Since Pope John Paul II visited in 1998, we never had any other papal visit in Nigeria. Something tells me the Pontiff was not happy with the choice of gift presented by the then ruler, General Sanni Abacha – a walking stick! Who gives a Pope a walking stick?! A dictator that was rumored to have ordered trucks into the Central Bank to bring foreign currency presenting a walking stick to the Pope?! Haram! Apparently he wasn’t informed that money is the engine oil of evangelism.
Like others, I gazed at the Alitalia plane that just taxied to the B gate of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport. After all that is the unofficial official plane of the Holy Father. Red carpet already in place and dignitaries in position. Eyo and Ojuju masquerades from Lagos and Calabar were also present to welcome the Pope with their performance.
As all the passengers disembarked, the closest thing to a Pope among all them was an old man dressed in white flowing Agbada. While the passengers were as stunned at such reception, the crowd became worried about the whereabouts and safety of our Pope. Question whispering started among the spectators; could the pope have been kidnapped? Is he afraid of Boko Haram? Did he miss his flight?
Just then a Bombardier Global 8000 jet taxied some distance away. No one heard it fly in. it is amazing what science can achieve with $66million. Boldly written on the jet was “Papal 01”. A closer look at the jet also revealed some stickers conspicuously posted on the wings some of them read “Our God is a rich God”, “My enemy will die by fire”, “Satan is a bastard”. A very loud Silence fell on all onlooker. As the stairs went down, 8-lady choir came touring down in majestic songs. But for their makeup, high heels, weave-ons, bleached (apologies…toned) skin and wingless backs, they would have easily passed for angels. And then the moment we have been waiting…as he stepped onto the stair landing the crowd roared in excitement. The beauty of this Papal visit was in two folds – the first black pope and what is more? He is a Nigerian! The excitement was infectious, black Pope, white robe, a private jet. All hail our Pope.
As the Pope waved to the jubilant crowd, his 72karat golden necklaces glittered in the afternoon sun and the many rings that adorned his fingers sparkled like the stars. He said some things to his palm and threw it toward the crowd on the East, hundreds fell immediately. To my right a Yoruba man pulled his wife and daughter and ran toward those falling down yelling “O ya ema bo, iyanu yi ko gbodo koja wa” (hurry lets go there, we must not miss this miracle). The same hand throwing was made to the west and south each with even more falls. Quite understandably, the metal barriers fell too. What an anointing!
A lady came out from the jet and went pass the Pope (still on the plane stair landing) with a broom in hand. What! I thought. So the Pope is in APC? The lady, unmoved by the crowd or the noise, started sweeping the stair one at a time. As she swept a level, the Pope stepped on it. Swept, stepped. Swept, stepped. By the time the Pope finally got on land, the lady was on her two knees on the tarmac honoring the Lord’s anointed. The policemen present to maintain law and order swung into action. With the butt of their guns, they pushed the crowd away from the holy one. Were this the era in the Bible, that woman with the issue of blood would have had to find her healing elsewhere. The Pope, smiling and waving stepped towards the dancing masquerades, traded a few dancing steps with them and walked on; a true son of the soil.
A woman breeched the security and slammed herself on bare floor in front of the Pope. She held the Pope’s leg and cried out “Daddy, pray for me, I need God’s deliverance from sickness!” the policemen recovered, grabbed her and pulled her away from him. Her hands were held behind her while her wrapper gradually eased away from her body. The man of God looked at his white Berluti Rapieces Reprises shoes for about 10 seconds. They have been stained by the lady’s hand! In a subtle voice he said to the woman “God will forgive you”, walked past her and got into the limousine waiting for him. For a strange reason, I seem to hear the people shout “up NEPA!!!” and then I woke up.
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