In the battle of the gods, little dagon, Abeyi, bows
Written by Goadaa, Edited by Kaytee
In the area of the north-central of Nigeria where he operates through Abeyi, the dagon is dreaded because of his exploits among the people. They pay complete, unquestionable obeisance to him. To contemplate otherwise, even contemplate, meant instant disease or death.
He is the original kabiyesi – the one that could not be questioned. He lived in them, with them, and ensured their lives revolved around him. He had possessed them, and was jealous for their loyalty. It was not a question of love. And they knew it.
His high priest ensured that everyone in the community, including the traditional ruler, kept within the limits set from time to time by Abeyi. It did not matter that this local dagon changed the goalposts in the middle of every match, seeking the blood of chickens, goats, sheep, cows all the time. The people of the community were too petrified of Abeyi to raise a whimper.
Until the gentle hotheads, who claimed to be from another god showed up. They claimed their God was the God of gods and wanted to introduce him to the community. What impudence! The community’s traditional head was livid. He sent for Abeyi”s chief priest who could not believe his ears. He consulted with the local king and they came up with a devious deadly plot.
If these so-called children of the God, who said they were brothers of Yesu al Masihu, the only begotten son of their god, could spend the night in Abeyi”s shrine and come out alive the next morning, they were free to advertise their god and his son. What was worse and most appalling was that the three ladies with them opted to join their four men..
The chief priest knew the ladies entering the shrine completed the recipe for unmitigated and unequalled disaster. Death was definitely the lot of the foolish seven.
Some sympathetic villagers who knew the power of Abeyi tried every trick to persuade the seven against the misadventure. Others were simply bloodthirsty and relished watching them die.
As early as the dawn of the new day, the chief priest and the people began milling in front of the shrine to begin the burial process of the ignorant infidels. Either within the vicinity of the shrine or the evil forest in the community.
Just then, as they converged and began their melodious chant to Abeyi, their god above other gods, with the chief priest strutting around, like a peacock, they thought they heard a rustling sound from the direction of the shrine. Those who heard stepped back a little away from the shrine, not wanting to be the collateral damage, should Abeyi be still angry.
Some, sighting what appeared, took to their heels; but not the chief priest and a few brave ones. It was the image and shape of a man, another man, and another; a woman, and another, until there were four men and three women.
Unbelievable! The Christian workers were alive! Their god had neutralised Abeyi’s powers. His chief priest stood there, shoulders sagged, looking like a rain-beaten baby peacock. His god, whom he depended on all his life had been humiliated, he had been completely humbled before the people who took his word as law. Before he got to the king, the wind of gossip had taken to story to him.
When he arrived the king’s palace, he confirmed the impotence of the great Abeyi. They had no choice but to allow the Christians go ahead with community-wide campaign for their king, whom they described as the King above other kings, the Lord above other lords.
Surprisingly, perhaps fearing a backlash from the Christian God, the chief priest offered to announce the campaign planned for that day by the Christians. He rushed home, picked his traditional gong and began inviting the people to gather to listen to the preachers, who said they had good news from their God.
The scared villagers could not believe their eyes and ears, seeing Abeyi’s chief priest become the minister of information for this strange God. Most others knew it was in their best interest to go to the rally. If the spokesman of their god was now spokesman for the new God, who were they not to attend the meeting. Out of awe and fear, they ‘borrowed themselves sense’ and opted to flee from the wrath that was to descend on the community by this God, who had proven grater than Abeyi.
The campaign ground that morning was filled to the brim, and flowing over. Many came out of curiousity, while others were scared silly.
When the leader of the Christian group mounted the rostrum, after an interlude of music, and praise and worship in Hausa, that extolled the virtues of their king , who they described as the son of their God, the people were very ready, to hear about Him.
The leader told the people how Maryam, who had not yet known a man, became pregnant. That part sounded familiar to what some of them had heard elsewhere, but most listened to the incredible story with mouths agape! A woman getting pregnant without meeting a man? They listened on.
They heard of the miraculous deeds of this son, but would have disbelieved were it not how he protected the seven, including women, women fa, from Abeyi. Some were marvelled by the story and parables this son told: it tallied with their personal experiences.
But, a dark pall fell on the audience when Yesu, was arrested! Many knew he would free himself.
He didn’t, he couldn’t. They were sorely disappointed, amid tears from some eyes as the preacher described his torture. Finally, they heard, this son of God was killed. The same God who saved these four men and three women from Abeyi. Why couldn’t he save his own son? A few thought there was a scam somewhere in the story. They listened on to the story of Yesu al Masihu, who raised the dead, healed the blind, made cripples walk, and turned more than 600 litres of water into wine (the personal favourite of many in the crowd of this drinking race of people); but was unable to defeat death himself!
He was even buried! Discouragement set in. But where was the good news their chief priest said this people were going to tell them?
And then the preacher said Yesu rose from the dead in bodily form on the third day! What!? The preacher repeated himself: Yesu al Masihu ya tashi bayan rana uku! (Jesus Christ rose from the dead after three days!)
It made sense to some, others were lost trying to figure out what appeared to be a high fallutin story. Some broke out in praise. Who knows if Abeyi struck dead the seven, but they were raised from the dead?
The preacher reminded them of the miracles of the daughter of a religious leader Yesu raised from the dead; the only adult son of a widow, being taken for burial; and his friend, Lazarus, he raised after being dead for four days. It now made sense to this community folks.
He then dropped the clincher: the example of Yesu rising from the dead was a sure guarantee that after death, anyone who believed in his propitiating death as a sacrifice for him or her, would die, but would surely rise from the dead and spend eternity in a beautiful city paved with gold.
He paused a long while to allow the information sink. There was silence for while. And he spoke again. “Anyone interested in living with God eternally must be ready to throw away every other god, turn away from a sinful existence, do away with drunkenness, and live a life that replicated that of Yesu.” He paused again, bowed his head, to allow his message sink in.
“Is anyone interested in appropriating the shed blood of sacrifice of the Son of God? Such a person should step forward…” his voice trailed off as a mini-stampede began towards him. Among the first to reach forward toward him was the chief priest, who had been antagonistic to them the previous day. Almost all the village was now in front of him.
He led them to the one and true God through a simple prayer.
His team also began, in the community, a nurturing process of the people, whose king also chose to submit to the King of kings.
In a strange and hilarious twist of events, the leader reports, “The community is insisting on giving me a chieftaincy title which I have bluntly refused.” Reminds one of Paul and Barnabas at Lycaonia, and the people insisting on sacrificing to them as gods come in human form (Acts 14:11-13).
Reports received state: “The juju priest of the shrine has announced to the community that their god ran away. He is going around with a town crier inviting people for the evening session. Greater things will happen in the evening.”
That juju priest later received prayers for what he said was a kidney situation, and was thereafter insistent that he was better. He was however advised to get a medical verification first for that testimony.
“The harvest of souls tonight were 116 adults besides children, and including another Juju priest from a nearby community. Tonight, two nearby communities attended the crusade.
“Tomorrow we are going to start preparing both the morning and evening sessions converts for water baptism. But at this time of the year, everywhere is dry. Water is a scarce commodity but we shall look for a way. Our means of transportation is on motorcycle and wood carrying trucks. We shall still be in the field until these converts are properly brought under shepherds whom we believe will take good care…”
“My heart overflows with love and gratitude to you all (who prayed). May the Lord bless you and your ministries in Jesus name, Amen.
He sent the photo of a man, another Juju priest who received Jesus Christ…. He could not wait for the altar call but came forward while (the team leader) was preaching, saying that “his boss received Christ Jesus as Lord and he also must do the same. Glory be to God.”
Defeated, Abeyi, whose images and object were broken and burnt, quietly crept out of the community, very angry as he began looking elsewhere around other communities, seeking to consolidate his power before these sons and daughters come knocking there.
He would hibernate elsewhere until an opportune time came to see if he could infiltrate the community in future. For now, he had to go and report to his master, face his wrath, or be retrained on how to consolidate his wicked powers over new captors
■ This story is based on a true event that happened in a north-central state, in the penultimate month of 2023.