The president of Nigeria: Dr. Ebele Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria {CAN} have announced a one year prayer period for Nigeria. But in all honesty and purposes, Nigeria nay Nigerians need prayers due to the multitude of sins abound in the country and because of some inexplicable things that have been taking place soon after Independence till date. At Independence Nigeria was thought to be a land of amazing grace and blessing based on her natural endowments, but alas! She is presently a land of despair and quandary.
First things first, it would be very nice and important for everyone to make public his or her prayer points for this clarion call. The reason is not far-fetched; most of the prayer points of some of my compatriots are ridiculous, infantile and annoying. For instance, most Christians in southern Nigeria believe that Lucifer usually observe sabbatical as from January 1st till August 31st only to move his operational headquarters and legion of demons to Shagamu-Ore-Benin road as from 1st September up to December 31st. This is not the time to bother God for “journey mercy” against Benin-Ore road ember month’s resident evil. Rather time has call for real prayer points that can turn things around for Nigerians. My prayer points are about the dreaded three Cs. The three Cs are Curse, Corruption and Crude-This crude is the prefix for crude oil.
Believe or not there is a CURSE hovering over the land and airspace called Nigeria. The source of the curse is not important at this point in time, what matter most is to find a way to destroy it and it is only God who can do that. CORRUPTION is so embedded in our heart, it akin to what king David wrote in Psalm 51 “…iniquity I was conceived and in sin I was wrought…”And my prayer point in this regard is for God in his infinite mercy and wisdom to grant us the courage to own up and then go ahead and legislate about it once and for all since all effort in the past and present to curb it have failed abysmally. CRUDE oil is another major headache of Nigeria; it is like a Greek-gift. That thick liquid formed under sedimentary rock over 150 million years ago by the decomposed bodies of Jurassic, sea animals and plankton has been our bone of contention since 1959. Nigeria successive governments management style in the hydrocarbon matters since independence has been that of “if you cannot convince them, then you confuse them”, according to Harry Truman.
The way I see it, if we cannot be good then there is no need pretending to be good. There is this city called Las Vegas, in Nevada State in the USA and it sobriquet is “Sin city”. This town is well known for Cabarets, Prostitution, Bookmaking, Sex shows, Easy marriage, and easy divorce. Theirs is just one-directional problem. Nigeria’s sin is Omni-directional; nevertheless. Jamaica is another good example, being a very tiny country in the Caribbean island; the country has carved a niche for herself in Reggae music and sport. Jamaica is nicknamed “YARD”. The Jamaicans are very proud of their weed; they smoke it with relish even though it is a banned substance. Peter Tosh, one of the prime movers of Roots Reggae music had released two tracks urging the Jamaica’s authority to legalize Marijuana in his native country of Jamaica. He made bold to say that when the grass in question is legalized, he will advertised it. He went ahead and branded himself Herb minister or Bush Doctor at least to let everyone know that he understand what he was talking about and like he predicted, surreptitiously though, Marijuana has become an international herb today. Most South American countries are known for illicit drug trade, the Italians top the chart for Mafia operations if we believe Mario Puzo’s works of Art, the Swiss and Caymans Island are safe havens for slush funds. Our film industry: Nollywood has been portraying us as people who are fetish, believing in voodooism, and practicing witchcraft. Time is nigh for us to change that perception. Corruption is a lesser evil compared to the ones Nollywood usually portrays; it is no use wasting time in correcting that bad impression. “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity…” Martin Luther King jr. had said.
. “All the public business now connects itself with intrigues, and there is great danger that the government will degenerate into the struggle of cabals”. John Quincy Adams, 6th U S president-1825-1829 had said. It has manifested already started in Nigeria. Those managing our hydrocarbon industry and Energy in Nigeria are dye-in-the-wool devil’s recruits and downright workers of iniquity. Kurt Vonnegat in his book “A Man Without A Country” wrote: “No matter how corrupt, greedy and heartless our government, our corporation, our media, our religious and charitable institutions may become, the music will still be wonderful”. And we all shall be dancing Etighi and Azzonto to the wonderful music.
The only and easy way out of this debacle is to legitimize Corruption so that every citizen of this great country will have his or her own chance under the sun to do what others before him did. Our law makers should make haste by setting in motion machinery to putting in place the enabling laws that will ensure the smooth take off of corruption sector, most especially when the principles of quota system and federal character are allowed to go the whole hog. This is the surest way to ensure that Millennium Development Goals {MDGs} are achieved at record time. But because of my compatriots penchant for treachery and the suspicion of they not abiding by the principle of honour among thieves, I will like the Transparency International {TI}, The United Nations {UN} and Amnesty International to serve as observers, these international bodies should bear in mind that corruption as presently practiced a serious crime against humanity, including children, women and the blind. When these laws become operational, every Nigerian will be enriched through built-in mechanism of the corruption industry and he or she will be able to go to South Africa, Ghana, Dubai, USA, Europe and India for holidays, shopping or medical tourism at will, since we currently see these places as being populated and governed by God’s holy Angels.
“We will have to repent in this generation, not because of the evil deed by the evildoers, but because of the appalling silence by the good people”-Martin Luther King Jr. This one concerns CAN and it leadership, they cannot say they are not aware of what has been happening in this country or that they are not conversant with stories and the roles played by Moses, Elijah and Daniel all in the old testament of the holy bible. Those who want to make profession out of goodness, must of necessity come to grief with people who not good. CAN and indeed the entire Christendom ought to know by now that all of us need to pray for Christianity itself because of what Capitalism is doing to it especially in Nigeria. It is a well known fact that Christianity started in the Middle East as a tradition. It moved to Greek and became a philosophy; it journeyed up to other parts of Europe as politics. When Christianity landed in the USA, it turned to business pure and simple. It therefore became a perfect blend of Pentecostalism and Capitalism and it became a major export to Nigeria hence; we now have temples of Mammon everywhere in the name churches in Nigeria. The maxim that “…we are in this world, but not of this world…” is jettisoned completely as talk only fit for Lazarus. Materialism is the hallmark of Christianity nowadays, General Overseers {GOs} and pastors now compete with Oscar Award nominees, Italian mafia godfathers or Columbian Drug barons in terms of fashion. Even the church buildings are built and festooned as though they are meant for the Grammy award night. The world ought to copy the church of God, but unfortunately the reverse is the case here. “While they promise them liberty, they themselves are servants of corruption: For of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage” 2 Peter 2:19.
In the final analysis, to round up my prayers, I have these words for those in charge of the affairs in this country. If we cannot change in this country, at least let us be wary transgressors according to James Hadley Chase. Instead of constantly enmeshing ourselves in the multitude of sin, we need to repent so that God will heal our land. “Must we continue in sin so that grace may abound? God forbids!” God has placed before our very eyes and gives us option to choose between life and death, let us choose life. He again show us tablet in which blessing and curse are written, let us go for blessing instead of picking the curse. Nevertheless, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he that is filthy; let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous; let him be righteous still; and he that is holy; let him be holy still. And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me. To give every man according as his work shall be” Revelation 22:11-12. And now! My earnest appeal to our political and religious leaders: “But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under your feet; tread softly because you tread on my dreams”. Williams B. Yeats.
Godwin Udobot can be reached via: Goddymus@gmail.com
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