Lagos is a city full of surprises, but what happened at the Divine Grace Church last Sunday was beyond anyone’s wildest imagination. Pastor Bayo was delivering his powerful sermon, his voice booming through the microphone as he exhorted the congregation to live righteously. Little did he know, a truly unforgettable episode was about to unfold.
“Brethren, let us open our hearts to the Lord!” Pastor Bayo declared, waving his Bible dramatically. The congregation responded with a chorus of "Amen!" and the atmosphere was electric with faith.
Suddenly, the doors of the church flew open with a loud bang. In rushed a disheveled man, barefoot and wild-eyed, shouting, “Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!” The congregation froze, eyes wide in shock.
“Siddon there! No run!” the man yelled, pointing at a startled old woman who was already halfway out of her seat. He looked around and then made a beeline for the altar.
The congregation erupted into chaos. Some people screamed, others jumped up, and a few brave souls tried to calm the situation. “Chai! Wetin dey happen?” Mama Nkechi shouted, clutching her handbag to her chest.
“Na mad man o! Abeg make we run!” another woman yelled, already making her way to the exit.
Pastor Bayo finally found his voice. “Brethren, please remain calm! This is the house of the Lord!” he said, trying to regain control. But the mad man, oblivious to the pandemonium he had caused, continued to pray loudly.
“God, na me, Chike! Abeg, save me from all my enemies!” he shouted, lifting his hands to the heavens.
“Tunde, abeg make you help me hold this mad man,” one of the ushers called to another. Tunde approached cautiously, but Chike, the mad man, suddenly sprang up and grabbed the microphone.
“Today na today!” Chike announced. “All of una wey dey do bad thing, God go catch una!”
The church members gasped and murmured amongst themselves. “E be like say this man sabi wetin he dey talk o,” Mr. Ade, the church treasurer, whispered to his wife.
Chike continued his impromptu sermon. “Dem think say dem fit hide from God? Lai lai! God dey see una!”
Pastor Bayo, seeing an opportunity, decided to take control of the situation. “Amen, brother! Truly, God sees all things. Please, let us pray together for deliverance,” he said, trying to gently take the microphone from Chike.
But Chike was on a roll. “Pastor, make we pray o! But first, where my own offering basket?” he asked, looking around expectantly.
The congregation burst into laughter. “This mad man no serious,” someone shouted from the back.
“Na offering basket him dey find now!” another person laughed.
Seeing the humor in the situation, Pastor Bayo decided to play along. “Okay, brother Chike, we will find you an offering basket. But first, let us pray for you.”
As the church settled down, Pastor Bayo led a heartfelt prayer for Chike. The congregation, now amused and curious, joined in with enthusiasm. Chike, for his part, closed his eyes and muttered his own prayers, occasionally shouting out “Hallelujah!” and “Amen!”
After the prayer, Pastor Bayo asked the ushers to find Chike a seat at the front. “Brother Chike, you are welcome here anytime,” he said kindly. Chike beamed and nodded vigorously.
The rest of the service continued without incident, but the story of Chike’s dramatic entrance spread like wildfire. By the time the service ended, the entire neighborhood knew about the mad man who had stormed the church.
“Tunde, this one no be ordinary Sunday o,” Emeka said to his friend as they walked home. “True talk,” Tunde replied, shaking his head. “Na only for Lagos you go see this kind thing.”
That night, as Chike lay down on the new mattress someone had given him, he whispered, “Thank you, God, for today.” He might have been mad, but he knew how to make an entrance—and he had certainly found a place in the hearts of the Divine Grace Church congregation.
From that day on, Chike became a regular at the church. Every Sunday, he would sit in the front row, dressed in clothes donated by the kind church members. And every Sunday, he would shout “Hallelujah!” with even more enthusiasm, making everyone smile.