without one dramatic “revelation” or another concerning the Presidency, the fate of political actors, cabinet reshuffles, gubernatorial calculations, local government elections, councillorship contests, or speculative outcomes concerning the 2027 general elections. At one moment, the nation is told what would happen if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu sleeps in Aso Rock; the next moment, another prophecy emerges concerning what may happen should Peter Obi emerge victorious in 2027, or what fate awaits Nyesom Wike as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
“This relentless torrent of politically charged prophecies has now assumed an embarrassing and dangerous dimension.
“One begins to wonder: when exactly did the prophetic ministry become an hourly political newsroom? Since when did prophets become unofficial spokesmen for political camps and electoral permutations? At what point did the altar of God become converted into a polling unit analysis centre?
“The Holy Scriptures provide very clear boundaries regarding the conduct and temperament of genuine prophets. In the Book of Micah 3:11, the prophet lamented against religious leaders who “judge for reward” and prophets who “divine for money.” Similarly, in Ezekiel 13, God openly rebuked prophets who spoke from their own imagination rather than divine instruction, declaring: “Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!”
“It must be emphasised that the Church was never commissioned to ignite political tension or deepen national anxieties through reckless prophetic declarations capable of inflaming an already fragile polity. The mission of the Church remains the salvation of souls, the promotion of peace, the defence of truth, and the moral guidance of society, not the manufacturing of daily political hysteria under the cloak of prophecy.
“More troubling is the dangerous psychological impact these theatrical prophecies have on millions of vulnerable and emotionally dependent followers who receive every utterance as divine certainty. In a nation already burdened with ethnic sensitivities, political distrust, economic hardship, and electoral tensions, reckless prophetic pronouncements possess enormous capacity to inflame passions, provoke hostility, manipulate public perception, and ultimately threaten national peace.
“The Christian Association of Nigeria, Christian Association of Nigeria, alongside other responsible ecclesiastical bodies, must rise to the urgent moral responsibility of cautioning and regulating this disturbing trend before it degenerates into a national catastrophe. Silence in the face of persistent abuse of the prophetic office may eventually amount to institutional complicity.
“This is not an attack on Christianity, nor is it a dismissal of the prophetic ministry ordained by God. Far from it. Genuine prophecy remains scriptural and divinely recognised. However, what must be resisted is the growing culture of theatrical, politically motivated, media-driven “prophecies” which neither edify the Church nor promote national stability.
“The Apostle Paul, in his epistle to Timothy, admonished ministers of God to “preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:2). The assignment was never to become perpetual analysts of political succession battles.
“If these unrestrained political incursions by certain prophets are not checked with urgency, restraint, and spiritual accountability, there exists a genuine risk that desperate political actors may eventually weaponise religious sentiments to destabilise the nation ahead of 2027.
“The pulpit must not become a battlefield for political manipulation. The prophetic mantle must not be reduced to an instrument of sensationalism.
“And the sacred altar of God must never become a theatre for endless political speculation.
“Nigeria desperately needs prayers, moral revival, responsible leadership, national healing, and unity, not endless cycles of combustible prophecies capable of setting the nation ablaze.
“May wisdom prevail over fanaticism, and may truth once again return to the altar,” said Ejiofor.
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