Prophets with Lying Spirit? Nigerian Prophets, Prophecies, and an Endangered Democracy

Abstract

This paper is a theoretical empirical study derived from whathas become a recurring decimal each time Nigeria is preparingfor general elections. Our experience over the years hasshown that electioneering processes in Nigeria comes withdifferent prophesies about the eventual outcomes of theelections by prophets claiming to know the mind of God orhaving exclusive insights on the candidates whom God haschosen. Most of these prophecies are contradictory to someothers, sometimes, implying that there are different godsresponsible for revealing the prophecies to the prophets.These prophecies embolden the different aspirants that theyare the chosen ones and hence boosts their expectations ofvictory at the polls, sometimes without carrying out the usualelectioneering process of campaigning, having manifestoesand trying to win the electorates legitimately. Of furtherconcern to us is that the belief in the prophecies trickle downto the electorates by influencing their choices. When theircandidate eventually fails to win, then the elections are seento have been tampered with and declared unfair. Most often,this leads to rioting, violence and attendant vandalisation of properties and loss of lives. The candidate who fails to winelection goes to court and a process of unnecessary prolongedlitigation ensues. Thus, virtually every elections end incontestation in court thereby making a mockery of electionand the electioneering process. This tendency is what thispaper interrogates, especially as it touches on endangeringdemocracy in Nigeria.