Re: The Sultan, the Cardina, and a vote on NIREC
At fourteen, NIREC has failed to lay the foundation for sustainable peace and religious harmony among its members and their followers. The Sultan and the Cardinal appeared not to be tired but have rather revived the machinery for peaceful coexistence by initiating a mini interfaith conference ahead of the general elections in the year 2015. […]
At fourteen, NIREC has failed to lay the foundation for sustainable peace and religious harmony among its members and their followers. The Sultan and the Cardinal appeared not to be tired but have rather revived the machinery for peaceful coexistence by initiating a mini interfaith conference ahead of the general elections in the year 2015. We thank God for this bold move which is timely in our attempt to build a just and equitable Nigeria.
For the purpose of this rejoinder, let us assume that the Federal Government of Nigeria in 1999 had a correct diagnosis of Nigeria’s problem; that is, absence of “peace”. Let us also assume that a problem may have a unique, multiple or no solutions. Let us further assume that in the Nigerian case, there exists a unique optimum solution. The question to ask is where lies the solution to the Nigeria’s problem?
The most unfortunate thing for Nigeria is the fact that peace is not a commodity to be bought in the goods market. It can also not be found in arrangements or institutions built on falsehood and deceit. No man or institution of man, not even the United Nations, can give peace. It has not been recorded in history that man, religion or institutions and government organized by man ever gave peace. Do not forget that the history of man has been the history of misfortune, oppression, deprivation, misery, woes and what have you. This shows that peace cannot be earthly but has its origin in the heavens.
Peace simply put is God. And God is peace. If Nigeria desires peace, we must go beyond NIREC and the organization of interfaith conferences. This is because no man or government in history has been the custodian of peace, not even the powerful pharaoh or the powerful King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, was able to give peace. Furthermore, no religion had ever been known with sustainable peace since Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden of Eden.
Communal society, slavery society, feudal society, even democracy are not known to have sustainable peace. Peace eluded man since our first parents Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden.
There is a wise saying that ‘when a woman delivers in the market place, there is no need to ask her to close her legs’.
In conclusion it is obvious that politicians, traditional rulers, and religious leaders who by implication are the cause of our current woes and miseries turn around to provide solution. What NIREC failed to achieve for these 14 years will definitely be possible. Forget about your ego, religion, tribe, position, arrogance and seek His face so that it may be well with Nigeria.
Professor David Irefin, Department of Economics, Federal University Lokoja, Kogi State. <[email protected]>