Various economists and financial experts seem to concur with T.B. Joshua’s grim prophetic analysis on the state of the nation.
Over the years, Pastor, T.B. Joshua has frequently forewarned Nigeria on the impending economic crisis. On Sunday May 29th, during a service live on Emmanuel TV, Joshua somberly recalled how the cloud hovering over the nation had been steadily growing darker, noting that all the signs had been there.
“The situation that we are facing now in our country Nigeria, is not now. The signs of the trouble that we are having now have been long. The momentum has been there. When you see it’s about to rain, you see the sky change. You can’t just suddenly see rain starting. You will see the clouds get darker and people will begin to run everywhere.”
In an article in the Guardian, titled: “Nigeria: Between economic challenges and recession”, several high profile economists raised similar alarms. The article begins: “That Nigeria is experiencing it’s all time low rating in almost all areas of economic indices is no longer news, though not yet experiencing recession but the signs are ominous going by the present unemployment rate, poverty, job losses and inflation.”
Dappa Maharajah, the President of Movement for the Survival of the Underprivileged (MOSUP), blamed Nigeria’s “visionless attitude and refusal to heed to several warnings from economic and financial experts during the oil boom.” for the current economic woes.
A senior lecturer in the Department of Economics, University of Port Harcourt, Dr. Peter Medee also said that when Nigeria was experiencing a boom in the economy, they failed to make investments that would have yielded productions. “Failure to plan for the rainy day and the neglect by the previous administrations brought us to where we are today”.
Many of the experts commented on the need for a shift in the mono product economy.
Dr. John Alabi, a management consultant and business practitioner reiterated the importance of agriculture and its multiplier effects of creating income for the farmers, creating jobs for those doing it.
Ironically, the same Joshua has been sounding this counsel for years, warning Nigeria of the failing oil prices and the need to return to the farm, stating that “one day, you will drink your oil”.
“Six and a half years ago, I was saying go into agriculture. Imagine if you would have listened to the prophecy, you would have rushed into agriculture; what would have happened to the country today? There would be crops, there would be resources, there would be everything in the town.”
Dr. Alabi indicated that when the going was good with the oil boom, Nigerian leaders were contented with squandering the revenue that came from oil the only source of foreign exchange. “Just like the saying that ‘he who fails to plan, plans to fail.” He said the country found itself in the present mess because at Independence, agriculture was the mainstay of the economy but when the crude oil was discovered, other natural resources were abandoned.
The article highlights on the need for diligent economic planning at this crucial time, calling on all Nigerians to “brace themselves for tougher times ahead”.
Joshua equally spoke on the need for planning in a service on May 22nd, when he said:
“It is only a ‘shortage’ that you are experiencing now; you have not yet experienced ‘large scale. Whatever you can do from now till December – all of your money you will use to buy food – you will not have enough to buy.” Advising those in the real-estate business he said, “If you are the type planning to build a house now, stop it for the mean time. If you are in the business of buying land, stop it for the mean time – look for another business. Use that money on the need of people now. You have to continue to cut your coat according to your size. Don’t just continue to spend your money on something that won’t be able to help you. Spend your money on something that the whole world will be looking for – food, shelter.”
Speaking on the cause of the current national predicament, Joshua said: “How we manage the situation matters. The government can be blamed, the president can be blamed if they are not managing the situation, but they are not the cause of the situation.”
Arogbofa, who was a member of the 2014 National Confab in Abuja, also spoke in the article on the importance of management: “We said that things should be better managed. We said that the centre was too powerful, that some powers should be devolved to the States so that they can participate and contribute more, and the governors would stop going to Abuja monthly to beg for money.
On the same Sunday, Joshua concluded by once again using the analogy of a rain cloud: “The cloud has been getting darker and darker and it has not yet rained. Every prophetic word – 99% of it is warning, if not 100%. It is the cloud that has been there ten years ago that has been becoming darker and darker. But because we did not see that cloud a long time ago, that is why we’re crying.”
In his beginning of year prophecy to Nigeria, the cleric had said: ” Nigeria, we are in a valley. The future is crying for help.”
You can see the video clips from T.B Joshua below.