AFIA VRS OBINIM; MY TAKE ON THEIR TASTELESS PUBLIC COMEDY

Today is Sunday, a day many churches wait for monies promised in the Bible to help the poor and needy and oh to give moral lessons. This is the day I choose to analyse and say my peace on the Pastor Obinim and Valentina’s saga. So apparently, Valentina Nana Agyeiwaa popularly known as Afia Schwarzenegger, who is the host of k⊃k⊃⊃k⊃, showed a video of Bishop Obinim in prophetic action, telling his congregation (who were in a cue) their fortunes in seconds. We cannot forget our Former President Rawlings’ advice to Ghanaians to watch out for fake men of God who are here to prey on the gullible and needy in society. He, known for calling a spade a spade, mentioned a few names and apparently, Bishop Obinim’s name showed up.

Afia, we know is a comedian. I would like us to remember that in times past, comedians were the only beings allowed to criticise those in authority without sanctions. Even now, I think those who take themselves seriously will never dare take comedians to court on account of what they have said against them, no matter how derogatory. My problem is how a Man of God will call a television show host “a thing short like a monkey” on his pulpit and threaten to haunt her in her dreams, in front of his congregation during his preaching which aired on television? Aren’t men of God supposed to be pure and saintly? Yes, they are human but aren’t their behaviour supposed to be like the Christ they are emulating? Where in the Bible is it written that Jesus Christ called a human being “a thing like a monkey”?

Now I need to know what was going through the minds of the Man of God’s congregation when he said that to their hearing. How did this Man of God think discerning Ghanaians will think of his outbursts? And that brings this to mind; what is the Christian Council doing about the language of this Man of God? Aren’t there rules and regulations, checkers to check the behaviours of Men and Women of God? Well, let me pause on this and move on to Afia.

She is known for saying her mind, most of us love her for that. She’s witty and has a lovable personality, yes we know. I understand the fact that she had to react to let the man know she is not afraid of him. I know she thought she had to react to let everyone know she is not an easy target; oh, it is needed in a job like hers and temper is in all beings, but did she not go too far? A lady, no matter your comic side must know a lady when you see one. The man insulted you and not his wife. How you had to go dig into his husband’s infidelity, how you had to mention that her husband said her female organ is like a manhole, how you had to say you were better than his wife was totally uncalled for. I believe in fair fighting. We know Florence Obinim, though there are many rumours and known bad behaviour surrounding her husband, we know that she has been clean, singing her gospel songs.

And now I ask the Christians; what is the criteria for being a bishop? If a man of God promises to haunt a fellow human being in her sleep, does that make the person powerful or voodoo? Which part of the Bible says “haunt those who speak ill of you in their sleep”? I know the “touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm” part, but I’ve never heard of this before. Ghanaians must wake up, wash their faces with clean water, wear huge spectacles, if that will enhance their visions and be able to tell good prophets from bad ones. I am not saying Prophet Obinim is a bad prophet, I just want us to discern, with our intellectual properties and know the difference between some of these self imposed prophets and fetish priests. No matter our needs, subjecting ourselves to be taken advantage of sink us too low.

I must end by saying that God is the ultimate religion. If you really need something to hold on to, holding on to the knowledge that God does not belong to one human but to all is the ultimate. God is my potent medicine, my known religion and my ultimate help, for those confused, you might need to try my style.

Amoafowaa Sefa Cecilia (c) 2014