2016: Between God and Man
As 2016 winds down our two main religions recently celebrated landmark events. To the casual observer, the large turnout in Mosques and Churches during the Moslem and Christian holidays makes it difficult to fathom why in spite of all this prayer-fullness we are unable to solve our most basic problems. President Muhamadu Buhari (PMB) upon […]
As 2016 winds down our two main religions recently celebrated landmark events. To the casual observer, the large turnout in Mosques and Churches during the Moslem and Christian holidays makes it difficult to fathom why in spite of all this prayer-fullness we are unable to solve our most basic problems. President Muhamadu Buhari (PMB) upon whose shoulders many Nigerians placed their hopes, increasingly appears both overwhelmed by the burdens of office and tired. In truth, his constant travelling to even the most insignificant of overseas gatherings would tire a man half his age. In addition, despite taking so long to set up a team of trusted lieutenants there is an undoubted malfeasance and incompetence within the inner workings of his government. As a result, there is talk of a new “Mega-Party” coming to solve our problems.
All this talk is simply to pave way for the political ambitions of yesterday’s men. One of yesterday’s men former president Goodluck Jonathan is exhibiting signs of extreme self-delusion. His claim that Nigerians are yearning for him to return indicates he has conveniently forgotten that his abysmal record led to the election of Buhari. He is well advised to continue spending his convincing other failed and rejected leaders like himself to quit office unceremoniously.
In 2016 Nigeria found itself trapped in self-inflicted tragedies caused by poor leadership and ungodliness. Examples of both abound. Governor Nyesome Wike of Rivers State presides over a once vibrant area where general insecurity and political killings are now the order of the day. Not known for refined language nor for expressing statesman-like opinions Wike is further stoking passions by claiming “it is very clear there will be no election in 2019”. Senators who perpetually cover up fraud and corrupt practices in their ranks are calling upon the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to resign over inappropriate allocation of funds meant for relief of suffering in the north-east. In Kaduna State, Governor El-Rufai is so busy fighting political opponents that he finds little time to secure lives and property thereby turning the place into a new killing field. Perhaps Delta State is the prime example of crass and immoral leadership. In spite of the fact that pensioners who served the state meritorious all their lives are being owed, Governor Okowa deemed it fit to pay former Governor James Ibori N250 million as “pension” while in prison despite the fact that he was jailed for defrauding the people of Delta State! Not surprisingly the law which “entitles” Ibori to the money was corruptly passed by Ibori himself. Nationwide the story of poor leadership is the same and whether it is Boko Haram. Niger Delta Militants, Indigenous Peoples of Biafra or just the Super Falcons, Nigerians are only reacting to perceived injustice.
Tragically the extent of rot in the judiciary signifies that they are no longer the hope of the common man. The Acting Chief Justice of the Nigeria (CJN) deludes himself that the judiciary still has some credibility. Speaking at the end-of-year conference of Justices of the Appeal Court he asked us all not to lose hope. Having failed to either ensure speedy dispensation of justice, or erode corruption in their ranks there is really little reason for any hope. In hopelessness Nigerians have perfected the art of saying “God dey” or “Na only God go save us”, whereas in truth Nations where unrighteousness is the order of the day never prosper.
When the famous (notorious?) Pastor TB Joshua who claims to predict the future failed to foresee the tragic collapse of his building which led to the illegal deaths of so many, it came to light that he had refused to obey stop work orders issued by the relevant planning authorities. When the Reigners Bible Church collapsed in Uyo it also came to light that a stop work order had been issued and was also ignored. Increasingly religious leaders in Nigeria teach that it’s not necessary to obey the laws of man. This isn’t limited to Christians. In Adamawa and other areas in the north teenage Moslem girls are blowing themselves up in a mistaken belief that such illegalities will help further the cause of whatever they believe in. It’s trite that self-righteousness leads to unrighteousness.
Making other people suffer in order to ensure you get what you want in life is simply un-godly. In the good old days when Nigerians invoked God’s name you knew they were telling the truth. Nowadays there are many who believe that if they lie or steal successfully then “God” has served them well! They don’t seem to care that there can never be societal progress in an atmosphere of un-godliness. In 2016 it became evident that evil and corruption have no tribe or political bias. All the stories which made the headlines were symptoms of the same decease. In 2017 it should be evident that the solutions to our problems don’t lie with political leaders, religious leaders, or ethnic associations but within each of us. Our problems are between God and Man.