Brotherhood of the Cross and Star

Brotherhood of the Cross and Star (BCS) is a religious organization, and was
founded in 1956 by Leader Olumba Olumba Obu, in Calabar, Cross River State,
Nigeria. It differs from mainstream Christianity in that it maintains that BCS is not
a church but the new Kingdom of God on Earth and that its founder, Leader
Olumba Olumba Obu, is the Holy Spirit personified, the God of all creation; while
His first begotten Son His Holiness Olumba Olumba Obu is the returned Jesus
Christ. BCS incorporates into Christian teaching ideas of Incarnation, Decarnation,
reincarnation and traditional African religions. In the 1990s it was a millenarian
religion.
Beliefs

Central belief: Love towards other men.

God: God is biospiritually interconnected with all things in nature, is male and
female, and good and evil.

Jesus: Jesus did not have time to fully communicate his beliefs before crucifixion,
and Obu’s role has been to explain, expand upon and add to his teaching. This is
why a part of Brotherhood teaching has no counterpart in either the Old or the
New Testament. His son, Rowland, continues to add to the teachings. BCS
followers suggest that Obu’s achievements have been superior to that of Jesus.

Reincarnation: Because of a belief in the transmigration of souls between humans

and animals, BCS members practice vegetarianism and veganism. (They are also
teetotal.)

Medicine: The BCS website expressly says that “BCS do not believe in medicine of
any form”.

Olumba Olumba Obu: In official BCS literature, it is suggested that Obu has the
attributes of God, although Obu has gone on record as saying "I am not Jesus
Christ or God.". BCS believes that calamity will come if the world does not
worship Obu as God.
Olumba Olumba Obu
Obu was born in 1918 in Biakpan, a village in Biase Local Government Area in
Cross River State, South south Nigeria. There are various stories about his early
life told by the Brotherhood, and how he performed miracles right from birth. He
performed his first miracle when he was just 3 days old. A blind woman who went
to carry him received her sight. He later grew up performing more spectacular
miracles. This made people to accuse him of being possessed of evil spirit. The
BCS sect was officially founded by Obu in 1956. The leader teaches that the sect,
the " Brotherhood" which means love and unity was founded spiritually by God
himself in the Garden of Eden during creation. Obu's teachings revolves around
love and the BCS members are well known for going bare footed in their sparkling
white robes. In the year 2000, Obu crowned his Son then Rowland as the
administrative and spiritual head of the sect. Rowland's name was changed to His
Holiness Olumba Olumba Obu. He has since led the sect with love as the motto.
Choristers of the BCS are known for singing melodiously without drums and
instruments to the delight of listeners.

Olumba Olumba Obu (son)

Great Leader Olumba Olumba Obu's first son, previously known as Rowland, now
teaches in the place of his father. He is in charge of all activities in the sect.
Members honour and respect him. His reign has brought about great
development in the Kingdom like the establishment of the Starcross TV for wider
evangelical coverage and schools for orphans. BCS now call him His Holiness
Olumba Olumba Obu,"King of Kings and the Lord of Lords".

Millenarianism
In the 1990s BCS through their Spiritual Leader Olumba Olumba Obu said that
something spectacular and unprecedented will occur in the year 2000 and that
members of the fold should eschew evil, but should embrace love. He publicly
declared that the 3 days darkness that was predicted by many religious leaders
will not hold. These teachings of Obu was misunderstood by many. They thought
that he was referring to the apocalypse. It is now understood by BCS members as
having been a Spiritual statement indicating the unconditional reign and rulership
of his Son Rowland Obu who took over from Obu that same year.
National politics
BCS is not politically inclined, but her members are involved in Nigerian politics.
Their spiritual leader His Holiness Olumba Olumba Obu is renowned for making
powerful declarations and predictions about Nigerian politics. Many political
candidates usually go to the spiritual leader for blessings. They do this amidst
heavy donations to the religious sect. In 2015 just before the general elections,
His Holiness Olumba Olumba Obu predicted during one of their services that the
PDP will lose the presidential seat. It came to pass. His most recent notable
prediction is the statement he made that president Muhammadu Buhari will not
die while on the seat of power. He made this statement during period when the
President was critically ill. By this time many Nigerians speculated that he will die
while some said that he was dead already. Obu also declared that Nigeria can
never be divided. In April 2019 the BCS bethel in Ghana embarked on a mediatory
procession to pray for peace in the country's elections the following year. The
congregation in Ghana was joined by delegates from Nigeria, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire,
Liberia, Sierra Leone, USA, Uganda and the UK. The march went through some
principal streets in the city of Accra and ended at the Independence Square where
prayers for peace were offered.

International aspirations
BCS has bethels (churches) in several countries other than Nigeria, and has
recently formed a “Government”, sending ambassadors to different countries.
The BCS also has a cable TV station, Called "Starcross TV".