IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH.

1.0 IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH

I spent the year 2003 in the valley of the shadow of death, literarily at the jaw of the grave. It was a year that the Yoruba will name Odunbaku (the year I should have died); a year I took drugs more than five times the quantity I had taken in my earlier 40 years on earth. It was a year I spent the greater part either infirmed or visiting hospitals. GLORY to God, the grave did not consume me, HE DID NOT ALLOW DEATH TO SWALLOW ME UP IN VICTORY. As He did concerning Job, he forbad Satan from touching my life, even though he was permitted to sore afflict me.

2.0 THE GENESIS

The immediate genesis to the present attack could be traced to the decision in 1996 by some us in my father's house to change our name from FALOBI (meaning born of Ifa, the Yoruba god of divination), to BABALOBI (meaning born of the heavenly Father). Although four out of us five males took the decision after a night vigil, the two younger ones backed out later after family pressures. The first to be attacked spiritual was my immediate younger brother who stood with me in the decision. His health was severely attacked and his career truncated. Ultimately, God gave him the victory. That was a few years ago.

The build up to mine obviously began a few years ago. From 2000, certain physical and spiritual symptoms pointed to a gradual build up. During this period, an attack on my car after a missions trips, armed robbery attack at home, drugged and robbed in a night bus while on my way to Calabar to give a missions talk, an accident at another time I was on way to Calabar to give an orientation on missions research were all indicative of a build up. I lost three precious bibles and nearly N2000000.00 to robbers and wasters during this time. These were but prelude to the satanic "operation octopus " which the satanic network unleashed on me this year (During Nigeria's recent intervention in Liberia, the then rebel leader Charles Taylor, spent months in buildup of a network of well armed and equipped rebel forces and suddenly swooped on the Nigeria forces in an operation codenamed Operation Octopus. Over eight hundred Nigeria soldiers were reportedly killed, even though the Nigerian forces successfully held out against the rebel forces).

3.0 PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS

The affliction began as numbness of the lower left lip late in 1999. This was initially thought to be dental and dental attention was sought over the years. However by late last year, headache on the left side of the head and insomnia/sleeplessness set in. This were thought to be due to domestic stress and office work, especially as I have never taken a leave (save for public holidays since I graduated in 1985) Later poor sight of the left eye and pain/discomfort in the left ear set in. The ophthalmologists and Ear-Nose-and throat specialist were consulted and intervened.

By April, my jaws became stiff and difficult to open. I developed serious facial pains, sleeplessness (especially between 12.00 and 5.00 a.m.) and lack of appetite. Gradually, I lost up to 25kgs weight. The initial diagnosis of Trigeminal Nerve Neuralgia of the left face by the dentists did not respond to prolonged therapy. By July ending, I was near the end of the ropes physically. Depression of my left occipital muscle set in. Then the neurologists came in and changed medication. This provided remarkable relief until physiotherapy lead to loss of normal functioning of my left eye. A computerized tomagraphy (CT) scan was called for which revealed a melanoma, a growth in the left medial fossa. The neurosurgeons came in and I was placed on Steroids and asked o conduct a series of test preparatory to surgery.

A routine HIV/AIDS screening first turned out to be reactive. However further confirmatory HIV/AIDS test turned out negative. By this time the generalized pains have now limited to an area around the left ear. Excessive internal sinus fluid secretions caused a lot of discomfort, including that of the left eye. For virtually the whole of the year, I dared not lie down to sleep. My bed and mattress were on holiday, in fact were removed from my room to create space for the armchair that became my sleeping mat. The little sleep I had was snatched sitting up in a chair. A second CT in December...

4.0 SPIRITUAL SYMPTOMS

More significant and important were the spiritual manifestations. The first insight to the nature of the attack was a dream I had around 12.00 midnight on one of the sleepless nights. In the dream, I was directed by some relatives I had gone out visiting, to the home of the head of the hunters in my hometown to ask for permission to return to my father’s house after midnight met me outside visiting them. Now it is known that hunters were priests and worshippers of the Ogun deity in Yoruba land. My grandfather was the headhunter in my hometown and all his children, including my late father, had one name or the other venerating the Ogun deity.

Obvious from this dream was the facts that some of my relatives wanted me to defer to the gods of my nativity (hometown), wanted me to approach the gods of my father’s to receive permission to sleep after midnight! Much later, after much prayers and warfare have been undertaken by brethren, I had another dream in which the head hunter approached me and begged that I stopped people from sending fire upon their heads since they have decided to leave me alone. However another group led by a woman disagreed with him, saying it was fight to finish. A subsequent vision to a minister in Lagos identified the women as priestesses of the local marine god of my village, the Okun (sea) goddess for which our street in the village is named after.

Other visions and revelations showed specific members of my immediate extended family involved in household wickedness against me (Micah 7:6, Matthew 10:36). Also the wasting of the muscles of my left face was attributed to the activities of eater of flesh and drinkers of blood (Psalm 27:2, Isaiah 49:26) practicing witchcraft. Thus the source of the affliction was fourfold - a network of the gods of my father, the idols of my native town, household enemies/wickedness and sheer witchcraft attack.

5.0 THE ENIGMA OF THE AFFLICTED FOWL

Late in January when the affliction was just developing, I got a gift of seven day-old cockerels. My wife was later to tell me that one of them was not eating/growing well because the jaws were mal-positioned. One day around June/July after another night of sleeplessness, I was meditating around 5.00 am when the Holy Spirit directed to take a look at the sick fowl. He told me that the afflictions that I will notice on the left side of the face of the fowl were meant for me. A subsequent look at the fowl showed that the whole of the left face, including the skull, the ear, the eye and the jaw were all smashed in and were useless. By that time I had not have the post-physiotherapy eye problems.
Certainly God had stilled the hands of the enemy and devourer, limiting his affliction. A further insight into the dimension of the enemies attack on my body and ministry was given when a number of co-minister friends came to pray with me one day. As one of them deduced the enemy intended to destroy my brain, the seat of knowledge and understanding, the ear from where I hear from the Lord, the eye for spiritual insight and vision and the jaw from speaking, declaration and ministration. Clearly, a comprehensive and strategic attack on my being and ministry was planned from the pit of hell.

6.0 THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE BRETHREN

One of the greatest experiences during my affliction was the love, care and prayerful support of the church. Many brethren I never knew of, from all over the country and beyond raised intense spiritual warfare on my behalf. Students, friends and colleagues of my wife and I, partners and members of our ministries and churches, Christian relatives and neighbors visited or raised sustained prayer backing. A group of Wailing Women embarked on a seven-day prayer and fasting period. One of my students staying wit a veteran campus Christian professor took the prayer home and every day for months prayers were said. Words of counsel and encouragement came from the two Christian yahoo groups I moderate – the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Some concerned brethren and family members brought their pastors home to minister to me (or took me to the ministers for prayers). Thus we had ministers from the Chapel of Missions/Christian Missionary Foundation CMF Ibadan, Living Spring Chapel, Gospel Faith Mission, Gethsemane Prayer Ministry, some Christ Apostolic Churches, Mountain of Fire and Miracle MFM, God-Will-Do-it Ministry, Glory Tabernacle, Anglican Churches among others. Some friends in the Catholic Church assured me that they were praying with their rosary for me! I also had to politely decline some invitation to obvious white garment ministration.

Apart from these, Christian leaders and friends such as Reverend Moses Aransiola, Yemi Ayodele, Obed Egbugara, Pastor Emmanuel Kure and Dr Oyor prayed for me at one time or the other. What came clearly to me was the rich diversity of gifts, calling and anointing available within the body of Christ. Indeed no group has the monopoly of God’s treasures but they are liberally distributed across the body. Some may be more relevant than others at one time or the other. In my experience, I found the prayers and teaching in the books of Dr Olukoya of the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministry most helpful and relevant to the situation I faced.

7.0 BITTERSWEET EXPERIENCES

The period was a bittersweet experience for me. Of course the pains, anorexia, sleeplessness, discomfort and strain were severe and unbearable but for the grace of God. Then the endless visits to hospitals in four towns for tests and consultations – at times frustrating wait to see doctors and the cost. Painful also was the fact that I could not attend my Dad’s funeral, which fell through the period of the ill health.

The sweet experience begins with the overwhelming love, concern and prayers of the brethren. But the most important experience for me was the realms of spiritual warfare that I was opportune to be involved with. Also His words in the scriptures can alive in my case. I could now identify with the experience of Job, and understand the frame of mind in which the Psalmist wrote. Such Psalm like chapter 3, 10, 18, 35, 56 and 59 among countless others became practical relevant experience. Also I am now able to write and teach by His grace not only from intuition and inspiration, but also from practical experience!

8.0 LESSONS

Every Christian, especially in the black world must deliberately and purposefully address the fourfold source of affliction I faced viz.

1. The network of the gods of thy father,
2. The idols of thy native town,
3. Household wickedness i.e. the members of your family which had aligned themselves with Satan to be enemies to afflict us (Micah 7:6, Matthew 10:36).
4. Sheer witchcraft attack from within and without (Psalm 27:2, Isaiah 49:26).

Otherwise, they will either limit our lives/ ministry or truncate it at one time or the other. The devil is a patient adversary, stalking and waiting for opportune time to strike at those who dwell in safety (Psalm 10:8). …But upon Mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. (Obadiah 17) Amen.