The following are the views expressed by Olufemi Oguntokun in the July 8, 2026 episode of the On the Lord’s Side Podcast — Christian perspectives on news and current events.
ON EJIRO’S RESTORATION AND THE GOD WHO ROOTS FOR US
Good morning to you once again. It is Wednesday, the 8th of July 2026.
I want to begin with a heart-warming story — but to appreciate it, you have to cast your mind back to 2025, when we engaged with the story of this lady. I saw it on Instablog9ja: “How I made millions of naira after fasting for 21 days.” Ignore the money, the 21 days, the fasting if you will, but recall the backstory. The writer says: “Fashion designer Ejiro, who lost her business and 11 million naira to a spiritual cult, shares a comeback story.” It is the comeback portion that caught my attention and warmed my heart.
Here is the story. Ejiro, a successful Abuja-based fashion designer, joined an online prayer group led by one Prophetess Joy Solomon of Abba’s Heart Ministry. She received what she believed were prophetic instructions that led her to abandon a thriving business, sell her assets, and surrender over 11 million naira to that ministry — which was basically a spiritual cult. She gave up her home and possessions, isolated herself from friends and family, and essentially disappeared from sight. She had come to believe her friends and family were witches — as many of these spiritualists want their prey to believe. If you remember, this sparked the “Where is Ejiro?” campaign last year, as loved ones searched for her, and we engaged extensively with it, shining a light on the danger of spiritual cults and offering guidance on how to identify them. These cults masquerade as churches, as Christian ministries, but there are pointers, red flags, by which you can immediately tell that this is not just a church but a cult. At the time, her friends and family could not reach her, and discovered she had sold her thriving business, given as much as 11 million naira to that ministry, and cut herself off from them.
She left the group on July 7, 2025. She returned to church — including Streams of Joy International — received discipleship and family support, and restarted her business humbly from her sister’s boys’ quarters with a few small orders. And then, according to her, she fasted for 21 days (and, I am sure, prayed as well). Now, she says, her business has seen over 83 million naira in inflows, and she is moving into a fully equipped five-bedroom duplex near Maitama in Abuja, with new sewing machines and power backup — all of which she attributes to God’s restoration. As always, I admit I do not have insight into every relevant detail or nuance. But from what we know, this restoration is something to celebrate, which is why I called it heart-warming. Last year, when the “Where is Ejiro?” campaign was trending, we were all concerned and prayed for her restoration — and now she has been restored: she has left the cult, received discipleship at another church, and her abandoned business and lost money are being recovered. This is to the glory of God.
How do we engage with this? First, from the same angle as last year: discernment is vital, and it bears repeating. Ejiro has now come out of that cult and, I believe, learned her lesson — but for those who did not know the story last year, it is a reminder that discernment is vital. Somebody should go and talk to her now and ask, “How would you choose which pastor to listen to, which prayer group to join?” She will have stories to tell and warnings to give. Jesus warned us about false prophets who come in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. And the Bible says people perish for lack of knowledge — because all the warnings are already in the Bible; we simply do not read it, or take it as seriously as we should, or we forget it at the very time we ought to remember. Paul cautioned that even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light, so false apostles can deceive; prophetic words and instructions must always be tested against the Scriptures. 1 John 4:1: test the spirits.
We should also remember that when people fall into the hands of false prophets, those false prophets are not just chancers or dubious people — they are agents of Satan. Anybody who preys on Christians is an agent of Satan. No wonder Paul wrote to the Galatians, who so easily lent themselves to being misled by false apostles, “Who has bewitched you?” And Martin Luther, commenting on that, said: do not take “bewitchment” as a mere figure of speech — he meant what he said; it is bewitchment. All deception comes from the devil, as we know from Genesis 3. And Satan’s mission, our Lord has revealed, is to steal, to kill, and to destroy. Anybody caught in the net of these agents of the devil — these cults masquerading as churches and ministries — will find himself losing something. Thank God Ejiro did not lose her life or her soul; that is the glory of God. She lost many things, but God can restore.
For today, though, the story is really about God’s redemptive power. I have always said that, from God’s own point of view, it is not about where you fell, or how, or when, or how many times — it is whether you are going to rise again. I was listening to a Bible study very early this morning, and something stayed with me, because I have been working in my head on a grand Bible-study series on knowing God — for the reason people are so easily misled by false teachers is that they do not know who God is. But God has revealed Himself to us in the Bible: how He speaks and how He does not, what He requires and what He does not, what He desires for us and what He does not. And it occurred to me that we must understand that God’s thoughts toward us are so good that He is actually rooting for us to succeed — rooting for us to get into heaven. That is what differentiates Him from the gods of Greek mythology or the small-letter-g gods of the African pantheon. Those false gods, revealed by Satan, are always waiting for you to fall, to make a mistake, so they can beat and punish you — setting impossible tasks and traps for their devotees, then laughing them to scorn. That is not the God of the Bible. He is rooting for you to succeed. As the prophet said, His thoughts toward us are thoughts of good and not of evil. So from God’s perspective the question is not why or how or when or how often you fell; it is: are you going to rise again? That is the glory of the gospel.
There is a place in the Psalms where it is said there is no God like Him, a loving God. The people of old, before God revealed Himself to the patriarchs, the prophets, through Christ, and to the apostles, did not know of such a God — a God who is loving, forgiving, who helps. What they knew were false gods revealed by Satan, always hiding, waiting for their devotees to err so they could beat them up and throw them away. That is not the God of the Bible, who is rooting for me and for you to succeed. When I fall, He looks at me with pity; He remembers my frame, that I am dust, and He says, “Fear not, worm Jacob, I will help you.” And the overarching point from Ejiro’s story, which has warmed my heart, is that she did not stay where she fell. She fell publicly; it became public knowledge. Some would have stayed there, hidden from the public glare in embarrassment and shame, considering themselves finished — in business, or no longer acceptable to God. But she left the cult, went back to church, received discipleship, restarted her business from her sister’s boys’ quarters, and — as the Americans say — bootstrapped herself again, and is now on an upward trajectory. I wish her the very best.
We must also commend her family and friends, who started the “Where is Ejiro?” campaign, putting public pressure on that so-called prophetess to release their sister. They stood by her. The Bible says two are better than one, for when one falls, the other will lift him up — but woe to the one who falls with no one to help. I was chatting with a friend recently, and we thanked God for our friendship; I shared that beautiful stanza from the hymn “For the Beauty of the Earth” — “for the joy of human love, for brother, for sister, for parent, for child, for friends on earth and friends above.” Ejiro must be so grateful that, when she fell, she was surrounded by such gentle thought, such wonderful brothers, sisters and friends. If you have such a blessing in your life, be grateful to God. Have you fallen? Don’t stay there. What if you fall tomorrow? Do not be afraid — He will pick you up and help you. “Fear not, worm Jacob; I will help you” (Isaiah 41). There has never been a God like Him, invested in the success of His children, rooting for them, waiting for them in heaven.
There is a hymn we used to sing in my old church growing up — I cannot lay my hands on the English version now — but the truth of it is this: heaven will not be complete until all His redeemed children are there. He will not declare the feast open until all His elect are gathered. That is why the apostle rightly praised Him as the One able to keep us from falling and to present us faultless before His throne. Who is it that condemns? Is it not the same One who justifies? Glory to God. So, Ejiro, congratulations — you have learned the hard way, and I hope your experience becomes your everlasting testimony to help and guide others. I love stories like this, because they lead us to celebrate God’s redemptive power, who God is in His nature, and how every one of us must remember that it is not a matter of how or when or how many times you fell — it is whether you will rise again. Your Lord wants to help you. Just look up and say, “Lord, help me,” and He will lift you up and make you as white as snow.
ON UGANDA’S “COLONIAL COURT CULTURE” AND THE WEIGHTIER MATTERS
Next — and I am chuckling as I begin — a story from Uganda, the second time in about two weeks we have taken a story from there. This one concerns the Uganda Law Society. I did some checks to confirm its veracity, and it is true: an official executive order, issued by Isaac Ssemakadde, the President of the Uganda Law Society, titled “Abolition of Colonial Court Culture.”
If you are familiar with legal practice in the Commonwealth, you know its arcane, profession-typical culture — the wearing of wigs, bowing in court, and forms of comportment ingrained into lawyers trained in Commonwealth countries. This executive order applies to members of the Uganda Law Society and directs them to stop specific practices immediately. Key provisions: first, the abolition of bar and deference rituals — no more bowing or physical subservience before judicial officers. As many know, in Nigeria we still have vestiges of this colonial heritage: when you appear before a judge, you bow, to show deference. Many Africans now see these as mere relics of colonialism, and in Uganda they are saying: stop it. The order also abolishes certain titles and honorifics — you no longer say “My Lord,” “Your Lordship,” “Your Worship,” “My Lady” — anything implying lordship, worship or feudal superiority is abolished. In their place, plain addresses: “Mr. Justice” or “Madam Justice” for the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, “Mr. Justice / Madam Justice” or by name in the High Court, “Mr. Magistrate / Madam Magistrate,” “Mr. Registrar / Madam Registrar,” or simply the surname. The broader context is that the order calls for a national consultation within 90 days on further decolonisation — including wigs, gowns, and foreign-language requirements (perhaps they wish to use languages native to Uganda and abandon English). It is framed as restoring dignity, equal citizenship, and confronting judicial issues — they are calling it “the radical new bar” — tied to ongoing tensions within the judiciary and government.
I understand the Ugandan bar is plagued by lawyers’ strikes, concerns over executive influence, delays, and selective justice. These are real concerns — the same as in Nigeria: a slow justice system, selective justice, suspected undue influence of the executive over the courts, corruption, lawyers’ welfare. But see what is proposed as the solution: let us abandon the vestiges of colonial influence. What are the supposed advantages? Some say it will promote equality and accessibility — but how can anyone credibly prove that the manner of address has restricted access to justice? Others say, “We are promoting our own culture” — and I have no reservation in saying I find such arguments totally irrelevant and watery. I had a principal in my early years in practice, Dr. Lasisi, who would say of arguments that go to no issue, “That’s just gas.” “Our culture, our culture” — but you have not addressed the weightier matters: real access to justice, the removal of delays, the removal of the influence of money and corruption on the judicial system, a fair and effective criminal justice system. You have not addressed those, but — “our culture, no more coloniality.” Please.
Anybody who wants to avoid the difficult, real issues shines a light on things that get you emotionally attached but have no effect whatsoever. If truly the Ugandan judiciary suffers delays, executive influence, corruption, and poor lawyers’ welfare, please tell me how changing the way you address the court, or whether you bow, will address those real issues. That is why Jesus rebuked those who would meticulously tithe — “I have harvested my herbs, servant, be careful to divide it into ten equal parts, I must tithe the tenth” — saying, in effect, there is nothing wrong with that in itself, but you have neglected the weightier matters of justice and mercy. Africans need to be reminded of this. I hear similar things: “We have terrorism in Nigeria, but we don’t want US intervention, because — Western imperialism, they have their interests.” You cannot tackle terrorism yourself, you may even be complicit, but “oh, no foreigners.” Please. We need to identify the things that really matter.
Those responsible for the rot in the system are smart enough to make people concerned about less important matters. They know what the important things are; they know they are the complicit ones who should be held responsible; so they divert your attention to a wild goose chase. And that is what this is, in my estimation — a wild goose chase. Set everyone debating whether to keep wigs, whether to bow, whether to say “My Lord,” and the 90-day consultation fills every television and radio slot in Uganda with those debates, while the things that matter go unattended — and those profiting from the rot sit back with their coffee, glad that people are no longer concerned about them. There are genuine frustrations in many Commonwealth countries, including Nigeria, about the justice system and access to it. But that has never been the real problem. It is not because we call a Court of Appeal justice “the Honourable Justice” that the system is slow; it is not because we wear wigs that there is corruption or that people lack faith in the courts or that the executive exerts undue influence. Those cannot be the reasons, and we should not be so simple-minded.
I would not mind debates on such matters — perhaps some things should change; change is the only constant. But do not tell me those are the things responsible for the rot; that insults our sensibilities. And even if there is a need to change them, that cannot be the priority. You do not leave the burning roof to talk about less important things. This is what afflicted the Pharisees of old: they left the weightier matters unattended and were always concerned about how beautiful the temple looked, how adorned it was, how they appeared in public. So it is now, in human affairs — we are always more concerned about how we are seen than about what we truly are. If you have corrupt judges, complicit lawyers, or lawyers whose welfare is neglected, do you think abolishing honorifics and colonial dress will address them? You may get some delight — “we have shed a vestige of colonialism” — good luck to you, but your deeper issues remain. Jesus said, be wise as serpents. When people come and say, “This is the change we need,” ask: is that the root cause of our problems? From a Christian point of view, cosmetic interventions — those that are only skin-deep, on appearances — should always be viewed with suspicion; they are not the real issues God is concerned with. The real issues are the weightier matters of justice, of mercy, of godliness — and godliness is summed up in love for God and love for men. If you love God, you will fear Him enough to do what He wants; if you love men, you will give justice to whom justice is due.
So to the President of the Uganda Law Society: good luck in your endeavours, but remember that you have proposed no roadmap for the weightier matters. And I hope no one borrows a leaf from this in Nigeria and tells us this is what we should be debating. Do not send us on a wild goose chase. Let us focus on and change the things that matter; after we have addressed the weightier matters, then we can move on to the cosmetic ones. Many politicians, pastors and leaders have gotten away with sending their followers on wild goose chases — debating nonsense, debating the inconsequential — while the consequential matters are left unattended, and those profiting from that continue to enrich themselves to stupor.
ON “SCHOOL NA SCAM” AND THE MEASURE OF SUCCESS
Finally this morning, a story from Nigeria. If you have been around a while, you know the actor Jim Iyke — a staple of Nollywood in the 90s and early 2000s. Time and tide happen to us all, so he is not as prominent as he once was, but Jim Iyke remains Jim Iyke; many still know him. And there is a common saying in the culture now: “school na scam.” If you heard our episode on the “Olodo Uprising” a few weeks ago — the phenomenon whereby the less intellectually endowed, the people who have not devoted themselves to serious study, seem to be on the ascendancy in the culture, because social-media algorithms reward those who can entertain — you will recognise the connection. In today’s economy, if you can entertain, even if you never went to school, you can do fantastically well. And there are hundreds, even thousands, in every country doing fantastically well simply because they can entertain, without the education or industry that in times past built wealth. One expression of this is “school na scam” — the idea that we now realise there was no need for school, because so many are making money through ventures and vocations that were never taught in a classroom, and people who studied extensively compare themselves to those who did not yet are doing far better economically, and conclude, “school na scam.”
Jim Iyke is now reported — on Linda Ikeji’s blog — to have argued that financial success is not necessarily acquired through formal education, saying many of his most valuable lessons about wealth came from experienced traders and mentors rather than university lecturers. Speaking on Joey Akan’s podcast, he questioned whether many academics achieve greater success than the students they teach: “Can we even argue about the people who are our tutors and professors? How many of them are really doing well in life? Haven’t you exceeded every tutor that ever sat in the classroom to tell you the dynamics of how to survive in the economic world?” He recounted meeting a former lecturer on a flight: “I met my professor recently, God bless his soul. We all knew who was doing better when we sat on that plane. I had to look back to greet him; he had to look forward to greet me.” One of them was in business class. If you know Jim Iyke, you know he cannot be labelled humble — he would find that offensive; he brags about what he has and who he is, and that is part of the persona he wants to maintain. He added, “Following only what I learned in school would not have led to my success. Some of the wealthiest men in the world did not get it from classrooms. How many of them have PhDs?”
Now, you engage the storytelling with what is known to be fact. It is true that academic achievement does not necessarily translate into economic worth. But those who make a big point of this make a mistake. The purpose of education is to be educated — it was never meant to translate directly into economic worth. If you want to make money legitimately, you apply yourself to industry. So when someone like Jim Iyke says, “I’m more successful than the lecturer who taught me,” I say: you have a narrow view of success. As long as that man is not living in penury — and from the description he was not — Jim Iyke may, on the surface, have more money or wealth, but that does not mean the lecturer’s academic pursuit was of no effect. This is one of the concerning things about a culture where everything is denominated by how much you have — where people are preoccupied with “I have more than this brother, that sister, that lawyer,” always asking, “Do I have more money than he? Does he have more than me?” When they meet, on a flight or anywhere, they measure by the phone, the shoes, the jacket, the car — “I have more money than that guy” — which is a lame, indeed foolish, way to live.
For us on the Lord’s side, we know so well that Jesus said the life of a man does not consist in the abundance of the things he owns. The culture may judge people by how much they have, and many are conditioned to think that way, but we on the Lord’s side are to think about deeper things — and even worldly wisdom says it is unwise to live measuring yourself against others’ wealth. There is more to life than that. So if Jim Iyke sat in business class and his former lecturer in economy, and if from his phone, jacket and jewellery he appeared to have more money, it does not necessarily mean he has become more successful — there are many other measures of success, even in a fallen, secular world. If that lecturer has been a faithful steward of his lecturing, influencing many students positively over the years, that is a success beyond any monetary value. If he has a home and children who love and respect him, that is success. If he is an upstanding member of society, contributing his quota to a church, a faithful witness to Christ, at peace, having dealt honestly with all men, able to sleep in peace every night — that is a success I cannot put any monetary value on. It is an unfortunate society that judges success only by what can be given a monetary value, and therefore concludes, “school na scam.”
On a lighter note, my wife and I always laugh about this, especially with some low-level workers who cannot wrap their heads around simple things — usually dispatch riders. You tell one your house is opposite a particular place, and he still asks the simplest, silliest questions, and these are the very people who will say “school na scam,” thinking you don’t need basic education for certain things. But leaving that aside, the overarching point is that whoever thinks himself more successful than another simply because he is more materially successful — and supposes that is the ultimate measure — is guilty of limited, narrow-minded thinking. We long for a generation with a broader sense of success, one that acknowledges that the real measure of a person’s life is whether he is known to our Lord and Saviour; it does not consist in the abundance of what he owns. Money matters, of course; wealth is good, of course. But I think today’s theme is the theme of the weightier matters — as with the Uganda Law Society, there are things that matter more. So may Jim Iyke be reminded, and all who say, “Let me size him up; I have more money than he does,” that the life of a man does not consist in what he owns. If you have the wealth and also the things that matter from a Christian point of view — good luck to you. But if you have the things that really matter to God, yet do not have as much money as Jim Iyke — go and rest. You are good. You are very good.
I want to thank you very much for spending this morning with me on GospelBells Radio, On the Lord’s Side — Christian perspectives on news and current events. I hope to be with you again tomorrow by the grace of God. Whatever you do today, please remain firmly on the Lord’s side. God bless you. You are listening to GospelBellsRadio.com, the Christian internet radio with a mission to engage the culture with the mind of Christ. Keep listening, and invite others too. God bless you.
