LOOKING BEYOND THE SURFACE
Looking beyond the surface
By SEYE OJO
Thursday, March 04 , 2010
With a good cover design, Fola Omotoyinbo' book; Beyond the Surface easily attracts the reader. Written in simple prose, the book addresses one of the subterranean issues in the life of every human being, but which many people prefer not to talk about.
It sheds more light on why a lot of people merely struggle in life without knowing the sources of their predicaments or how to solve them. In most cases, such predicaments may not originate from the victims but could have its roots in the generations before them.
The book essientially condems iniquity both in the secular and spiritual cycles. It challenges all human beings to re-examine their ways, be sincere with the message of the book and make amends where necessary. The author says he is happy to address an aspect of iniquity that many people don't want to talk about.
The Provincial Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Lagos Province Five, Pastor Adeola Mensah wrote a foreword of the book, while Pastor E.A. Odeyemi, Special Assistant on Training to Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, General Overseer of RCCG, Dr. Bowo Olateru-Olagbegi, former member, Board of Trustees of RCCG, also gave insights into the book.
Also, people like Dr. Kole Akinboboye, President, Voice of Adonai Ministries International, Frank Aigbogun, publisher of Business Day, Rev (Dr.) Sola Aworinde, Senior Pastor of Agape Baptist Church and Rev. (Dr.) Tayo Akinlade of Foursquare Gospel Church also have hints on the book.
In chapter one, the author, who is an Area Pastor with the RCCG in Lagos and an architect by profession, compares iniquity with leprosy. The same devastating consequence of leprosy in the physical realm, according to him, is what iniquity also has in the spiritual realm.
Chapters two to four border on iniquities of the heart, tongue and mind respectively. Iniquity of the heart presents the Biblical account of the great fall of Lucifer, an archangel with God, when he allowed iniquity to find a place in his heart. Iniquity is a spoiler of good things and it destroys the relationship between man and God. The iniquity of the tongue has to do with negative pronouncements that every human being has made to destroy good things. There is need to reverse those negative declarations and bless one another with the opposite of what was earlier said.
On the iniquity of the mind, the book urges every man to think of himself the way Jesus Christ thought of Himself. Anything outside that leads to bondage of iniquity of the mind. In chapter five, the author focuses on the iniquity of the priesthood. Pastors, bishops, deacons and other religious leaders were told that it is lawless service to lord themselves over the people God puts in their care. Whatever individual minister has noticed in his life and is bringing reproach to the Lord should be done away with.
Iniquity of the family is what chapter six addresses. It urges that the family iniquity must not be wished away as if it is non-existence because every effort to sweep it under the carpet will compound the problem instead of solving it. There is need to take a proper look at those who have come and gone in your lineage to know what has always been peculiar to them in order to escape what they suffered.
Chapter seven digs deep into the iniquity of a nation, especially Nigeria and how the evil perpetrated by a few people always hangs over the country like an albatross. The author suggests that everyman must look beyond the surface to discover what is prevalent and take responsibility. Also, the thrust of chapter eight is how to overcome the iniquity of a tribe. This has to do with iniquitous tendencies endemic to an area like stubbornness, violence, mediocrity, laziness, prostitution, love of money and celebrations among others.
While clarifying the submission that the chapter is not designed to berate leaders or run the country down because the country still has many leaders who are not corrupt. An incorruptible leader is what the country needs to be great.
As such, the incumbent leaders should not allow atrocities of the past committed by their predecessors in the office manifest on them, let alone pass them to the generations after them. The greatest iniquity of all, which is worshipping of other gods beside the Almighty God, is the topic of chapter 10. The author states that if care is not taken, the 'god' could be the job, husband, wife, children, material blessings and so on. These are aside from bowing down before mere images.
The last two chapters of Beyond the Surface provide the panacea to iniquity. While chapter 11; dealing with iniquity, enjoins all and sundry to carefully examine their individual lives to discover if their trouble is emotional, spiritual, material or psychological and embrace responsibility to be an overcomer. The book was concluded on the freedom from iniquity. The author identifies obedience to God as the way to true freedom.