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Peter Gregory Obi, a Nigerian businessman (Trading in consumables) and a politician who served as governor of Anambra from March to November 2006, February to May 2007, and June 2007 to March 2014. In May 2022, Obi, became the Labour Party nominee for President of Nigeria in the 2023 presidential election, after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party. Peter, a self advertised (packaged messianic product) is a perfect example of what usually happens in a society that espoused miracle and are magically inclined. A nation so rich in resources but lacking in great minds with sound analytical skills.
Interestingly, magic and miracles might mean the same thing to some people, but there is actually a vast difference between the two terms. It is proper to say that Jesus worked miracles, but it would be wrong to attribute His works to magic. Basically, magic and miracles differ in their source: magic has either a human or demonic source, but miracles are a supernatural work of God. Christian views on magic vary widely among denominations and among individuals. Many people actively condemn magic as satanic, holding that it opens the way for demonic possession. Some people simply view it as entertainment.
Historically, there have been people who claimed to be either unblemished character or messengers of God and the end results of such claims most times are outrightly fallacious and falsehood. Understandably, the first issue after proving the existence of God is the fact that He has appointed and dispatched some selective humans as His messengers to guide man to the right path, which makes the position of prophet-hood the greatest status man can enjoy and as such, the office is sacred. Although miracle is central to the story of our Lord Jesus Christ but the misrepresentation of it has negatively affected the minds of most of our people.
Unfortunately, over the course of human history, there have been false claims as to whether a person, specifically, a so-called ‘messiah’ or what is known as “man of God” in our society today, is truly a messenger of God or not. Thus, like many other claims it needs ample proof that the claimant is genuine and honest. In normal life if someone knocks on your door with the claim that he is an undercover police officer and needs to ask you some questions, you may not co-operate with him unless you have seen his genuine identification.
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A very good example of miracle is how God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded. Noah’s Ark is the vessel in the Genesis flood narrative through which God spares Noah, his family, and examples of all the world’s animals from a global deluge. The story in Genesis is repeated, with variations, in the Quran, where the Ark appears as Safinat Nūḥ (Arabic: سَفِينَةُ نُوحٍ “Noah’s ship”) and al-fulk (Arabic: الفُلْك). This is definitely an act of God ‘miracle’ not magical because it is not IMPROMPTU. This is completely different from the Obidients malady.
To be clear: God is not a magician, He is a miracle working God. If by the mercies of the most high God; the Nigeria’s political dilemma and economy issues is to receive divine visitation in the manner of Noah and the ark; the most high God in His divine wisdom and characteristics of the only wise God, will most likely visit us through a tested and trusted vessel like David Oyedepo who built from next to nothing and today on top an empire that is incomparable. David Olaniyi Oyedepo, a Nigerian preacher, Christian author, businessman, architect, founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, and presiding Bishop of the Faith Tabernacle in Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria. In my view, such a prepared vessel similar to Noah will be another miracle and a beauty to behold.
On the flip side, Peter Obi, a self-advertised (packaged messianic product), magically inclined, captivating and entertaining his gullible followers excited about magic. Sadly, the reality of many people that are supposedly rated above the limitations of sentiments and emotion that are caught up with the unrealistic expectations is worrisome because no magic can make Peter Obi turn the 2023 presidential election results in his own favor. The expectations for Obi’s presidency is anchored on unverifiable statistics and premised on falsehood, not supported by logic and scientific inclination. Although we live in a superstitious society….where unpredictability is normalized. This is part of the reasons why people often resort to superstitious behavior to facilitate goal achievement.
It is against this backdrop that, I will like to conclude this article that focuses on the difference between magic and miracle by admonishing our compatriots home and abroad to restrain from unnecessary show of incivility and Insulting eminent personalities particularly leaders of faith like what we witnessed some few days ago about Sultan Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, the 20th Sultan of Sokoto. As Sultan of Sokoto, he is considered the spiritual leader of approximate 90 millions of Nigeria’s Muslims, a large number of the nation’s population.
Incidentally, close to two decades ago, I was privileged to witnessed the coronation of His royal highness in the caliphate city of Sokoto precisely on the 2nd of November 2006. That privilege gave me an insight to the cultural evolution and the respect accorded the office of the Sultan. Since then I have not heard of when the personality of the revered royal highness or the office was ever dragged into partisanship or insulted, expect for the recent obidients signatures written all over the social media. This is totally unacceptable and it must stop.
Richard Odusanya
odusanyagold@gmail.com
