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My friend who is a Pastor has invited me again, twice in three years, to come preach in his church. I will be talking about the online possibilities and opportunities in 2024. He wants the young people in his Church to learn how to make money in 2024.
The last time I was there, the congregation was blessed. Till date, some of them who started their small businesses from the nuggets I shared are still testifying. Some ideas didn’t work. Some worked half way and Nigeria killed them. Some are still struggling to stabilize, while a few are flying already. Yet I have become a traditionalist. A proud and forceful one at that.
One thing you need to know about African Traditional Religions is that, they don’t discriminate. They don’t proselytize. They have no qualms embracing other people’s beliefs. They don’t tell you not to associate with others. They are perhaps one of the most generous belief systems in the world. They don’t fight religious wars. The Chinese, Japanese, Arabs, and co, drove away and even murdered Western Christian missionaries who first arrived their lands, to protect their own beliefs. They detested encroachment and made sure they kept their traditional beliefs against all odds.
Africans were the ones who fully accepted to embrace and practice foreign religions side by side with their own until they were persuaded, conquered and assimilated. They didn’t see any need for antagonism. They even accepted that theirs is foolish and worthless. Till date, we are still denigrated and told that we are going to hell, yet we are not angry or bitter.
My Pastor friend knows that I no longer go to church. That I have hands off Christianity for reasons best known to me and for which he has decided to understand with me. But he insists that his people need what I have in my brain. When they ask him why he will bring me, according to him, “I tell them I know Jalingo. He is my friend and brother. He has not denounced God. He simply says he wants to serve God via the lens of his ancestors. That doesn’t diminish who I know him to be.”
Now, you are at liberty to criticize my friend as you may find pleasing and even condemn my invitation. Neither him nor yours sincerely, actually gives a damn about that. Is it your right. But those who will be in church will not go back empty. They will learn something new. It’s a meeting of young people. That’s what is important here. I am also not inviting you. Not because I don’t want you to come but because you will think that the knowledge I will be sharing is inspired by demons. So your attendance will not be very needed unless you want to gate crash. You are allowed to. After all, it is a church. The Church of God and God is not from your village.
Yours sincerely,
Citizen Agba Jalingo
Dicslaimet: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, Agba Jalingo and does not represent TheLumineNews or its agent.
