Jesus wept. Yes, he did – upon the death of Lazarus – to affirm his humanity, and He subsequently raised him from the dead – to confirm his divinity. From his Nazareth nativity to his Bethlehem natality and Jerusalem crucifixion, the unmistakable halo that illuminated the messianic trajectory of Jesus was love. Though Jesus knew He would bring Lazarus back to life, the agony death inflicts on mankind moved Him to tears. Truly, love is Christ’s other name.
Christmas, the season of Jesus’ birth, is the biggest birthday festival on earth. It’s the season of love and forgiveness when God concretised Man’s ultimate redemption through the birth of His son Jesus, the Author, the Finisher, and Lord.
Aware of the limitations of mortality, Jesus urged Man to love his neighbour as himself, but He loved even his enemies more than Himself. Knowing the end from the beginning, Jesus could have sacked Judas Iscariot from his innermost circle of 12 Disciples. But He allowed the son of Simon Iscariot to remain the ‘keeper of the purse’ of his ministry despite the Betrayer showing an early sign of rebellion by accusing Lazarus’ sister, Mary, of wastefulness when she anointed Jesus’ feet with an expensive aromatic oil, whose worth was a worker’s annual pay.
Jesus loved Judas till the end because He had chosen him as part of his 12 followers, and when the Lord chooses, He doesn’t go back on His word, just like when He chose Abraham, Israel, and David, whom He blessed in abundance despite his excesses. Despite seeing through the impending treachery, Jesus still showered this unique privilege on Judas, whose name means ‘God be praised’. This article won’t dwell on whether Judas will make heaven or not. I’ll leave that to true men and women of the gospel, and not covenanted bishops and gummy sheiks, who brokered 30 pieces of silver-induced truce between two estranged political bedfellows.
It’s the very last day of 2018. And, in the spirit of the season, I wish to ask for forgiveness from all those I’ve offended with my weekly published thoughts since I launched that incendiary article, “Kakanfo my foot!,” into the media orbit in October last year. Particularly, I’m appealing to the reading Nigerian public, who, in the main, appear unused to satire as a form of writing. These are people who feel the pains of institutionalised poverty, penury and paralysis like I do, but who wrongly see me as speaking for the oppressive class because of my style of writing. Weekly, many curse and wish me and my family dead in their online reactions to my articles. The level of emotions dissipated in reaction to some of my articles often makes me consider tiptoeing in and out of the country through the land border of Benin Republic, and keeping my whereabouts secret from unforgiving spirits, whose toes I’ve crushingly stepped on. It makes me feel like having a real body double and moving about unafraid, eating in bukas and holding small talks with friends and professionals colleagues at watering holes. But the cheap murder of the immediate past highest ranking military officer in the country, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, by suspected hoodlums in broad daylight, amplifies the gross insecurity raping the country, and makes lesser mortals like me shiver at the sound of thunder.
All I seek is for the spirit of forgiveness to permeate the country as the ashes of 2018 are interred today for 2019 to take its first breath. I also seek forgiveness within the deadliest gang in the country – the political class, which ranks ahead of the drug gang, terrorism gang, armed robbery gang, Yahoo and ritualism gang. If the spirits of love and forgiveness are allowed to move within the nation’s polity, hatred, tension, violence and killings will reduce, and an atmosphere receptive to development will be engendered. I’m not advocating toleration of corruption or ineptitude, after all, Jesus chased out money changers and traders from the temple.
As obtainable in the developed countries of the world, our politics should be played on the chessboard of decency, service, commitment, development, equity, fairness and justice. Quite unlike the childish misadventure we had a few days ago when three elder statesmen, standing on a Rock called Aso, sang the most discordant carol ever heard since the first Santa Claus brought gifts to the homes of well-behaved children at Christmas. Puerility among the political class should stop in the New Year because Nigeria deserves pragmatic handling of developmental issues. Or, what do you make of another elder statesman and GCFR boasting that the incumbent GCFR must address him as ‘Sir’ forevermore? Sir, in what way does that ego-trip statement positively affect the lives of Nigerians? You also beat your chest in the public, saying the Mallam of Daura wouldn’t have been crowned king if you didn’t support him. Areh! Areh! Iba Egba?! Can you remind Nigerians which election you ever won at home? Nigerians know who always needed coalitions from other ethnic regions to sway elections in his favour. I won’t say that the reality of your political rejection among your own people belittles the exaggeration of your political worth. That would be harsh. But I’ll say that having been in the saddle for so long, you should learn to emulate other global leaders such as Jimmy Carter, George Walker Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Tony Blair, David Cameron, etc who make public statements only when necessary. Elder statesmen of your stature are institutions, who should not tie cobs of corns to the waist if you don’t want to have an endless flock of chickens pecking at you.
I can’t remember General Yakubu Gowon publicly requesting eternal veneration from any Army officer. A former military Head of State between 1966 and 1975, Gowon joined the Nigerian Army in 1954 and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant by October 19, 1955, on his 21st birthday. Sir, by the time you joined the military in 1958, the late Ikemba of Nnewi, Chief Emeka Odumewgu-Ojukwu had been commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in 1957, becoming one of the first and few university graduates to join the Army. Nigerian leaders need a lot of humility, love, tolerance and forgiveness as we enter the much-awaited 2019 election year. We must eschew the bitterness that defined the relationships between Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Ladoke Akintola; Chief Joseph Tarka and Chief Godwin Daboh; Chief MKO Abiola and dictators Ibrahim Babangida/Sani Abacha; Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Atiku Abubakar; Obasanjo and Evan Enwerem/Chuba Okadigbo/Pius Anyim/Adolphus Wabara/Ken Nnamani; Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, among several others.
The incoming year is critical to the health of our democracy hence our leaders must display maturity, tact and tolerance in speech and action. We, the followers, shouldn’t ‘follow follow’ like zombies. We must critically examine developmental issues and make informed decisions by voting credible candidates and supporting good causes. The language of public discourse should be engaging but honorable. Our leaders shouldn’t torch the country with the flame of egocentrism and vaunting ambition. In language, music, art and science, there’s nothing the ruling generation has bequeathed to the upcoming generation. This is why our youths cannot speak eloquently, compose evergreen songs, paint or exhibit scientific erudition. This narrative should change in 2019 as we start off on the pathways of love for country and forgiveness of one another.
Happy New Year!
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