2023 Governorship Election: Are There No Prophets in Akwa Ibom State?Editor's note: Solomon Mbon, a political analyst based in Nsit Ibom local government area of Akwa Ibom writes about the domination of the airwaves by people he describes as fake prophets brought into the state by politicians desperate to occupy the governorship position. Elections are around the corner and politicians are at it again. Since Akwa Ibom is a state named after God, the role and influence religion has in the political life of the state is huge. Since 1999, the state and the church are like Siamese twins, both working hand in hand and one not able to do without the other. It is no surprise that pastors and men of God tend to have some sort of control over the government. This influence of late has been abused to a point that religion has become detrimental to the wellbeing of Akwa Ibom. For more than 20 years, the church has supported leaders at various levels of government in Akwa Ibom state towards the path of Godliness which has resulted in the church playing a key role in the success of almost all administrations. From Solemn Assembly to Interdenominational Service, to Thanksgiving Service to the annual Xmas Carol Night which has gotten the state a spot at the Guinness World Book of Records, the church and religion tend to have held a strong grip of the government. But too much of everything they say is bad. Akwa Ibom has become too religious to an extent that the church is today part of the major problem of the state. From CAN to Fathers of Faith, to Sons of Faith, God's name has been used, abused, and mutilated to a point that religion has become the greatest scam of the century. The 2023 governorship election is one case in point where the church and prophesies are commodities that must be traded like stocks on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, with top winners and top losers at the end of every trading day. Because of 2023, all manner of fake pastors, prophets, and prophetess now see Akwa Ibom state as a trading ground where fake and monetary induced prophesies fly around. Just recently, one of the greatest religious scams was unleashed on some gullible fellow by a con artist who claims to be a pastor who claims to have direct access to God in heaven. He prophesised that Akwa Ibom state commissioner for lands and water resources, Pastor Umo Eno, is God's anointed candidate for the 2023 governorship election in the state. God has suffered in the hands of some businessmen. What will we not see because of 2023 in Akwa Ibom state? The fake pastors, doing their trade might have possibly made some money from their sponsors who think Governor Udom Emmanuel is a 2023 ATM that must be milked. No be him dey find successor? But what makes these con artists and occultic men and women think that God cannot speak to Akwa Ibom-based men of God? What makes these desperate politicians think Akwa Ibom pastors no longer have access to God and can no longer see visions or dream dreams? Not too long ago, the fake prophesy business took another dimension as one of the con men took their propaganda to the next level with what he called; "World Exclusive Political Prophesies for 2023: Who wins and who loses in Nigeria's next election circle." The paid businessman turned pastor in his business outing said the next governor God has shown him is Pastor Umo Eno. Which God? Which state? There is the need for Akwa Ibom people to "Shine their eyes" and not allow these fake pastors and prophets to use their business to hold us to ransom and mortgage the future of the state. Akwa Ibom people must ask themselves why suddenly, pastors from outside the state are brought in by politicians who have a personal interest in who takes over from Governor Udom Emmanuel. We cannot allow outside forces take us for a ride. Are we saying God no longer calls men unto Himself in Akwa Ibom? Are we saying only foreign pastors and prophets now hear from God and the only thing they hear is about the 2023 governorship? Akwa Ibom pastors and the Christian community must wake up and lead from the front as they had been doing even before the creation of the state. Why should we wait and watch Akwa Ibom taken over by occultic men and women? Why do we neglect our God-given grace and allow fake pastors take charge on an issue as sensitive and important as who leads us from May 29, 2023? Why have we kept silent and allowed yahoo boys to make a fool of our revered and respected men of God? We remember the prophets. Where are the prophets? Why are young men no longer seeing vision and our elders dreaming? Today, the only prophesy business pastors see is political prophecy. And it must all be about Akwa Ibom state and 2023. Prophetic declaration about Akwa Ibom is now big business. And the name that sells the business is Umo Eno. If this is what Akwa Ibom is facing even before primaries, what will we not see if these occultic men and women have their way? Before now, men of God were highly respected and believed. But the presence of yahoo pastors in Uyo has made it impossible to separate the good from the bad. How did we get here? It was never this bad when we had Akwa Ibom pastors praying and interceding for the state. Today, the state has been taken over by businessmen in the name of pastors, mostly imported. And why are they abusing the governor for respecting the sacredness of Akwa Ibom's Christian community, their men of God and rather glorify occultic men and women who want to subdue the state to conquer and sell off the state to few selfish individuals who do not mean well for the state and it's future? Do we blame Akwa Ibom-born men of God for being naive or docile? Can we say we have for too long kept silent and allow rogue elements to take over the pulpit? Must we continue to sit idle and watch fake pastors brought in by corrupt politicians fool is with fake prophesies so as to have access to the treasury and lot same to our disadvantage? Akwa Ibom rise. Akwa Ibom pastors rise. Akwa Ibom churches rise. Akwa Ibom Dakadda! Where are the prophets? We remember the prophets! May 2023 see the resurrection of Akwa Ibom's true man of God. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Legit.ng. 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