By Chioma Obinagwam
A viral video of Prophet TB Joshua, the General Overseer (GO) of the Synagogue Church for All Nations (SCOAN) prophesying a revolution in Nigeria seven years ago seems to have caught the attention of several Nigerian governors, particularly those in the South-south region of the country.
SCOAN spokesman told Confiance News in a statement.
“I am seeing a revolution,” Joshua bluntly stated in a clip dated July 14th 2013. “I’m seeing people taking to the streets… You can stop protests but you cannot stop revolution. When it becomes a revolution, everybody is ready to die, so you can’t stop it,” he continued.
“It might be stopped at the beginning. Eventually, it will become so big that it cannot be stopped. This I see happen. Nigeria, pray,” he sombrely stated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjNWnurCsRM
Joshua, however, proffered a solution, calling on the Nigerian government to actively engage its young people, recognising they are the “leaders of tomorrow”. “God has given us the way out. The way out – job creation for the youth and the creation of a new social value system,” he said.
“No matter the education the youth have, they feel they have no place in politics and there is no job to keep them busy,” he continued, calling for a “new orientation” especially in the political sphere.
“In politics, the youth should be considered for important positions such as assistants to elders. While the elders are ministers, the youth should be junior ministers,” he advised. “By doing this, we are training them to take over tomorrow.”
Joshua appealed to those in leadership to “carry your youth along” in “politics and administration, especially in ruling your country”, adding that Nigeria’s young people “want to see themselves represented in every area of life.”
The outbreak of the #EndSARS protests championed by disenchanted young people nationwide and the violent unrest following in its wake has led many to believe the cleric’s revelation is currently unfolding within Nigeria.
Sir Ben Ayade, the Governor of Cross River State, was among the first to call for immediate action among politicians in line with Joshua’s message.
“It is time for us to develop that consciousness, face reality and agree with the young people that something has gone wrong,” he acknowledged in a state address, adding that he recognises “job creation is the core essence of government”.
Explaining a plan to create 20,000 jobs in the political sector for young people, Ayade continued: “I have hereby directed all council chairmen to have an immediate recruitment of 1000 young people… We must ensure that those who benefit from these jobs are between the ages of 40 and below and it should not be for politicians; it should be for those young men and women who are struggling to earn a living.”
The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr Udom Emmanuel, equally addressed the issues of job creation for young people in his state.
“Government is committed to continually engage our youths in our developmental plans through job creation and other employment opportunities,” he announced in a state address.
Emmanuel introduced a program tagged ‘Ibom 3000 Project’ “which will train Akwa Ibom youths, 3000 per quarter and 3000 per Senatorial Districts in the following sectors: Oil and Gas, ICT, Agriculture and Small and Medium Scale Enterprises”.
“The trainings will prepare our youths for thousands of jobs that will be created in the Oil and Gas Free Zone and other job opportunities in the ICT and e-commerce sector,” he explained.
Since the outbreak of #EndSARS protests, TB Joshua is yet to make a public comment but the video of his ‘revelation’ has gone viral on social media.
However, young people have faulted Nigeria’s leaders for not listening to the cleric’s message in 2013 and applying the solution he advised.
“Let leaders please bend their ears and follow the solution the Lord has revealed to Prophet T.B Joshua”, tweeted Oladapo Seyi.
“#EndSARS would have been avoided if had we listened only 7 years ago Prophet T.B. Joshua,” Chris Godwalk Onova also wrote on Twitter. “TB Joshua warned the world – but did our governments care to listen?”
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