Category: Opinion

Dead Men Aren’t Supposed To Die, But…

3rd October, 2013.

Sad day for Nigeria.

It’s appointed unto man to die but ONCE, and after that judgement. Into eternal life. Or eternal damnation. I’m not one to judge the actions of anybody, but I believe God talks to us in diverse ways. One of them is by nature.

So, what happens when a plane carrying the remains of a dead man crashes? Coincidence? A Supernatural allegory? I’m not one to say. However, what I’m fully aware of is that God is not to be mocked, whatever a man sows, it’s the same he’d reap.

As I’ve said before, I’m in no position to judge anybody. It is however imperative to say this: In our life journey, we should strive to always fear God and love ALL men.

My condolences goes to the families of those that were on board on that plane. May God grant them the strength to bear their losses.

Peace.

Praising The Devil

Africans are the most religious people in the world. And Nigerians are the most religious Africans. And the Yoruba people are the most religious Nigerians. I’m African, I’m Nigerian and I’m a ‘Yoruban’, so believe me, I know what I’m talking about.

In my few years, I’ve heard numerous testimonies being shared. However, it’s sad that just a few of these ascribe the glory to God. In this part of the world, the testifiers either give glory to pastors of their churches or the devil. In fact, many times, you’d hear testifiers say:
‘Praise the God of our pastor….’ (Isn’t He your God too?), or even
‘I shouted Jesus and nothing happened, but everything got better when I called pastor…’ (That you are miserable, is the understatement of the year!)

However, giving praise to the devil has become so rampant in our churches here. Of course, it’s never done directly. Nobody would shout on the pulpit, ‘Praise the living devil’ without being hauled out for a deliverance session. But when someone’s given 10 minutes to share a testimony and the individual goes on to use over 9 minutes to tell us how wickedly cunning the devil is. This person doesn’t even mention God or His Might once! I can tell you, that’s tantamount to praising satan. I can’t fathom why this phenomenon is rampant in this part of the world. Maybe it’s the harsh economic conditions, the first-hand poverty and the general mentality. Whatever the reason, I’m sure of one thing: The devil has no power and shouldn’t be praised. The guy shouldn’t even be mentioned at all. We are meant to package the best form of insult for him, which is simply not acknowledging him at all.

The Israelites and the Philistines faced-off for war in I Samuel 17. Goliath, the giant Philistine champion, dared the Israelites to send a man to fight him. What struck me most was how the Israelites were able to know the giant’s exact height and the materials that was used to make his wargear. They even got an accurate weight of all his wargear. Commendable, considering that they did all these from a far distance! But enter David, who failed to recognize Goliath as a threat. To him, Goliath was just mere statistics, a trophy waiting to be added to his previous collection of a bear and a lion. David made God his focus and everything else fell into perspective. God responded by adding more victories to David’s belt. This is the same approach we should adopt when sharing our testimonies. Don’t tell how big your challenges were or how mighty the devil was. Instead, let’s know how big God is; how great and diverse His numerous wonders are.

Evil’s Open Secret

Just take a good look around you. What do you see in the health sector? What do you see in the educational sector? What do you see in World politics as at now? The international policy makers and top government officials are all confused because nothing seems to work. As it were, they are just moving around in circles, giving Band-Aid to the deeply ingrained cancerous problems the world is facing now. They hope that these problems would just go away by a placebo effect or something.

The whole world is waiting. Anxiously waiting. Waiting earnestly for the manifestation of the Children of The Light who would serve as problem solvers for this generation, for posterity and for the world at large.

But what do we have instead? We have Religion shifting its focus away from its old foe- Science, and engaging in a mortal combat with Spirituality. I’m not saying that it is bad to go to church or it’s bad to fellowship with other believers. But it is the Spirit that gives life, sheer muscle and willpower do not profit anything: if you spend a million years in a church building and you are not filled with the Spirit of God, you are only wasting your time, religiously. Religion is NOT Spirituality!

The problem now is that despite the fact that we have numerous individuals who are filled with the Spirit of God and Wisdom, they prefer not to go out of their comfort zones. The world is like a battle field and the Church is more or less like the Barracks where the Children of The Light should be inspired and motivated to shine their lights into the darkness in the world. Instead, the Children of The Light prefer to stay in the Barracks and shine their Lights to each other when there’s thick darkness out there.

It is at this point that EVIL’S OPEN SECRET is being made manifest. The products of Evil are NOT kept in the warehouses. No, they are pushed into the various walks of life. They are made to infiltrate the entertainment industry, the health sector, the legislative, judiciary and executive arms of government. They are even made to infiltrate the so-called Barracks of the Children of The Light. So today, we have pointless and distasteful bills are are being passed into laws at the houses of parliament all over the world. Why? Because the Children of The Light would not go out of their comfort zones to shine in the darkness. Today, we speak of the evil music industry with more and more being led into the captivity of darkness. Why? Because Lights are busy shining and smiling to each other religiously in the Church while darkness is being enthroned in the world out there.

I’d conclude with this: Daniel was a very spiritual man of God in the Bible. He did not have a church, he didn’t heal the sick and he probably heard God audibly speak more times than we would ever hear in our entire lives. Yet, if he had lived in today’s world, he would have been a politician holding a high public office.

I’m being given a platform. I’m being given a voice. And no matter how shrill that voice may sound, I WILL TALK! Enough with the arguments about doctrine and let’s move out en masse and restore normalcy to the dark, upside down world that we’ve been comfortably living in. Let’s Shine!

The Novel Way

‘There is a way which seems right to a man…’

There is now a new way that we are getting increasingly familiar with by the day. Hmmn, how novel. Well, the typical plot has the main character uncovering a conspiracy, usually within the corridors of power. Usually, the character in question is one with a far superior level of intelligence. He may or may not shoot. He is also a master of disguise. He is highly calculative, rarely makes mistakes and so smoothly gets himself out of uncompromising situations. He is good-looking, mild-mannered and has a taste for the high life. Women are drawn to him as though he were a magnet. His brain is his asset and he is sound in international diplomacy. He is rich. He is connected and he travels far and wide, usually in search of nothing in particular. He exists, in the pages of a novel….

Or at least, that was what majority of us thought. Until the world met Snowden. Edward Snowden. The guy’s a computer nerd who was working with one of America’s national security agencies. He stumbled across some info relating to how the government was keeping tabs on its citizens. His ‘conscience’ pricked him and he released this scoop to a media house. From there, the news sold like hot cakes fresh from the oven. Good move? Maybe, maybe not. One of the basic human rights is the right to privacy. Snowden felt this right is being infringed upon as a result of the surveillance that the government is keeping on its citizens. On the other hand, in a world as porous as the one we live in today, nobody can vouch for the character of anybody else. Your gentle neighbour yesterday could be Boko Haram’s leader tommorow. Snowden’s release of this info could jeopardize America’s security since the perpetrators of evil are now fully aware that everybody’s being watched. This would only lead to better planning on their part.

But did Snowden do the right thing? That’s a relative question which would be defined by what you think ‘right’ is.

I, for one, am particular about what could have driven Snowden to do what he did at such a time as this. I did a little research and could only come up with one reason: Adventure. Yea, The Adventurer’s Life. Take a good look at the Snowden situation now. He’s playing hide-and-seek with the nations of the world as his playing ground. He’s a brain afterall and he has consistently proven that via his understanding of international diplomatic policies. He’s meeting Presidents of countries. He’s literally smashing nations against each other by virtue of the requests for asylum that he’s sending to countries that do not want a ‘cold war’ with America.

Apparently, we can say Snowden is ‘living the life’. The kind of life we only knew in the pages of the novel. Funny enough, with the Snowden example, authors have found newer materials to base their stories on. Consequently, the readers would find more stimuli to whet their subconscious apetite for adventure. A new trend has now been imprinted on the sands of time. A pacesetter has blazed the trail and it is only a matter of time that more people tread along this life from the books. Indeed, the adventurer’s dream life now seems to be the new, novel way!

I Am Gay

‘I’m not one to make excuses; I’m not one to place the blame on others. I’m not one to take the easy way out, I’m just a man trying to do the best I can…’, thus went the immortal words of J. Moss’ song ‘Just James’.

In the world we live in today, various human rights activists have come to the forefront as regards the way gays are being treated. Diverse interest groups have pushed various governments into making laws that ensure that homos are being protected by the constitutions of their countries. From the U.S. down to South Africa, more individuals are becoming more open about their preferred sexuality. ‘We are normal humans too’, they all seem to cry at once and they back this up with the appropriate actions, so we have gay profs, gay scientists, gay politicians and even gay priests.

I have my personal and quite unique opinions about this issue but I must admit to you that I’m gay. ‘Gaier’ than you might even think. Sometimes, I could be very gay and at other times, I’m not as gay as I would have loved to be. However, there’s no point in time when there’s not a bit of ‘gayness’ in me. Infact, I’m going to share the source of my gay life with you, because I woke up this morning feeling particularly gay.

Anybody reading this piece, thus far, could either be disgusted with my blatant admission to being gay; Or be quite impressed with my boldness to admit that I’m gay, in such a very homophobic society as this country. Whichever way, the English language is a very queer one. Back in the Victorian ages, people would talk of having a gay coloured hat, a gay temperament or even a gay life and nobody would feel offended. Then, the word ‘faggot’ only meant a bundle of anything and being ‘fagged’ only implied that one was extremely tired. However, you fastfoward a century and all these terms have a completely new meaning.

I’m not going to use this piece to condemn the activities of anybody. However, I would appreciate it if you, (yes you!) took a little time out today just to look at the wonderful works of God through nature. Or just take some time off your busy schedule and make a mental flashback of all that has ensued in your life in time past. Definitely, you’d find something to be thankful for. Then, you’d end up being as happy as I am. So gay!

As the clocks CHIME away (Part 2)

Continued from Part 1

Eventually, as the weeks wore on, the man became weaker and weaker and it became apparent that he was more or less like a human marrionette in the hands of those whom he surrounded himself with. The final straw that broke the camel’s back led to pericarditis for the then President. He went to Saudi Arabia for treatments and never came back alive.

I decided to check Governor Sullivan Chime’s story online (with my Java phone, of course) and I was shocked to see so many similarities between his history and that of Yar’adua. In the first place, even before Chime stepped into the Governor’s office, it was an OPEN SECRET that Mr Chime was an individual with poor health. In addition to that, rumours were rampant as to how he indulged himself in nefarious activities, such as heavy smoking and drinkin, as well as sleeping with different girls from the state’s universities. It was even reported that his doctors counselled him and advised him to reduce/totally stop his frivolous activities. He heard them but didn’t listen. Eventually, all these culminated into him falling very ill. He was taken to India for treatments (hopefully, JUST medical treatments) and no one has seen him since then. In the meantime, everything in Enugu State seems to be in place; the deputy Governor is acting as the Governor, Clara Chime is performing the duties of a first lady and no one is asking any questions. The clocks chime away, yet Governor Chime is no where to be found.

I’m not a political columnist but the little I know about politics in Nigeria never ceases to amaze me. It even obfuscates me most times. I always wonder why we aim to pattern our system of government after the Americans. We claim to be practising the American Presidential system and that’s where the similarities end. Have we taken time to see the tolerance level of the American system to corruption? Or even if the ‘normal’ is unattainable and otherworldly to us, how about the build-up to the elections? In America, people contesting for public offices take jogs in the full view of the media and the masses. They do this to show that they are physically and mentally fit to handle whatever the demands of the public offices throw at them. But back here in Naija, the only requirements are having a big round pot-belly, a solid capital base (no one cares whether the money is legitimate or not) and making sure that the godfathers have been appeased. Nobody cares about the man himself, nobody cares about his health status, nobody cares about the nitty-gritties of his personal life.

In my humble opinion, as long as this negligence of significant (usually not prominent!) issues in the health and lifestyles of runners for public offices in Nigeria continues, we would keep on having the deja vu feelings related to the Yar’adua’s (then) and Chime’s (now) administrations.

I wish the Governor of Enugu State a speedy recovery and a speedy return to the helm of affairs at his state. However, the clocks are chiming away on the hour, every hour, it’s high time we learn from the past to create a better future for ourselves and posterity.

CONCLUDED

As the clocks CHIME away (Part 1).

Due to the fact that I picture myself as much more than a Nigerian (I like seeing myself as a global citizen that should be able to fit into any country, culture or continent), I try to be sensitive to the similarities that exist between my native culture and foreign cultures far and wide. I haven’t mastered all the similarities yet and there’s a lot of room for improvement but I’m no novice either.

Right from my elementary school days, I’ve always known that culture is the total way of life of a group of people. Furthermore, I know that the major distinction that stands to differentiate cultures from each other is the element of language. Now, when there are similarities between the sounds, spellings and even words in 2 different languages, you cannot help but start to wonder how this came to be.
For example, I was reading the Bible the other day and I saw the words, ‘TOLA’ and ‘DODO’, which in Yoruba language means, ‘with or for riches, wealth or affluence’ for ‘TOLA’, while ‘DODO’ is a local delicacy made by frying plantain.
Another example is the case of the hourly sounds that are made by the old standing grandfather clocks. These clocks CHIME every hour. The word ‘CHIME’ is also an Igbo name, although in this case, it is pronounced ‘CHEE-MAY’

How about ‘CHIME’?
The clocks chime on the hour, every hour but yet there’s no sign of the erstwhile Governor of Enugu State, Nigeria- Mr Sullivan Chime. This is a sad, unnecessary and totally unfair scenario that is played again in the minds of every Nigerian. I really cannot lay my fingers on the circumstances that led to this highly discomfitting state where the populace of Enugu State are being kept in the dark, regarding the whereabouts of the Numero Uno of their state.

Not many Nigerians would forget in a hurry the late ex-President of Nigeria, Umaru Musa Yar’adua, who despite being a man with a fragile health condition, underwent the rigours of a vigourous political campaign from ‘Dan to Beersheba’ of the nation. I can vividly remember when midway through the nationwide campaign, there were rumours of Yar’adua’s death, long before a single vote was cast. Alas, we had forgotten about the element of truth in every rumour. Perhaps, the rumour mongers had seen the poor weak man collapsing out of sheer exhaustion from the campaign, but such news was carefully and efficiently kept away from the media.
Even at that time, the then president of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, dismissed rumours of Yar’adua’s death in the most comical manners by calling him (Yar’adua) on phone during one of the open-air campaigns that Yar’adua had missed and using speakers to project to the congregated masses what was being said. Laughs were shared and the issue about Yar’adua’s health were swept under the carpet.

Yar’adua eventually won the election, but day by day, he showed signs of being crushed by the daily pressures of leading Africa’s most populous nation. Yet, the psychophants and ‘yes-men’ that he surrounded himself with (NO DISRESPECT TO THE DEAD) could not give him quality advice since he had to be the president for them to survive. This was getting to be more than a symbiotic relationship, or even commensalism. This was parasitism……………..

TO BE CONTINUED