2011: BLOODSHED, CALAMITY AHEAD – PRIMATE OLABAYO
Primate Theophilus Olabayo has again called on President Goodluck Jonathan to place national interest above personal interest and save the nation from dire crisis and bloodshed by sacrificing his interest to contest for the presidency in 2011.
Addressing journalists in Ilorin on Friday at the end of this year's Taborah Convention and retreat, Olabayo, head of the Evangelical Church of Yahweh, said emphatically: 'More crisis is coming. Jonathan has not seen crisis yet.
And it will start earlier than many will ever suspect, for if prayers are not offered to save the nation and if Jonathan does not toy with the security of lives and property, an inter-ethnic massive blood-letting may be unleashed as early as before the end of this year.
'Once the blood-letting begins, it will lead to even more bloodshed as it will spread uncontrollably and will end up jeopardising Nigeria's democracy. Another (person) with the heart of a lion will rise up and impose control and sweep the present era away.' Continuing the blood-chilling prediction, Olabayo said the impending crisis would consume politicians and corrupt Nigerians like nothing that has ever happened in the country before.
'It will be a massive flood, uncontrollable, and it will lead to a massive cleansing of the polity. There will be no place to hide for those who are at the forefront of power and corruption now. 'What I see is an unmitigated calamity on Nigeria, if it is not averted with prayers. And yes, Jonathan must listen to God and rule himself out of the 2011 election now while he still has the time and the initiative for soon God will take both from him.
The way out is for Jonathan to listen and respect the gentleman agreement within the PDP and respect the internal principle of zoning.' The Primate advised the president to dump his ambition for the sake of national security or he could end up as someone who pulled down the house he was supposed to strengthen as well as beatify.
As if in pain by the vision of a coming doom, Olabayo exclaimed: 'But Nigerians do not learn! Goodluck Jonathan should not push his good luck beyond its limits. Everything has a limit. He should not try God and he should not play God either. He is not Nigeria's messiah; God will raise a messiah, a man with the heart of a lion, who will cleanse the land and make Nigeria a country Nigerians will be proud of, and we are getting there already.'
The cleric also placed Jonathan on security alert.
'Jonathan should be planning how to survive and complete this term that ends in May 2011. He may not know it but real, yes, real danger is not only lurking around the corner, it is already knocking at the door. His security is no longer secure. Real and dangerous conspiracy is brewing.' When reminded that his call for Jonathan to forsake the presidency race has so far gone unheeded, he replied: 'I am a Prophet of God; I must deliver God's message for I am only a messenger. Those with the fear of God will listen; those without the fear of God will perish because they will not listen.
On the national level, Olabayo warned 'there is danger between now and the beginning of the election. There is too much money and corruption. Jonathan imposed Nwodo on the PDP and that Nwodo is going to destroy the party. What he and Jonathan planned will not succeed, so said the Almighty God. If only Nigerians can see the magnitude of the crisis that is coming, they will shudder. God will answer the prayers of Nigerians and reduce the magnitude of the crisis, or Nigeria may break into several countries, in fact we prayed against such break up at this year's Taborah, and I plead with all Nigerians to join me in this prayer.'
When asked to state the nature of the crisis he saw engulfing the nation, Olabayo said that 'there will be so much killings that Nigeria will shake to its very foundation, people will be butchered, maimed, etc. There will be inter-ethnic attacks and in the midst of the mayhem, the man with the lion heart will arise and Nigerian will be renewed'.
Olabayo also implored Nigerians to pray for the CBN Governor, Lamido Sanusi and his children'.
When asked what he would do if Jonathan refuses his message, Olabayo said the duty of a Prophet is to give God's warning and messages as he received them, without fear or favour but it is left to those God sent him to accept or reject the message. He said he had warned that the deposed King of Akure was not the right choice and that he saw a basket and not a crown over his head, but he was made a king all the same, but he just had to fall. He said; 'Corruption is too much in the country and God is angry and will soon deal with the corrupt people and free the oppressed. He advised
In the last 30 years, Primate Olabayo has made yearly predictions at the end of the Taborah retreat and Convocation. He predicted that if Abiola was not released by Abacha, he would die in detention. In the 1990s, he was officially received at the UN Headquarters by the then Secretary-General, Boutrous Boutrous Ghali, whose rise to that position he had predicted.