Why New Year Prophecies Fail In Nigeria

By Linus Akomolafe

For more than three decades now, it has been a custom for General Overseers and Pastors across the world to give prophecies in the new year.

Nigeria, which occupies the third place in the world of countries with the largest concentration of churches, a home to over 700 churches including start-ups is not left out in the routine of dishing out prophecies.

Known for frequent prophecies was late Prophet Temitope Joshua, General Overseer of Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) with over 6.2 million followers on Facebook page, largest of any religious figure in Africa; Pastor E.A Adeboye of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Olukoya Daniel of Mountain of Fire Miracle Ministries, Primate Elijah Ayodele, the leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Apostle Paul Okikijesu of the Christ Apostolic Miracle Ministry are few and Apostle Johnson Suleman are pastors who have made their mark on Prophecies.

However, while some of the prophecies made were fulfilled, some missed the mark in 2021. There has been backlash over the inability to foresee disasters and for failed prophecies.

In Ghana, due to frequent negative prophecies, the authorities in December 2021 banned doomsday prophecies.

Some Nigerians have stated that some of the prophecies have been human permutation and not divine. Meanwhile, as IkejaBird sought answers, we spoke to a few pastors to understand reasons behind failed prophecies.

Senior Pastor, Special Breed International Worship Centre (SBIWC), Onyeka Benjamin, noted that prophecies are not bound to happen and that they are a guide into the future and can fail or be fulfilled.

“Some people do not know, Prophecies can be positive or negative and when they are given, the people the prophecy is about can set up a meeting with the pastor where prayer would be made to avert the prophecy,” he said.

Reacting to a death prophecy made by Apostle Paul Okikijesu on a governor which missed its mark in 2021, he said, the governor in question who already saw the sign may have called for ‘aversion prayers’ which may not be made known to many.

In January 2021, Okikijesu had said a sitting male governor would die while a woman would take over after much crisis.

“A male governor will die and the Deputy Governor who is female will assume the position of the Governor of the state.”

In 2021 there was no death of incumbent governors of the four states having female as deputy, Enugu, Kaduna, Ogun, Rivers neither was there a takeover by their female deputies.

Pastor Onyeka, however, stressed that Nigerians should not base their lives on prophecies. He added that not all prophecies are backed up by the Bible and that he would not give negative prophecies considering the tense nature of the country.

A leader in the Deeper Life Bible Church, Andrew Ugochukwu, reacting to the validity of the prophecies, said some are human permutations with the view of increasing church membership.

“They know that not all their members would cross check at the end of every year to see if everything came to pass. And so far they are growing in members, they just give prophecies because that is what their members want to hear. Even T.B Joshua, while he was alive, prophesied that the COVID-19 would be gone from the surface of the earth by 2021, you and I know what we are currently facing,” he said.

As the year kicks off, as usual there have been more sayings for the year running, 2022 and like Ikejabird has observed, many of the pastors have been more careful with prophecies following the backlash of 2021 as none have made direct reference to COVID-19 and its effect.

For 2022, there have been several prophecies from different prophets in the world with Primate Elijah Ayodele being the first man of God to unveil for the New Year. In the 90-page prophecies for the New Year, the death of Desmond Tutu, Olubadan was mentioned.

On page 79 of Primate Ayodele’s 2022 prophecies, he revealed that Sunday Igboho and his lawyers will have issues with each other.

“NIGERIA: CHIEF SUNDAY ADEYEMO (Sunday Igboho)

I foresee that if Sunday Igboho doesn’t change his lawyer, he will find it difficult to argue his case favourably and he won’t be set free. There will be trouble between Sunday Igboho and his lawyer …’’

News reports had it that his lawyer resigned while stating he is not a Yoruba agitator or an enemy of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.

Adeboye, Olukoya are also not left out as Adeboye grouped his prophecies into three categories which include personal, Nigeria, and intercontinental.

Adeboye said more than 80% of projects starting in 2022 will succeed and the year will be a year of the emergence of previously unknown stars.

“In spite of everything happening, this year will be a year of some massive breakthroughs (in science and in finance). Infant mortality rate will drop by at least 50%,” he said.

For Nigeria, he said, “You don’t make omelette without breaking eggs.” Which means there would be adverse effects and major changes that would occur in Nigeria.

Speaking on the international scene, he said the issue of migration will take a new turn in the new year.

“There will be two monstrous storms (one coming from the Atlantic and one from the Pacific) unless they are weakened, the results will be terrible.”

For Olukoya, he released a 37-point prophecy for 2022 and that Nigerians need to pray against inflation, starvation and political instability.