Nri town in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State has over the years been fingered by anthropologists as the ancestral home of the Igbo people. Though there have been other authorities in the history books that have continued to contest this submission, most scholars still lay claim to it.
But inside the Nri town inhabits yet another historical landmark that most tourists from far and wide have continued to visit the area based on its religious colouration.
It is the home of Dr. Ramas Okoye Asuzu, the founder of Liberation Church of Absolute God, popularly known as a Universal Worship Centre.
This worship centre, to a first time visitor, paints the picture of the holy sanctuary of worship, sorcery and divination. Standing imposingly 50 feet tall is the temple which has several spiritual and mystical works of art that have combinations of Christianity, African traditional religion, Hindu, Judaism and other religions in one. This marriage of all religious beliefs and practices indeed depicts the philosophy behind the establishment of the church.
When TheNiche visited Asuzu, he explained that the design of the temple was through the inspiration of God Almighty. He drew the analogy of the ancient temple of the Most High and Absolute God, adding that the Ark of Covenant will be placed before the temple as the New Jerusalem. He added that it inhabits all spirits in Africa and the world in general as was displayed through the artworks of Baba Alfa of the ancient Bini kingdom as well as the Hare Krishna.
Still inside the compound is a handicraft centre that produces candles, soap, oil and other totems of worship.
Away from Asuzu sanctorum is the humanist angle to his profile, explaining that charity and love for mankind is one of the attributes of a God-fearing man. That also underscores why scores of people frequent his home in search of solutions to both spiritual and material problems, and he never hesitates to assist.
Asuzu was born 58 years ago. But when yours truly met him in his sitting room, he appeared like a man in his late 40s. He was seated gracefully on his high chair like a revered monarch presiding over a meeting of the conclave of elders.
This ex-transport manager, who worked under the late Kenneth O. Mbadiwe’s business empire, is a patron of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Anambra State Council.
Interestingly, Asuzu understands the trappings of Nigerian politics, and he has never failed to bare his mind on any burning issue.
When asked about the victory of President Muhummadu Buhari and his massage of change, he was in his elements.
“The ultimate change we expect is a total change because an average Nigerian has been suffering for more than 54 years. An average Nigerian cannot eat or afford three square meals in a day.
“Nigeria, the sixth largest producer of oil in the world, still has absurd stories to tell. A visit to the hospitals and mortuaries will speak for itself because more than 500 corpses are abandoned by many families because they could not pay the accrued bills.
“Similarly, at the police cells in the country, you will understand that the cell capacity cannot contain the inmates who are facing trial or yet to be tried. There are several abuse of human rights in the country. There was a time we witnessed the dumping of over 50 dead bodies in Ezu River at Amansea. The story has been sealed and the causative factors were buried till date.
“Nigeria is so corrupt that our three refineries at Eleme, Warri and Kaduna are not functional, while we continue to import fuel from other countries. Our leaders, instead of planning for the betterment of our lives, continue building industries and refineries all over the world as a means of amassing wealth for their children unborn. Even, most of the governors in Nigeria have invested billions of naira in most of the countries in Africa and Asia-European countries, while over 80 per cent of
Nigerian youths are hungry and unemployed,” he said.
According to him, this is a country that has no respect for its citizens; a country that could not enact a law that will benefit its citizens.
His words: “Those so-called representatives at the National Assembly, who enjoy the support of those that voted them in, are a bunch of disappointment. What they are interested is the constituency allowance which they use for their personal comfort. This is why Nigeria is rated as one of the most corrupt countries in the surface of the earth.
“Change in Nigeria will be more facilitated when those strong foreign organisations help the country in recovering all the money stolen and stashed in foreign accounts by those heartless people. That is the part of change we are expecting.”
He did not spare the oil cabal that usually hold the country to ransom. “If we call ourselves unified constituents of a nation and wish to maintain it, this aspect of allowing some cabals to milk our oil well for some donkey years and on personal grounds should be discouraged. So, the first thing expected from President Buhari to do is to abolish this issue of ownership of oil blocks by some questionable Nigerians. How can people enrich themselves to an extent that their children yet unborn will be provided much, while the living poor mortals wallow in abject poverty?
“I mean, this change should invoke capital punishment for those who have siphoned the economy of this country with reckless abandon; that will serve as deterrent to others that may be wishing for such stupendous unjustified wealth. Buhari should also discipline those who are corrupt by confiscating their assets. Besides, the president should not allow those sycophants that tried to ruin the administration of his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, to join APC because they are after their pocket, instead of thinking of what to do that will better the condition of the common people.
“Meanwhile, as Nigerians have suffered enough, the next thing that will possibly happen in this country, if not handled well by President Buhari is revolution. There is no food to eat, no job for the youths. To worsen the situation, the loans provided by Bank of Industries (BoI) and skill acquisition centres are used for amorous compensations to their girlfriends.
“You find out that the change we need is to wipe out corruption, and corrupt institutions will not be of any help to fight corruption. So, EFCC (Economic and Financial crimes Commission) should be an independent organisation composed of people with unquestionable character.”
He further charged the federal government to look into churches and fish out some bad elements among the shepherds because, for him, most of these so-called men of God are being used for money laundering. “Their acquired riches should be probed, to separate Paul from Barnabas.”
He also took on the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the ruling party in Anambra, and expressed reservations on the fate of the party.
He warned Governor Willie Obiano to be very careful with his government, as his enemies will have swell time to see him crumble. “He is presently surrounded by enemies, both seen and unseen, known and unknown, milling around to know when to cash in and do their evil plots. He should know how he carries about his administrative duties in order not to fall into the traps set for him.”
Even as an industrialist, Asuzu carpeted successive Nigerian governments over assistance to manufacturers.
“I am an industrialist for over 27 years. Can you imagine that the much money doled out by former President Jonathan for entrepreneurial loans were not distributed adequately; rather they shared it among their friends and cronies.
“So, if the Bank of Industries should help the grassroots people, those that can extend the kind gestures to the less-privileged, then Nigeria will turn to a better place to live. The bank should also help the poor with soft loans without these accompanied untenable collateral requests.”
Asuzu, however, expressed hopes that should the newly-elected leaders in the country not seek the face of God Almighty and keep to His ordinance, the impending calamity that had earlier been averted by the outcome of the presidential election would certainly visit the nation in the most serious manner and form.
