When God wants to elevate you, he uses man sometimes as your launchpad. This is the typical case of Vera woman who was shamed but -now getting the fame. She is already an Internet sensation! She graduated unknown, perhaps not even mentioned during the convocation, and not even the top best graduand but she is now a darling reference among netizens! Paul Enenche, the senior pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre ended the testimony Ayim Vera, who testified about graduating from the Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). During her testimony, Enenche interrupted and asserted that a Bachelor of Science in Law doesn’t exist, raising questions about its validity. In what appeared like Armageddon, the lady stood frozen as the rains of scorn and embarrassment wet her. She wished the ground would open for an embrace, but, it never did. So, she sulked alone in her scorn. Her crime was
God can use an occasion to elevate your status, we have seen this manifest many times. Prof. Attahiru Jega became a global reverence in 2015 at the collation venue of the presidential election. The plan was to publicly humiliate him using Godswill Orubebe, but that incident became his shining moment. The lady in reference is a policewoman, an Evangelist, and the first graduate from her family. Her intention was to appreciate God for breaking the jinx and achieving this feat. In a widely circulated video, Vera shared her achievement of obtaining a “Bachelor of Law” degree from NOUN on April 13. Perhaps not the kind of testimony that invokes the goose kind of bumps, she was chased off the altar. Beyond the altar, she is now a guest of reference -getting more visibility, more mention, and an instant celebrity graduate.
What she wanted is coming to be, her family is in the news, and they now have a graduate – a very unique one. Ironically, when she registered to be a student, no one knew, today, we stand in witness to her graduation. What is more fulfilling than this? From shame to fame. Of the many students that convoked from the National Open University of Nigeria this year, Vera Ayim stands as the face of the university and of course, the occasion. Good or bad, her shame as metted on her by Pastor Paul Enenche has brought wide publicity to the National Open University of Nigeria- like they say, the school is now in the eyes of the storm. With many beaming their torchlight of scrutiny on the first non-conventional university in Nigeria.
We may want to say Pastor Enenche was too harsh and wrong with his approach what perhaps we may not know is the fact that God just used the pastor to announce the refined status of Vera. The day God wants to announce you, your enemy may even be the announcer. The doings of the Lord are always a mystery – the reasons there are marvellous in our eyes. As predicted, Vera became an internet sensation, getting all the mentions. Celebrities falling over themselves to identify with her, so much so that a business owner in Port Harcourt invited her for all-paid luxury exploits in his five-star hotel, with others making bountiful cash donations to her. The crescendo of the whole drama reached its peak when following widespread spark online, with Nigerians calling for an apology from Enenche , the Pastor swiftly contacted Vera for a private settlement -in what many considered a damage control stunt. In his defence, Enenche explained that his actions stemmed from his and the church’s aversion to dishonesty or mediocrity. From a shamed posture, Vera instantly became a famed reference in Nigeria- corroborating that -with God, everything is possible.
However this Vera Ayim situation brings to fore the postions of those who speaks for God. As a matter of modesty, those who intercede for God should try as much as possible to learn not to play God. When I see preachers preach with anger, constricted venom, and highly vexed dispositions, I cringe.
Why the anger on your congregants? Is the place of worship not supposed to be a healing sanctuary where souls are embalmed with soothing hopes? Pastor Sarah Omakwu last week’s sermon about the hostile hospitality of the church echoes more my sentiment. She said, ‘The beer parlour is now a more comforting refuge than the church, people find more solace there than the church – because, in the pub, fellow men on the round table offer soothing shoulders to disturbed members’. I can’t agree less, she speaks in blunt reality.
The mosque is not any better, you see some Islamic preachers preaching with brim, fire, and stones. And you then wonder, why the venom? You chose to speak the words of God to a people not as mature in spiritual milk as you, rather than pad them with pebbles of meekness, you puff in the furnace of anger. The God that oversees the universe swims in generous mercy and compassion – His words are calm, soothing and refreshing. If you must speak for God, exude in his image – he is all comforting and not condemnatory. When you speak for God, use the Carrot. Don’t be a god of men ,be men of God, it pays better .
