short&sharp – On Uwais report we stand

The statement made by INEC Director of Vote and Civic Education, Alhaji Ibrahim Biu, calls for concern. In an interview in Hausa with Freedom Radio, Kano on 11-12-2009, he expressed his doubt over the conduct of credible elections in 2011 if the political class fails to change their attitude. He listed violence, intimidation, electoral mal-practices […]

The statement made by INEC Director of Vote and Civic Education, Alhaji Ibrahim Biu, calls for concern. In an interview in Hausa with Freedom Radio, Kano on 11-12-2009, he expressed his doubt over the conduct of credible elections in 2011 if the political class fails to change their attitude.

He listed violence, intimidation, electoral mal-practices as some of the ills militating against the attainment of sustainable democratic practice in the country and unless such vices are shunned by the political class, the hope of having free/fair election will be a mirage. We agree that there is the need for political office-seekers and other Nigerians to have a positive action toward election and not take it as a do-or-die affair.

But have we seen any remorse shown by those who made nonsense of the 2007 election? The answer is that politicians and some of the INEC officials still remain unrepentant judging by the conduct of re-run polls in some local government areas of Ekiti State, for example. As we head towards 2011 election, it is increasingly becoming clear that the Uwais report holds a lot of hope for us if truly implemented. Yar’adua, get well quick and be reminded that on Uwais report we stand.

Yusuf Muhammad, 180, Tsamiyar Boka, Hotoro, Kano, [email protected].

Tribute to Sheikh Abba Aji

From attending your tafsir for fun as a kid some 17 years ago to a time when I could fully understand your teachings, you had been a source of inspiration to me. As kids, we talked and looked forward to shaking your hands. We are really happy to see how passionately you smiled at us even though we were minors. Sheikh, we still look forward to joining you in aljanatul firdaus, Ameen.

Abubakar Kaka Sanda, College of Medical Science, University of Maiduguri.

“Man of God” and commercial anointing

Abominations are constantly committed by many of those who claim to have been called by God. All these may be seen as serving God and mammon (money) at the same time, but using God’s name. We see today that every church seeks its own General Overseer or Bishop or Archbishop in all manners of ways.

We have read of some church leaders consulting with various fetish men of oracles for powers; we have read of church owners accusing one another of having received powers from native doctors and shrines, and recently, a mad man claiming he gives power to some of the so-called church owners and leaders. As this could be misleading, some Christians that seek God in worship are confused and in the process withdraw to their shelves and trusting only in the Holy Book and praying privately in their homes.

These categories of church leaders have continued to showcase headship of their churches, whereas Jesus Christ is supposed to be the head of all churches. I read in the Daily Sun newspaper of Tuesday, 10-11-2009, page 19 an interview granted by former military governor of Ogun and Rivers states, retired Group Captain Sam Ewang, while referring to such church leaders, he said: “If they are not confused, somebody who calls himself bishop, pastor, reverend will not leave the church altar to go and anoint a person in a shrine. Is that not confusion? Which God did he anoint him for – the God of Asan Ibibio (Ibibio shrine)?”

Invariably, Ewang was referring to the various anointing of Governor Akpabio for second term by the newly-consecrated Bishop Cletus Bassey and owner of Destiny Tabernacle Church in Uyo who is said to be the head of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Akwa Ibom State.

This bishop had early in his church anointed the governor, which earned him gifts from the governor. Why go again to the traditional native shrine venue to conduct another anointing on the same person? That was overkill and to consider he is the state’s head of CAN could mean that almost all the church heads there are of the same tint.

Dr Segun Osobu, Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.