`Servant of God` is ungodly to some

2007-06-10 09:47:14

By Guardian on Sunday Reporter, Same

A man of God who, like a magnet, attracted several people in need of spiritual nourishment to his base in northern Tanzania, was in reality an errand boy of Satan who specialized in ungodly adventurism, so some of his former followers claim.

But some devout followers of a man whose brand name was Nabii Elia, but was, officially, Gabriel Abraham Mchau Msangi, still hold his soul in high esteem: Religious sheep for whom the man who died eleven years ago was and remains a shepherd.

Elia operated from Ikongwe village in Kilimanjaro Region`s Same District from the early 70s, through the agency of a sect he formed and led The Tabernacle of Mount Zion, the Kiswahili version of which is Hema la Mlima wa Sayuni.

Some of his followers part of a congregation that swallowed the bait of sure entry into heaven that the ``prophet`` dangled have developed second thoughts and decided to spill the beans of his ``immorality``.

Particular focus is on Nabii Elia`s alleged obsession for female members of the sect who he allegedly slept and had children with.

Iviri and her sister Shangweli Elia Msangi revealed, via the media, that Nabii Elia abused them sexually, as well as several other female worshippers.

Iviri said she was forced to sleep with him at a tender age, adding that in some cases, he slept with both mothers and their daughters, the presumed reward being divine blessings.

The ``prophet``, she explained further, told the targets of his sex lust, that by sleeping with them, he was responding to orders from God, transmitted through dreams.

She added ``Although it was dreadful, painful and frustrating, the women yielded to the demands, assuming that he was truthful.

Iviri said the self-styled prophet summoned and had sex with any woman he fancied, as frequently as he wished.

Asked why she did not report Elia to the police while he was still alive and why she has broken her silence publicly eleven years after his death, she remarked:

``I couldn`t, but how I can.....we have been living fear, because of threats that whoever exposed the deeds of the `prophet` would incur the wrath of the god of Elia``.

He elder sister said the belated exposure was due to the fact that women lived in isolation and had no forum through which they could air their grievances. What`s more, she revealed, they toiled on fields for long hours.

One of the fiercest critics is Iviri Elia Msangi originally an ardent follower who claims that the deceased was essentially a conman who manipulated his followers.

He said many of Elia`s followers believed that he would resurrect three days after his death in 1966, as he had prophesied, but some subsequently developed doubts.

One of the exceptions is Augustine Ngaraba, the chief evangelist, who says Elia is essentially still alive and if he were to emerge from the grave, he would embrace him, the negative publicity notwithstanding.

Not many followers of the sect are willing or courageous to comment on the man they believe is their bridge with God.

His alleged sex maniacal tendencies, for instance, is a subject on which they declined to utter even a single sentence.
SOURCE: Sunday Observer

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