When I heard the song AZONTO playing, I thought I was in the wrong place. I looked up to make sure I was entering a church not a party hall, I still read the signpost to assure myself. I was welcomed to church by a very beautiful lady- she looked very beautiful and her skirt was not too long. She had a nice welcoming smile, she ushered me into my seat. It was praises and worship session and it wasn’t AZONTO they were singing, it was JESUS O… It was the same rhythm, beat with the popular AZONTO, but the difference was the lyrics.
There was excitement in the air, but there was no fulfillment… there was happiness in the atmosphere but not joy, people were dancing, but not praising God. Deep in my heart, I had always desired to sing and dance to this azonto, but since am a church-boy and an exco too, I couldn’t. But right now, I had every right, am in church and My Pastor was even dancing to the beat. I joined. I saw Jane shaking her body frantically- the same way she did in our fresher’s orientation party when guys crowded her (I heard the gist) but right now, she was singing in the choir but I can tell you that most eyes were on her. Then came Bola, she moved up the stage in a quick moonwalk motion (popularly used by the late Michael Jackson in breakdance), she walked in a circular arc….I really enjoyed myself. We were almost sweating under the A.C. as we sat down.
Someone was called for her testimony. Her voice wasn’t so beautiful. Her voice cracked at intervals but her music wasn’t distorted by it. She sang the ‘old’ song- old rugged cross, as I listened, tears rolled down my cheeks. The atmosphere was electrified. The Pastor did not need to announce the usual “God’s presence is here” before I knew it- we all knew it. As she continued singing, my sins rolled past my mind. Even though I had been in church for years, I knew I had many things to change about my personal walk, I wasn’t growing, I was stagnant. I just laid my head down to say a little prayer to Jesus.
The church is getting worldly and the world is getting churchly.- Uzochukwu Okpala
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