Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Prayer of a 419er

from RiseandGrind.com
We all know the disservice 419ers/yahoo yahoo boys have done to Nigeria's reputation worldwide. Personally, I'm surprised that people are still falling prey to their tactics after years of publicity and warnings about them. I've received emails from yahoo guys before, and when I read them, the English is bad and the story doesn't seem believable to anyone with common sense. You've got to be a real mumu or just a greedy son of a gun to fall for them. But did you know some of these yahoo guys call on the Lord to help them in their schemes?

I'm not kidding.

I was talking to my cousin last week and he described a scene that he encountered when he went to use a computer in a cafe. It was early one morning in Lagos, and he went to the cafe to use the computer and print one important document from his email. He saw a group of about 4 men in their 40s and 50s gathered around a single computer. One of the men then lifted a prayer. "Oluwa thank you for a new day. Please bless our endeavors today with good things to smile to. May today never be  waste in Jesus name." Amen!" the other three answered.

My mouth literally dropped open when my cousin told me this eye-witness account. Like seriously, these men get boldness pass. How you go take open mouth, pray, make God help una commit crime? Truly mind-blowing. I was also surprised at the age of these 419ers. I guess in my mind, I always pictured them to be computer-savvy young guys, but that's not always the case, my cousin told me.

So this is what Nigeria's highly-religious culture has produced: people who are so God-conscious that even in their stealing, they must acknowledge God. I shouldn't be shocked though. It's the same as politicians or armed robbers giving God the glory for blessing them, doing the big man dance in line to give offering in church.

Nothing wey you no go see for this life.

2 comments:

  1. Or rappers who sing about crazy things thanking God first and foremost when they win an award. You just reminded me that we're all sinners and God doesn't see yahooism worse than any of my sins, but I guess the difference is I don't ask God to bless my sins (though I do ask for blessings despite my sins!)...food for thought!

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  2. Good point Good Naija Girl.... We're all in need of His grace.... But asking God himself to help commit crime? That takes a special kind of boldness...

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