If there is one problem that plagues many people in Nigeria and beyond today, it is lack of money. This is caused by the lack of knowledge of where and how to get it. Therefore, the publication of this text entitled “Where the money hides”, written by Reverend Elekima Ekine, Resident Pastor of Christ Chapel International Churches, Ashi, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, is timely. Ekine is an authority on the application of biblical principles to financial management.

He says that without money, destinies will remain unfulfilled. This author affirms that until you overcome the commitment of money, you will not be released to the fullness that God has for you. Ekine says that we all need money to be relevant and have a significant impact on life, hence the need to talk about money. He reveals that people have different perspectives on the sources of obtaining money and how to attract wealth.

Therefore, Ekin quotes Isaiah 45:3 thus: “…And I will give you the treasures of darkness, and the hidden riches of secret places, so that you may know that I, the LORD, who call you by your name, I am the God of Israel.” This author claims that this implies that money is hiding in secret and unexpected places and therefore the purpose of this book is to help you discover where money is hiding using practical applications.

Regarding the structure, this text is segmented into 11 chapters. Chapter one is titled “Money Hides in Relationships.” In Ekine’s words here, “The first clue to the stash of money is our definition: a neutral instrument of exchange agreed upon by two people. I want you to take note of the phrase, ‘agreed upon by two people.’ When you start talking about agreement between two or more people, you are talking about a relationship”.

He cites this Chinese proverb to amplify his point: “If you want a year of prosperity, grow grains; if you want ten years of prosperity, grow trees; but if you want a hundred years of prosperity, then grow people.” This author adds that the amount of money you have within your reach is not defined by what is in your bank account but by the network of relationships you have built. He predicates this claim on the fact that if you need money but lack the network of relationships that can help you get it, you may not be able to meet your financial needs.

Chapter two is based on the theme of money hidden in needs, problems and desires. Here, this author says that money hides in people because where people are, there are needs, problems and desires. He extends that where there are needs, problems and desires, there is no shortage of opportunities to earn money since money comes when you can find solutions to the identified problems. Ekine reports that today we have a telephone because his idea came from a man who wanted to provide a solution to the needs of his sister who had a hearing problem. Man made something like a hearing aid and it eventually evolved into the phone we have today. This author differentiates between problems and needs of people. According to him, “for example, someone’s toothache is the dentist’s chance to find money. That’s not a need, it’s a problem. All you need to do is identify the problems around you, find solutions and let people know you have the answer. to their problems.”

Educate that the next thing to problems and needs is desire. Ekine states that wants are not necessarily needs and may or may not be problems. This author says: “For example, to travel by plane, you don’t have to go first class, so going first class is a desire to make a statement. Therefore, people pay more for their wishes. In other words, there is more money in meeting people’s wants than meeting needs… If you want to find more money than you have been making to meet people’s needs and solve their problems, then start responding to the wishes of the people.

Chapter three is baptized as “Money are ideas.” Here, Ekine educates that in order to locate money in people’s problems, needs and desires, ideas are needed. Ideas, according to this author, turn problems, needs and desires into opportunities to make money. “That is why it is said that people with ideas rule the world… Money lives in ideas”, explains this author.

In chapters four through seven, Ekine analytically discusses such concepts as money lurking in vision; money hides at work; money hides in skills and money hides in waste.

Chapter eight focuses on the theme of money hidden in time. Ekine says that money hides in time and that the amount of time you locate in time depends on the amount of time under your control. He teaches that whoever controls your time controls how much money you make.

In chapters 9 through 11, Ekine casts his intellectual spotlight on the concepts of money hidden in his seed, money hidden in his employees, and money hidden in God.

Stylistically, this text is on the top rung of the ladder. For example, the language is simple and the presentation of the topic is very didactic. These are expected, given the author’s experience as a pastor who knows the importance of simplicity of language and detailed illustrations for effective communication and understanding. Ekine employs biblical allusions generously for conceptual reinforcement and credibility to his overall theme. This author deliberately repeats the main clause “The money hides”, in all 11 chapters, as a constant reminder of the responses to suspense and anticipation created by the title of the book.

In addition, the title of the text evokes an image and personifies money as if it were a human being that could hide. The text cover design exudes great aesthetic appeal and the (interior) layout is very pleasing to the eye. Ekine employs graphic embroidery for visual reinforcement of readers’ understanding. Includes the Golden Nuggets section at the end of each chapter to provide important points for readers. It is said in textual criticism that no book is perfect. This text is no exception either. On page xiv, “…different perspective” is used instead of “…different perspectives”. Another minor punctuation error is “…people problems” (page 43), instead of people problems”.

Generally, this highly creative intellectual work is a reservoir of rare financial knowledge, as it conveys the interface between biblical principles and financial education. It’s a must read and the advice should apply to anyone ready to break free from the chains of financial scarcity. it’s revealing