I have read the book titled Gods Message to Kuteb Tribe and Indigenes of Taraba State authored by Pastor Paul Rika, the Founder and Overseer of Holiness Revival Ministry Worldwide. To be very honest, I least expected that Pastor Rika would write and publish such a content. If I am to do a very careful dissection of the book my final work will be, at least, three times the volume of the book. This is because there are many queer and controversial things in the book. So, I am not going to dive deeply into the content of the book but would in this write-up worry myself about a few out of the several revelations that Pastor Paul Rika claimed to have received from God which he wrote down (or transcribed) and whether these revelations would in the overall help to propagate the Gospel of Jesus Christ which he professes to preach.
Pastor Paul Rika claims that the content of the book is a revelation and prophetic message given to him by God as he and his wife prayed after Ukwe Rimamnyang Abu Ahmadu of Takum requested him to pray to God for him (Rimamnyang Abu Ahmadu) and the people, so that God should intervene, that only God can intervene in this matter. In response to the request of Rimamnyang Abu Ahmadu, Paul Rika reported in page 2 of his book thus; So, I truly went into prayer, and brought my wife, Sister Linda Paul Rika, a Sierra Leonean, a faithful handmaid in the hands of God. After many days, the Lord gave the following revelation and prophetic message concerning the issue of Taraba State, Kuteb people and the plan of TY Danjuma as seen in this epistle
The summary of the content of the book, as presented by Paul Rika, is that Gen TY Danjuma has made a covenant with the Muslim authority to give Taraba to the Muslims to rule forever after his death and to make sure that nobody from any of the tribes in Taraba State should ever become governor when he dies. The Muslim authoritys requirement of the covenant is to ensure that they deal with the Kuteb and make them slaves in their land and to protect the Chamba people who are Gen TY Danjumas tribal people. According to Paul Rikas revelation and prophetic message, TY Danjuma went into this covenant with the Muslims because he knows that in his effort to favour his tribe (the Chamba people) over the years, he offended Kuteb people and other tribes in Taraba State so much so that if any person from any of the indigenous tribes becomes Governor of Taraba State the person would deal mercilessly with the Chamba people. Simply put; TY Danjuma by that covenant has sold Taraba to Muslim non-indigenes to dominate and rule forever when he dies, so as to protect the Chamba people. In other words, by the covenant with the Muslim authority after TY Danjumas death Taraba will only be ruled by Muslim non-indigenes forever. By implication, the covenant that TY Danjuma entered into with the Muslim authority would not allow even the Muslims that are from the indigenous tribes of Taraba State to rule the State.
In page 79 of the book Paul wrote that God said; Immediately TY dies, the Muslims shall storm Taraba, like the Assyrians stormed Samaria. In page 81 Pastor Paul Rika said God told him: Tarabans should know this truth. They should know that TY Danjuma has sold them to their enemy. What a revelation! What a prophetic message!!
One thing that the author did not make clear is what specific Muslim authority Gen TY Danjuma made the covenant with. This Muslim authority remains vague throughout the book. I think he should have made that clear right from the onset.
A lot of the things that Paul Rika wrote in that book are unimaginable. He quoted elaborately from the Bible to buttress his revelation and prophetic message and in many places directly linked Bible verses to the individual (TY Danjuma) and the tribe (Chamba) that he targets. I will advise the reader to get a copy of the book, read and judge for himself.
However, my candid opinion as a lay Christian who has also read the Bible over the years of my life, is that this type of book should not be coming from a preacher who believes he is sent by God to preach holiness to all tribes and tongues of the world.
The Bible says; For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them] (Philippians 4:8 AMP)
From this scripture, one wonders what Pastor Paul Rika, an acclaimed preacher of holiness, believes he would achieve by this book. Will the book lead people to repentance and holiness? To my mind, this book, if anything, will only do more harm than good. It can only make the average Kuteb mind to develop more hatred for TY Danjuma and the Chamba people, because this hatred and bitterness against the Chamba people is what most Kuteb people are battling with right now. Similarly, it will take the grace of God for the average Chamba man to continue to robustly associate with Paul Rika and his ministry after reading this book. There is hardly a Chamba man that after reading this book his love for Paul Rika and his ministry will increase. Paul Rika has subtly distanced himself and his ministry from the Chamba people. Of course, one does not have to listen to Paul Rika or be in his Holiness Revival Ministry to make heaven. Before Paul Rika and his ministry people have been going to heaven and after Paul Rika and his ministry people will continue to go to heaven.
On the overall, the result that this book is likely to achieve is producing more candidates of hell fire due to hearts filled with hatred, a venom that only Gods grace and mercy can remove. Is this what Pastor Paul Rika wants to achieve by this book? Did God truly asked Paul Rika to publish this book?
In fact, I strongly believe that even some sound God-fearing Kuteb minds would definitely have their reservations about many of the things penned down in the book. It is unimaginable that God will give a revelation and prophetic message of this nature about a man and a tribe to another man from a tribe that is an interested party in an issue. God is not partial and He cannot be the author of the confusion that Paul is peddling in his book.
In addition to many terrible things against TY Danjuma and the Chamba people that are penned down in the book, Paul Rika believes that TY Danjuma placed a curse on the Kuteb people. The holiness preacher simply lost it as he poured out the deep-seated hatred and bitterness in his heart against TY Danjuma and the Chamba people in the footnote on page 33 where he states; Is there a cause to this curse TY Danjuma is placing upon the Kuteb people? Can the Chamba tribe attest to the great offense of Kutebs against them or TY Danjuma? Can other tribes that live around attest to the evils of the Kutebs? What occasions this curse, the Kutebs are not aware. If it is for oppression, it is TY Danjuma and his people that oppress the Kuteb people. Can TY Danjuma and his people stand the curse of the Kuteb people against them for their wickedness and evil on the Kuteb people, since they came into Kuteb land?
It is from the above place quoted that I am coming to know that the Kuteb people placed a curse on TY Danjuma and the Chamba people. Apparently Paul Rika fully participated in the curse of the Kuteb people against them (TY Danjuma and the Chamba people). That is why he called it the curse of the Kuteb people. He even associated TY Danjuma and the Chamba people with wickedness and evil against his people (Kuteb). Ironically, after mentioning about the curse of the Kuteb people against them (TY Danjuma and Chamba people) for their wickedness and evil on the Kuteb people, since they came into Kuteb land, in the same footnote the same Paul Rika hypocritically stated; Let no Kuteb man curse them but love them, including TY Danjuma, because of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, whom we serve. TY Danjumas curse will not come upon the Kuteb tribe.
What is all this back and forth about? You did not hide your hatred and bitterness against a man and a tribe, and you have stirred up the heart of your people against them; why then are you pretending to be nice and loving to them? Pastor Paul Rikas hypocrisy is clearly laid.
In the footnote on page 57 of the book Paul Rika stated; The Kutebs know that TY Danjuma was the one that masterminded the great war that broke out against them by the Fulanis. Many people confessed that TY Danjuma originated the war to wipe Kuteb in their settlement. The revelations of God also say so”. Is it that Paul Rika is not courageous enough to mention some of the many people that confessed that TY Danjuma originated the war to wipe Kuteb in their settlement?
I believe the Fulanis that TY Danjuma brought to wipe Kuteb in their settlement must have also told the Kuteb people that TY Danjuma brought them to wipe them in their settlement? The Kutebs never wounded or even killed some of the cows of the Fulani herdsmen? They never stole Fulani cows? They never ate free cow meat in their houses during the crisis? The cows that today some Kuteb people are rearing in their villages were all legitimately acquired? Answer these questions for yourself. Whatever be the case, we thank God that peace has been brokered between the two tribes. Peace is better than war.
To our disappointment, Paul is consumed in the typical Kuteb sentiment. We have seen the name of Holiness Revival Ministry on a list of one financial contribution of the Kuteb people towards their tribal course. Some of us initially doubted that a Christian Ministry like Holiness Revival Ministry as a body would stoop so low to make contributions towards such a Kuteb tribal course that is clearly in rebellion to constituted authority. But this book has clearly sold out Paul Rikas Holiness Revival Ministry as a Kuteb sentiment-inclined Ministry that can go even far further than expected of a Christian organization that is supposed to preach Christ to all tribes and tongues. To the unexpected shock and disappointing amazement of some of us, who from distance before now, used to consider him to be a preacher of high repute, Pastor Paul Rika and his Holiness Revival Ministry also wallow in the same muddy water of Kuteb sentiment like many of his tribal people. No wonder he repeatedly brags with emphasis in several places in his book of being from the Kuteb tribe, a tribe which he claims in page 90 of the book that the Lord Jesus Christ said of it; I have exalted the Kuteb tribe above the Chamba tribe.... It is only Pauls God that can do such a comparison of tribes He created and came to die for.
In page 78 of the book, Paul Rika claimed that the Lord Jesus Christ said; . I love the Kuteb people. I chose that tribe from ancient time; . I have chosen the Kuteb tribe to be my people. Can we say God does not love the other people or the other tribes are not Gods people? Then what happens to the scripture that says For God so loved the world.? (John 3:16). Has Paul Rika forgotten that at the death of Christ on the cross the veil in the temple was torn open for all tribes? Does he not know that God does not have any chosen people, but everyman that comes to Christ is chosen? I dare to say that God never told Paul Rika that I have chosen the Kuteb tribe to be my people. Never!
A similar surprising presentation is found in the footnote of page 87 where Paul wrote that; there are more chances given to the Kuteb to go to heaven than other people, because the place close to the light enjoys more brightness than the places far from the light. What Paul Rika is saying here is that God allocated more slots for heaven to the Kuteb than the Chamba and other tribes because He has done great work for the people of Kuteb for choosing Pastor Paul Rika from among them (Kuteb). The Kuteb are closer to the light (Paul Rika) than the other tribes because the light is a Kuteb man. I know that even the Kuteb people themselves will not accept this to be true because God doesnt work that way. This is simply pride and an exaggerated impression of self. The Bible also calls it carnality.
One common occurrence in Paul Rika's book is the too much call to himself (self-recognition) as God's messenger. He gives a picture of himself as the only messenger of God that currently preaches the truth on earth. From the onset in the first page of the introductory Chapter of the book Paul Rika introduced himself as; I, Pastor Paul Rika, am a true and holy minister of God. In page 8 he said; but of My son, Pastor Paul Rika, many are blocking their heart from listening to him. Every reader of the book would easily pick several other places where he expressed such mentality. This in itself is a problem. I dont want to dive deep into this area as part of this writing. Just get a copy of the book and read it for yourself. However, let me just quote one place in page 85 to buttress what I am trying to convey here. This was what he wrote:
The Lord Jesus continued, I chose a man from among the Kuteb, to propagate My light and preach My word, not only to the Kuteb but to the whole world and this man is their son, Pastor Paul Rika. Not only the Kuteb, but everyone in Taraba and in the world should listen to him. But many are playing with the word he preaches and teaches to their damnation. I have chosen him from Kuteb tribe, a tribe that is so small and unknown to the world. I have exalted the Kuteb tribe by raising up a man after My heart to preach My word to the whole world. This is a great thing I have done for the Kuteb, but they have not known what I have done to exalt them in the world. To see a true servant that preaches My word is hard to find in the world, but I have found him in Pastor Paul Rika, a Kuteb man. He is My representative on earth” (sic).
I dont know how the reader feels about this but I personally feel uncomfortable about these words because they look self-exalting and tribe-exalting. Or do we say this is Paul Rika and his Kuteb tribe to the world?
I am not a Pastor like Pastor Paul. But to the best of my knowledge God has never spoken of any man or tribe like this after the work of redemption had been accomplished by Christ. We have had, and today we still do have, many great men of God that preach the undiluted word of God on earth, yet none of them has spoken so much of being the one chosen by God from a tribe to be listened to. To me, it appears Paul Rika has just placed himself in the position of Jesus Christ when he was baptized in Jordan and a voice came from heaven saying This is my beloved Son on whom I am well pleased, hear ye him (Matthew 17:5, Mark 9:7, Luke 9.35). Anyway, the Lord knows best!
To show his extreme hatred for Gen TY Danjuma, Paul Rika in his book severally used such sarcastic expressions like "the dying old man", will die very soon, will soon die because of old age on the elder statesman. I have observed the common use of such phrases in several writings and comments of some Kuteb people on social media when they are discussing Gen TY Danjuma. But why would an elder be addressed with such sarcasm by those who feel they are younger or have more years to live? Babies die. Young people die. Old people die. One day I will die. One-day Gen TY Danjuma will die. One-day Pastor Paul Rika will die. Every mortal man must taste death. Yet, it is not civil and humane to address someone, no matter his age, as "dying old man" as if you hold his life in your hands. The irony of this life is that many who use such sarcastic expressions on the elderly end up dying before the person they addressed as "dying old man". Everyman should simply watch out for his day of appointment with death which must surely come.
Yes, we know that many Kuteb people are waiting for the day TY Danjuma will die so as to burst into wild celebrations. His death will be to them like liberation. Paul Rika himself severally made mention of this expectation of his people in his book. In page 84 he claims that God said; I am seeing Kuteb people rejoicing saying, he will soon die, he will soon die. But in another contradiction Paul claimed in page 89 of his book that God told him in the vision that; Let my son (Paul Rika) bring awareness to the Kuteb people that the death of TY Danjuma will surely come, but that is not the end of their sorrow. Hence they should not wait hopefully for the death of TY Danjuma
If it is so, how then is TY Danjuma their problem? Why are they waiting in hope for his death?
In any case, Gen TY Danjuma is a fulfilled man whom God has given the privilege to live for many years on this earth. God has blessed him with long life. Not many of his age mates can be found in Takum today. God has also used him to bless and protect our land. Even Paul Rika mentioned that God said he left TY because He was going to use him to defend our land. In the footnote on 70 he wrote; Someone asked God why He allowed TY Danjuma to be alive to this day, and the Lord said He would use him in some ways to defend Taraba State. God has used him according to His purpose. We must thank God for him, but we must lift up our voices also to cry against him to God, concerning his evil plans against Taraba State, especially the Kuteb. The Lord must reward him for his evil deed
The reader can clearly see Pauls hatred for TY Danjuma being unleashed from his heart uncontrollably here, to the extent that he sounds as if God is an officer under his command. He first commanded his people saying; we must lift up our voices also to cry against him to God. The preacher of holiness is seen here mobilizing his people to cry against a man whom he should have ordinarily preached the love of Christ to. Then he ordered God whom he said must reward him for his evil deed. The commander said his people must and God must. Paul himself saw in his confusing revelation in page 87 of his book that; The death of TY Danjuma will not bring peace. It is going to bring more troubles. Where is he really standing? I pray that our land one day will not cry in regret when the eyes of TY Danjuma are finally closed in death.
Paul Rika, by his book, has consciously or invariably produced many hearts filled with hate and bitterness for TY Danjuma and the Chamba people among the Kuteb people. The Bible says in I John 3:15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that any murder does not have eternal life abiding in him
If hatred is synonymous with murder and if murderers do not have eternal life abiding in them, then Paul should have a rethink about his life and the likely achievement of his book. Or can Paul honestly say his heart was filled with love for TY Danjuma and the Chamba people while he was writing these revelations of his? If Paul Rika's "revelation and prophetic message" only stir up more hatred for a person and people of a particular ethnic group rather than hatred for sin, then we can deduce the source of that "revelation".
It should be mentioned that every human heart, if not diligently guarded, is vulnerable to manipulation by the devil. That is why the Bible says;
"Guard (keep) your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life" (Prov 4:23)
This scripture is simply saying whatever we allow to enter our hearts, if not well examined and evaluated properly, will undoubtedly be expressed in positive or negative way in our lives and our actions. This is exactly the trap that Paul Rika has fallen into in his revelations. He has been negatively influenced by Kuteb sentiment and this has produced what he calls "revelations" in his soul. The spiritual realm is very sophisticated and complex. The things that he calls revelations must be considered with caution. With these things he penned down and published in this book some of us will continue to have our reservations about those his revelations and messages. Unfortunately, today, some of his kinsmen are shamelessly posting parts of this book on some social media platforms and online TV stations to prove to the world that TY Danjuma and the Chamba people are their enemies. That is the new gospel that Pastor Paul has created for them to spread.
We have read about prophets in the Bible that were given material things to curse Gods people. We have read about prophets that were prophesying lies in the Bible and God came out to tell His people that He did not send them. But they were all prophets. We know that Paul Rika is just a human being that is subject to the flaws of the ordinary man. He is not above these prophets and his heart is not immune to demonic manipulation if he does not diligently guard it on the issue of TY Danjuma, Chamba, Kuteb and Takum.
No human being had the privilege to choose the tribe he/she is born into. It is completely Gods divine decision. All tribes are created by God. Yes, as human beings, we always have feelings for our kinsmen and people of our tribe, particularly when they are involved in any kind of struggle with another tribe or are faced with a challenge. The temptation to take side in such circumstances can be enormous even for the transformed mind. That is natural. But if we are Gods children we must diligently guard our hearts in order not to be biased. Paul in his book is apparently consumed in bias against TY Danjuma and the Chamba people. I call on him to think and meditate over what I have said. Whatever he thinks of my position is left for him, and between him and his God.
But come to think of it; why is it that Paul Rika's life appears to be trailed with confusions over the years? Paul was a beloved of the Deeper Life Community and grew to be one of the leading State Pastors. The circumstance that resulted to his leaving the Deeper Life Ministry is an unimaginable confusion for somebody of his status in the Deeper Life Christian Ministry then.
This confusion appears to be continuing even today in his Holiness Revival Ministry Worldwide. We have heard of how he sacked the wife of his former second-in-command from the Holiness Revival Ministry on the porous ground that he received a revelation that this woman is the leader of all witches in West Africa. The husband of this woman is Paul Rikas tribal man from the same Lissam clan of the Kuteb tribe. This man, whom some of us knew in years past to be a Gospel musician, truncated his thriving civil service career at the federal level because of his commitment to Paul Rika's Holiness Revival Ministry. Today he has been forced out from ministry because of the confusion of a revelation claimed to have been received on his wife. I believe the gentleman is somewhere picking back the pieces of his life shattered by Paul Rikas revelation.
I have been made to understand that many people that were with Paul at the starting days of his Holiness Revival Ministry, including those who supported and helped him in those days of small beginnings, have all been sacked from the ministry as a result of revelations he received. This disturbing situation should call for sober reflection on the part of our beloved Pastor Paul Rika.
It is also as a result of similar "revelation" received by Paul Rika that Senator Emmanuel Bwacha was set in motion for the 2023 gubernatorial elections.
Bwacha, who is a key member and strong financier of Pauls Holiness Revival Ministry, was assured by Paul Rika that he received express "revelation" from God that he (Bwacha) was going to win the 2023 gubernatorial elections because God had ordained him Governor. That was how Bwacha (even though then a new entrant to APC) desperately bulldozed his way, using every available resources and connections at his disposal, to snatched the APC gubernatorial ticked leaving those who had been in the party for years in awesome shock and disappointment. Some of us that are not of the APC dismayingly watched in utter amazement how Senator Bwacha (alas iron bender) ruthlessly crushed and trampled on other APC gubernatorial candidates during the primary elections of the party in Taraba State in 2023. Despite his faith in Jesus Christ, coupled with his Holiness Revival Ministry connections, his conscience did not prick him that what he was doing was wrong. He was then a serving Senator and well-connected to the then National Chairman of APC who was once his colleague in the Senate. We were told that Senator Bwacha had arrogantly assured the APC leadership at the National level that he was going to defeat PDP in Taraba State if given the APC ticket. I personally watched on TV when he told the then President that with his decamping from PDP to APC the fortune of APC in Taraba State was going to change. The APC leadership at national level stood firmly behind him until a final kangaroo primary election (which was boycotted by all the other strong APC candidates) gave him the ticket by force and by fire.
During his campaigns Bwacha exhibited confidence all over the place. He spoke positively (by faith?) about his chances of winning the elections. He was rated by his supporters as the most experienced politician in the State. He was said to have a robust structure on ground that no other candidate had in the State. He was acclaimed to understand the political terrain of Taraba State more than all the other candidates. The PDP candidate (Agbu Kefas) was a no issue to him as Kefas was taunted by Bwachas men as inexperienced, unpopular and without structure. I watched one interview about his chances in the elections by Chamberlain on Channels TV, where Bwacha confidently boasted that "my God whom I serve has assured me that I will be the governor. To cut the long story short, Bwacha lost the elections, coming third behind even Prof Yahaya, one of the candidates whom he sent away from the APC when he bulldozed his way into the party. Yahaya only moved to a new party (NNPP) very close to the elections and still beat Bwacha who was a candidate of Paul's "revelation". Paul's "revelation" failed flat!
But surprisingly Paul Rika in his book stated that it was TY Danjuma that stopped Bwacha from winning the elections. How TY Danjuma did it is a mystery that can only be unveiled by Paul himself since he freely dives in and out of the supernatural realm receiving "revelations".
Paul Rika in his book painted a picture that TY Danjuma does not want Bwacha to ever become Governor of Taraba State as he is likely to dislodge the evils he (TY Danjuma) has planted. According to Paul in page 39 of his book, TY Danjuma said to the Muslim authority during the covenant; Watch out against the activities of this man, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha. Never give him a space. As he comes to join you in APC, keep him in deception. If you allow him to become governor in Taraba State, he is not only going to scatter my works, he will bring in a powerful light that you cannot overcome. Paul Rika went further to state that TY Danjuma ensured that Bwacha is not given any appointment in the present administration so that he does not build up finances that would enable him contest and win elections in the State in future. Here, we see Paul operating in the flesh as he writes from a carnal mind. If God has ordained Bwacha to become Governor of Taraba State can any mortal human being be able to stop it? Does Bwacha need appointment in the present administration before he can become Governor if the Almighty God had divinely ordained him to be Governor of Taraba State? Or is it that Paul believes in the power of money more than the power of God to plant whosoever He wishes in any seat of power on earth? If money is the key factor that guarantees winning elections how come that Gen TY Danjumas support for Chief Obadiah Ando did not make Ando to beat Rev Jolly Nyame in the elections of 1999 and 2003. Or was Jolly Nyame then richer than TY Danjuma thats why he won? Did Gov Danbaba Suntai become Governor because he was a rich popular politician? Did our current Senator in Taraba South, Senator David Jimkuta win the senatorial election because he was richer and more popular in Taraba South than DDI or Danji SS? Maybe Paul Rika should be reminded that God has the power to plant leaders as He so wishes. But we also believe that Bwacha knows TY Danjuma in person more than Paul Rika as he has had the privileges of meeting him several times one-on-one. However, whatever he chooses to believe is his own cup of tea.
However, in another contradictory statement, the same Paul Rika in the footnote on page 47 of his book stated; Senator Bwacha did not win the just concluded election (ie the 2023 gubernatorial election), not because Muslims didnt support but it was not the time that God has placed to put him there. If it be so, then Bwachas boast before Chamberlain on Channels TV of his God assuring him that he was going to be the Governor was not true. And the earlier revelation which was given to Bwacha by the same Paul Rika that God had given him clearance to contest and win the election was also false.
In conclusion, I wish to state that I am not here to condemn Pastor Paul Rika to hell. I do not mean to say that Paul Rika is not a Pastor or preacher. I am not God and I did not call him. I know that human beings err, and I only strongly feel that he erred in this book he presented. Whatever he decides to do about it is left between him and the God he claims to be serving.
One thing I know is that God forgives us when we sin. So who is man not to forgive his fellow human being as admonished in scriptures? I believe that TY Danjuma and the Chamba people will forgive his errors of misrepresentation if he seeks forgiveness. And honestly, the atmosphere that will follow such a humble pertinence will bring great healings of the heart to the inhabitants of Takum, Ussa and Yangtu, and draw many to Christ.
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