Thousands of South Sudanese and Malawians broke the wire fence and forced their way into Juba International Airport in South Sudan on Tuesday evening to get up close to South Africa-based Malawian Prophet Shepherd Bushiri of the Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG), who is on a State visit to the country.
Bushiri, fondly addressed as Major 1 or Papa by his followers, was welcomed at the airport by a team of senior South Sudan Government officials led by Vice President Dr James Wani Igga, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Agriculture, and the Speaker of Parliament.
State security officers struggled to protect the Prophet from the raging and thunderous masses who trooped in shouting “Major One! Major One! Major!”
Malawi flags flew around the skies of South Sudan amid different dances displayed at Juba Airpot as if the welcome of a prince returning to take over the throne.
Prophet Bushiri landed in the country at the invitation of South Sudan President Savir Kiev, who is courting him to invest in the country’s booming mining, and agriculture sector.
The prosperous preacher Bushiri already has investments in oil and agriculture in South Sudan.
Top level talks
And on Tuesday night Prophet Bushiri held investments meetings with the Vice President, the Minister of Finance, of Mining, and the Governor of South Sudan’s Reserve Bank.
In the meeting, South Sudanese officials sold, in well-prepared documents, all key areas of investments in their country with a quest of courting the Prophet’s hand.
In his speech, the Vice President appealed to Prophet Bushiri to consider their country as top priority, because “South Sudan is a giant awakening.”
“We are reorganizing our economy and we are courting a number of key people. In Africa, your name, beside being a respected man of God, also resonates huge as an investor.
“We are moved by how much you have grown your bussinesses in a few years and, because you are already here, we should take advantage of you,” he said.
The soft spoken and youthful Prophet Bushiri, hailed the wonderful gesture of the South Sudan Government and its people as one of the kind.
He said he feels so good to be recognised as such, because somehow it appears people don’t appreciate what he has achieved in the past years.
“It is phenomenal that there are still nations and governments out there that appreciate what we do, and want us to help. As I say always, those who want help, our doors will always be open,” he said.
Bushiri in Parliament
On Wednesday November 8, Prophet Bushiri will address South Sudan Parliament before proceeding to a crusade to be held at Juba International Stadium.
The President has ordered that the service be aired live both of the national television and radio.
Asked why Prophet Bushiri is getting such a grand stately reception in South Sudan, Prophwt Bushiri’s Communications Director Ephraim Nyondo, told our sister newspaper Nyasatimes forum Juba that the Prophet has always been a great friend of this African great and youngest nation.
“South Sudan has gone through a terrible period of instability and war. Few people dare to stand with it in investments.
“However, Prophet Bushiri defied these odds and has helped the country a lot, both in terms of helping it access loans and also making personal investments.
“He has been behind key investments in South Sudan in areas of infrastructure, education, extractive industry and recently energy,” he said.
The trip to South Sudan comes hot on the heals of the much-publicised meeting he held on Saturday at his Sparkling Waters Hotel and Spa in Rustenburg, South Africa, when he led Malawians in special prayers for his native country Malawi, urging mindset change to achieve positive transformation.
