If you have been rescued all the way from the brink of disaster, at the very last resort, where death, annihilation and destruction were the only options staring you in the face, then you will appreciate the value of a miracle. But the people of Obrayeko were determined never to experience anything near a miracle again. For them it would be better to be left alone to die in their misery.

Kofi Nti, 25, was the eldest son of the local chief. He was handsome, brilliant and affable and being a royal had become the toast of most of the lasses for miles around. Drawing from the generous financial resources of his influential father, he had become a rich young man by most standards. The red carpet was rolled for him at every social gathering whether he was representing his father or attending on his own steam. It did not take long before the largesse began to knock about in his head leading to a dalliance with the highlife. His father was concerned and sought several times and in many ways to restore his son to sanity without success. The comfortable home support continued to draw Kofi inexorably into criminality. Kofi himself did not like being associated with the things he was being accused of. He wished somehow he could return to his former status when he was accorded the respect of a decent young man. He had made several resolutions but the frequent calls of his vampire friends ensured that he was never able to stand by his resolve. Of late, he had made contact with some guys from the underworld and had not only got on to the dope but was advancing on the unmentionable c word, cocaine, as well. He had tried it a few times and had to admit that it seemed to be sitting well with him. That was a fact he did not like at all with all the invasive publicity that was given to such a `helpful` substance.

You may not believe it but notwithstanding Kofi’s harem of girls, he was frequently mentioned in gang rapes of the local school girls. What is the financial value of village girls including the headmistress of the junior high school and the wife of the Musama pastor? Kofi had conquered them all several times over and was getting tired of the repeat performances. He wanted new challenges and he found it in waylaying the 10 to 12 year old virgins in the town. How about stealing sheep and goats and Hollywood style daylight robbery of the rural bank for a change? .Kofi’s escapades did not escape the notice of the local police. However, upholding law and order must be set against the generosity of the chief who had accommodated the police and the offices of the Judicial Service. Bringing Kofi to order by any known means had become an impossibility, and yet the youth of the town felt that somehow impunity must not be given a free reign forever. The whole town and their future must not be held hostage by the bearing and influences of a few miscreants. Something had to be done. But what and how?

At the various grapevines comprising drinking bars, marketplaces and lorry parks, the big matter became the subject of small talk. It was during one of these brainstorming sessions that someone suggested that the defunct Watchdog Committee be revived with Koo as the interim chairman and charge him with finding a solution to the problem. Koo was until recently a prosperous farmer cum businessman but of late his business had fallen on bad days, the direct result of the activities of Kofi and his cohorts. His farms and warehouses had all been vandalized in the past few weeks and therefore had a major stake in ensuring that it all ended quickly. Rounds of talks in weeks of deliberations brought no discernible conventional leads to the Committee. Just as they were about to throw their arms in despair a bird whispered into their ears to try some non traditional solutions, after all the Heavens were created alongside the earth. It was unanimously agreed to forage around for extra terrestrial solutions. The five members of the Committee swore not to disclose the source of their remedy if it succeeded.

Two months after Koo and his victimised comrades `had passed their somewhere` news began to filter through from Kofi’s house that all was not well. It was rumoured that following incessant thefts in the house, his father had fallen deep into debt and a court had given orders for his house to be sold to defray some of the debt. Kofi had of late been a regular visitor to the mental hospital. It was clear from seeing him that he had gone off his rocker. His mother’s business had collapsed and she had been forced to move to her home town, the downslide from riches to rags being too hard to bear. His sister had lost her only son and another one had been divorced by her husband.

Goings on in Kofi`s house again became talk of the town only that now sympathies were very few and there were muttered sighs of relief and elation, because while disaster was overtaking their house, those who had long been held down by his nefarious activities were beginning to stir up again. No longer did the young maidens have to look over their shoulders while at play, drinking bars and shops could remain open till whatever time they chose, neighbours could sleep and wake up in the morning not waiting to hear who had been robbed overnight and even sheep and goats could roam the bush without being herded to some chop bars out of turn and security and contentment seemed to have returned to Obrayeko mercifully. Members of the Watchdog Committee broke camp after calling a party to congratulate themselves amid backslapping and shoulder patting.

However, it is in the nature of things that security’s worst enemy is complacency. After two years, Kofi`s escapades became history. The relative peace and quiet drew many new settlers in who did not know what some people had endured to make the town such an attraction. Soon Obrayeko gained a suburban status and with its new designation came men of God of all hues and complexion. Mass social activities such as floats, picnics, jamborees and processions became characteristic of Obrayeko. When therefore this famous miracle worker applied to hold a 7 day crusade in the town it did not raise eyebrows. It was designed as a two part programme: 4 days for Bible teachings and 3 days for miracle healings. As usual there were announcements around town calling on all the sick and infirm to be sent to the Community park to be healed of all their sicknesses and afflictions. There was a very heavy input from the local Christian community. The first two days of the miracle healing sessions were dramatic. The blind saw, the lame walked and the deaf and dumb spoke for the first time. Word got around very quickly and on the third night, the venue was filled to capacity three hours before the service started. It was a thumping spirit filled session that lasted deep into the night. Following the success of that crusade a church was formed to provide help and succour to the new converts. This church also blossomed in a short time. The Word God of seemed to have found fertile ground in Obrayeko and everyone was happy about that.

One year afterwards the security and sanity of the town seemed to have retrogressed. No one could believe that after all the efforts of the terrestrial Watchdog Committee which seemed to have been endorsed by the celestial men of God leading to the establishment of a church, there could still be a return to the old unsavoury ways. The young maidens were being raped again and the house break ins had resumed. Worse of all there were unconfirmed rumours that Kofi Nti was back in town and that he seemed to have recovered from his mental condition. The link between his return, the successful crusade and the new spate of insecurity could not be immediately established but was highly suspicious. Tongues were rife in the grapevines that Kofi had actually attended the crusade and been healed but finding no work due to his previous history had returned to his old ways with his clique. This was naturally of great concern to the Committee which reconvened to look at the matter again. They again consulted their sources and their worst fears were confirmed: Kofi was back. But this time they admitted that they could not bind him anymore. But they too decided that they were not going to leave him alone either. They all agreed that where persuasion failed force had to be applied no matter what.

They convened a meeting with the new church leaders and laid before them what insecurity had been brought on by the deliverance sessions. They contended that the gospel was a matter of peace to men of goodwill but theirs seems to have unleashed the devils agents back into their midst with consequences that they were unwilling to come to terms with. The Committee charged the elders to fashion out an answer within a month and until then they were to replace them in their armed watchdog role around town. The church accepted the challenge and after one month of no show called a week of fasting and prayer. It did not work. Indeed at the end of the retreat and consecration, one of Kofi’s henchmen in a singular operation, vandalized the church premises and made away with all the musical instruments. In a distracting twist to the whole saga also came prophesy from one of the church members that if the newly appointed pastor did not stop flirting with their female choir leader God’s judgement would fall upon them. Some even went as far as to suggest that the immorality could account for their lack of spiritual performance.

When they eventually sat down, the church leaders admitted that indeed Kofi’s present conduct had something to do with their crusade and that as ministers of the gospel it was their mission to set all captives free but still not this individual freedom that enslaves a whole town and its population. Superheated arguments were advanced from both sides of the divide but the deadlock could not be broken. The prayers that released the evil genie from the bottle could not send it back. If force was to be applied, how much of it would be appropriate?

Next time you hear of a deliverance crusade, remind yourself of this story and tell them that they should ask the local police  and health authorities for the  criminal and hospital records of all signing up for healing. That is the way to ensure peace on earth because not all the possessed and afflicted deserve healing wholesale.