By Ademola Adeleye
“Magu is my son, no doubt about it, I can’t deny him just like I cannot deny all of you,” Prophet Emmanuel Omale, the shepherd at Hand of God Prophetic Ministry in Abuja, roared from his altar to an excited crowd of worshippers midway into a worship and prophetic session.
The prophet was not referring to any random Magu but the suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, who was detained on the orders of the Presidential Panel set up to look into the books of the anti-corruption agency.
The charge sheet against Magu read like a tale in a crime thriller but standing on sour toes among the list is the fact that an Abuja based pastor, Emmanuel Omale’s name has been used to purchase a choice property in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to the tune of N573 million.
Investigations by the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) said Pastor Omale reportedly travelled to Dubai with the former EFCC boss and bought the landed property on his behalf.
The Prophet chose his comfort zone to respond to the allegations, inside his massive church building in Abuja. The church in keeping to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) protocols had set up sitting arrangements with two meter gap and many of the worshippers could be seen with their face masks and shield.
“You see what is going on social media about prophet of liberation is a lie,” he screamed. Around the choir area, the drums began to roll in anticipation of more revelation. Omale did not disappoint.
“Listen I don’t launder money for anybody, it is a lie from the pit of hell. I have sons all over the world, I have about seven presidents in the world that I pray for them. They call me for advice and counselling and I pray for them and there is nobody that doesn’t come here in this country and beyond,” more excitement followed from the parishioners.
As if in anticipation of a curious observation on what Magu, a devout Muslim could have in common with a Pentecostal pastor and prophet, Omale said: “Prophet Omale is a prophet of liberation, I stand for all my sons all over the world.”
To prove his point, he made a curious altar call. “If you are a Muslim in this building, can you stand up, come out here I want to pray for you. I am a prophet to everybody, Omale is not only for Christians, Omale is for Muslims, he’s for pagans, he’s for everybody. Muslims come here, this is the house of God.”
Two rows of people came to the altar, mostly women who claimed to be Muslims. In the congregation a woman stood up and began to clap, others joined her, soon the applause was deafening. Prophet Omale called for calm.
“This altar is for everybody, it is for Muslims, for pagans, it is for everybody and Ibrahim Magu is not the only Muslim that used to come here, people in government they come here, they pray here, they sleep here and they have results,” he said.
Omale has found a positive side for his travails. He compared his media trial to that of Jesus ‘whose name would not have been famous if not for his many troubles.’
“I am not surprised, it is not a new thing, Jesus went through this, Jesus was persecuted, and if Jesus was not persecuted they will not hear his name, my name is everywhere, people that doesn’t know (sic) Omale, they will know Omale now.”
By now the Prophet himself had been caught up in the frenzy. Drums kept rolling and Omale began to dance on the altar, from the east to the west. The members were clapping, it was a huge moment, apparently, to participate in Jesus’ tribulation.
If Omale was worried about what could be in store for him, he did not show it, at least not on that stage, not in front of his thousand followers and the millions (probably) that will still watch the event on YouTube.
“If I want to do this kind of publicity, the money is much, everyone all over the world, all over the world, promotion. People that doesn’t (sic) want to hear Pastor before they will see “Pastor Launders Money” they will go to my YouTube page and see the power of God there and they will become my sons again,” Omale said.
Yes, the prophet has a YouTube page. This travail he is convinced would draw people to his page and then draw them to Christ and they will become his sons, joining the seven presidents and of course their elder brother Ibrahim Magu.
