Sooner or later, every man will stand still before eternity. No power, no wealth, no influence will negotiate with death. An old Igala song whispers this unchanging truth: “Olai du ki d’ille i ijome ukwu, me na che ye ye ku’ ugwu d’ogba awa”—translated, “Every life on earth owes death debt; everyone should take it easy because death is still coming ahead.” That day will come, whether you are ready or not. Hebrews 9:27 is blunt: “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” You cannot postpone that appointment.
Where is our former president today? In 2019, when I lost my job under the Falcon Eye Project of the Nigerian Navy, the news was rife that President Muhammadu Buhari was frustrating the release of funds because of an old feud with the Dansuki family. Many of us were laid off. I was angry, yet I still respected and love him as my president. But today, the same man who value the oza room, ruled with authority, sat and walked his beautiful garden for fresh air, lies breathless under that same garden soil. Ecclesiastes 12:7 whispers the inevitable: “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” Death has silenced him, and one day it will silence you and me.
This is not fearmongering; it is truth. Bishop David Oyedepo once said, “The greatest tragedy in life is not death but to live and die without Christ.” Apostle Johnson Suleman warned recently, “You can escape poverty, you can escape sickness, but you can never escape death. The only escape from eternal damnation is to make peace with Christ now.” Bishop David Abioye added, “Those who live only for themselves will lose themselves; only those who live for Christ will live forever.” Their voices are urgent because time is short.
Even prophetic voices across nations are sounding the same alarm. Cindy Jacobs declared, “The shaking you see in politics, economies, and governments is just the beginning. The King is returning, and those unprepared will be swept away.” Kenneth Copeland’s words are piercing: “Eternity is just one breath away; heaven is prepared here on earth, not after you die.” Bishop Thomas Aremu’s statement is blunt but true: “A man without Christ is simply a decorated coffin—beautiful on the outside, rotten on the inside.”
And isn’t it true? The Igala elders had no Bible, yet they understood mortality deeply. “Every human being owes death,” they sang. Yet most of us live like immortals, clutching titles and treasures as if they could buy eternity. But Jesus was clear in John 3:3: “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Church attendance won’t save you. Morality won’t save you. Only Christ can.
What does it mean to be born again? It is not religion. It is a surrender—acknowledging your sins, repenting, and receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. Acts 3:19 pleads, “Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.” This is not an optional suggestion; it is the only way to escape eternal separation from God. As Bishop Abioye once said, “Procrastination has sent more people to hell than sin itself. They thought they had more time.”
The urgency is personal for me. Losing my job in 2019 seemed like a great loss, but now it feels like dust compared to the weight of eternity. The ex-president’s wealth and power could not delay death, and neither can yours. James 4:14 asks us soberly: “What is your life? It is even a vapour, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.” If tomorrow is not promised, why gamble with your soul today?
Beloved, this is your moment. Jesus is calling: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). You can be born again now—yes, now. Confess your sins. Believe that Jesus died and rose for you. Invite Him into your heart. Salvation is not complicated, but it is urgent.
The Igala song was right—death is coming ahead for all of us. But you can choose what waits on the other side. Christ promises, “I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). Be born again today. Eternity is a choice—choose Christ now, because sooner or later, you will face this day.
– Inah Boniface Ocholi writes from Ayah – Igalamela/Odolu LGA, Kogi state.
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