The Yoruba “man of God”, citizen of the United States of America, proclaiming, “All Lives Matter” as the answer to the fundamental crisis now enveloping America, using the Scripture, as a shield.

The Scripture, as written:

“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…….”. Genesis 1:26

“Man”, made in the image of God; by which the “man of God” concluded, “All Lives Matter”.

This “man”, repudiated God by disobedience, embracing satan’s wiles, thrown out of the Garden.

Despite which God effected “Man’s” Redemption, for “man” to return to his created state. In the process, destroying the “old world” with the flood, after which “man” was dispersed all over the earth, with different languages and territories; Redemption continuing, till date.

The Redeemer, by whose Blood we are Redeemed, when questioned by Pilate as to his being a king, responded thusly:

“You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” John 18: 37

The Truth is the cause, the cause is the truth.

Non-recognition of which made Pilate look foolish with his next question, to wit:

“Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.” John 18:38

Coming to the realization of facing the truth, in person.

Affirming what is written:

”And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD. ”Then He closed the book and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:17-21

All Lives matter to Him, hence the Redemption of “man”.

All lives.

Not commodities: for “man” is to have dominion over commodities.

“fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:28

Black Lives, becoming commodities, “living things”, chattel slaves, bought and sold, a possession, through the Arab and Trans-Atlantic Slave Trades, with all the implications for the humanity of the African.

“Black Lives Matter” implies “All lives Matter”; not mutually exclusive. By which we know that “Black Lives Matter” is not a negation of “All Lives Matter” but its affirmation.

Therefore, when “any life” demands justice for itself, countering it with “all lives” is a rejection of the demand for justice by “any life”, pandering to racism and white supremacy, affirming the commoditization.

The “Black Lives Matter” movement; the catalyst for the current Global interrogation of racism, white supremacy, and proposals for policy changes.

By which we know that “Black Lives Matter”.

This commoditization, the consummation of imperial plunder on the African Continent, actively sustained by European/White Christian Missionaries, glorifying the commoditization.

Enforced by the establishment of the various military forces, pressed into the service of suppressing the humanity of the entire Africa Peoples, corralled into the Colonial Nation State.

The anti-colonial struggles, proclaiming “African (Black) Lives Matter”, re-establishing the humanity of the African; and for the Yoruba Nation, now heightened with calls for her Autonomy.

Re-imagining our humanity, and for the Christian experience in the Yoruba Nation, “Black/African Lives Matter”.

Reiterated by Bishop Ajayi Crowther, translating the Bible into Yoruba and other African Languages; Mojola Agbebi at the 1911 Universal Races Congress against racism, advocating self-governance for African churches, his 1902 Inaugural Sermon bearing witness and establishing the Yoruba Baptist Convention in 1914.

Both fulfilling the Scripture: “Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works”. James 2:18

Mirroring Abraham, Moses, Caleb, David et al. The saving Faith.

“Black Lives Matter”, in words and deed.

In the political, anti-colonial firmament, the 1918 Adubi War against colonial taxation; the 1945 formation of Egbe Omo Oduduwa, changing the nature of anti-colonial narrative, introducing the Federalist notion into anti-colonial discourse; the 1947 Abeokuta Tax revolts; Omowale Malcolm X’s visit to Ibadan; anti-military “June 12”, its human symbol, the champion of reparations for slavery, and de-commoditization of Africans.

Globally, the Haitian Slave Revolution, rejecting the commoditization of their humanity; the ANC anti-apartheid struggles, demanding Majority rule; Blacks/Africans, the majority; The Montgomery Bus Boycott; the March on Washington; the Summer Freedom Rides; Soweto; “melo ni a o ka lehin adepele”, a. k. a, the list could go on.

Despite which the wheels of racism and white supremacy unrepentantly and continuously recreates itself, through its African/Black surrogates; and this, not only an “African/Black” phenomenon.

Despite which “Black Lives Matter”.

It is written:

“And when it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul”. Acts 23:12

The Scripture recording such instances of imperial surrogacy, including the betrayal of the Redeemer, and the several kings of Israel and Judah, doing “evil in the sight of the Lord”.

Forerunners of present-day oppressors of their own people, in the service of racism and white supremacy, anchored on its economic imperatives, reinforced with the architecture of the Post-Colonial State.

Repentance of the sinner, the cornerstone of Redemption, the turnaround of “man” as sinner into the recreated “man” in the image of God.

The sin: The Nationalities in Africa accepting, by force or subterfuge, their change of status as created by God, the image of God, embracing their characterization by the sinner; the colonial power, defining their existentialism.

The Repentance: the transformation of the architecture of the Post-Colonial State sustained by the political economy of racism and white supremacy, established for continuous suppression of the African, making the African-American arguably the only National group in America without a formal tie to their homeland.

Mandating the Nationalities to reconfigure the Post-Colonial State into their God-given existence.

This necessity overlooked by earlier Pan-Africanist praxis, championed by Kwame Nkrumah, CLR James, George Padmore et al; correctly recognizing the artificiality of the borders, but compromising African aspirations on its sustenance, hence the OAU and now the AU.

Against which Obafemi Awolowo advised, during the run-up to the 1958 All Peoples Conference, proposing the alternative.

The necessity for the Nationalities to come into being for themselves and in themselves, the basis for Ethno-National Federalism as the political future of Africa and consequently the Global African community.

Put into practice through the then developing relationship established between the Western Region and Bahia in Brazil, truncated by the “Nigerian” enablers of the Post-Colonial State paradigm.

A continuity with the past, where internal conflicts for dominance led to alliances with foreign interlopers, both parties to the internal conflicts becoming victims of the foreigner. Hence colonial rule.

Now making the control of the Post-Colonial State the imperative, an end in itself; and this, possible only by destroying the self-liberation of the Peoples.

Ensuring continuity of the parameters of African oppression and exploitation; all because the Peoples were, and are, imprisoned within the walls of the Post-Colonial State, and by which the Global African remain imprisoned.

By which we know that the Autonomy and Self-Determination of the Peoples of Africa, negating the artificiality of the current borders, is the only pathway towards repentance.

Repentance therefore is “setting at liberty” the various Peoples of Africa from the cages of the Post-Colonial State enabling them to come into being as created by God; “man” made in His image.

But who, despite being commanded to have dominion, is instead dominated by the Post- Colonial State, to which the “man of God” in America is enamored.

Hiding behind “Scripture Alone”, denouncing God’s commands on “liberty for the oppressed” as a function of “pseudo-Spirituality”.

Ignoring the Scripture itself, where, despite a preponderance of priests and prophets, Ezekiel became the watchman; despite the experience of the “old prophet”, God mandated the “young prophet” to go on a particular mission with particular instructions; and Paul, despite the existence of many Pharisees, became an Apostle.

These, not by their might, but by the Spirit of the Lord.

By which we know that charges of “pseudo-spirituality” is a denial of the visions of God given to servants of God, outside the purview of the experienced “man of God”; whose inability to respond with humility and reverence for God, becomes an attempt at subsuming such instructions from God under their authority, substituting the self for God.

Recalling the young prophet’s inability, despite concluding the assignment given him, to “hold fast to what he had”; not remembering “how he had received and heard”; acquiescing to charges of “pseudo spirituality” made by the “old prophet”, consequently losing his life, thereby cutting short further opportunities to serve the Lord.

But Glory be to God who will always confirm His visions in several ways.

Fulfilling the Scripture:

”But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it”. Mathew 3:16-17

Yes, “Black Lives Matter”!!!

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Wale Odeku