A Living God in Disguise - Colin Nelson; Linda W. Duddy

In Calabar, Nigeria on the river Biakpan (which means »City of the Son of God« in this context) lives an incarnation of God. His name is Star. Star is the Comforter. The Comforter is Olumba Olumba Obu.

Olumba Olumba Obu is the leader of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star whose headquarters are in Calabar (Cross River State), Nigeria. Branches of the group also exist in the US and the UK. The Brotherhood’s message is simple: »...Christ has come back with a new name in flesh and bone living in our midst today« (from the Brotherhood pamphlet, »The Supreme Leader of the Universe in 2001 Years«). That Christ, or Star, is the tenth incarnation of God, immediately succeeding the Hindu deity, Krishna. »The Star has come to rule the world’ (from »What is Star?«), beginning in the year 2001, when »all the different governments of the world will surrender their governments to our Lord Jesus Christ« (from »The Supreme Leader...«). To validate his followers’ claim that Obu is Christ incarnate, Brotherhood pamphlets such as »A Man Who Could Be a Living God in Disguise« print the testimonies of professionals from India, the US, and Nigeria who attest to Obu’s status as an incarnate deity, along with reports of alleged healings and miracles performed by Obu at Biakpan.

Olumba Olumba Obu is neither unique nor alone. Across the globe myriad charismatic men and women are collecting small (and sometimes significant) clusters of devotees who believe in their special brand of spirituality. Such leaders cleverly blend Eastern religious concepts with indigenous beliefs and Christianity. Obu’s syncretism allows him to be magnanimous in embracing both saint and sinner.

Brotherhood means brethren. Who are these brethren? They are the children of God. God is the Father of all things created, formed, or caused, those visible and invisible, animate and inanimate. Whether one is a thief, a liar, a juju priest, a pagan, such ones are still Brotherhood, for they were created by God. They are all God’s children, they are brethren making up Brotherhood« (from »The Origin of Brotherhood«).

--Colin Nelson (with L.W. Duddy)