IN a marathon interview with The Interview magazine mid last year, Ayodele Fayose, Ekiti State governor comprehensively relayed the infamous “bastardly” encounter with Olusegun Obasanjo, his former political terror. He was quoted as saying he got so incinerated in the anger of being called a bastard by the former president, he razed up in his mind, a tremor of physical combat with the old man at the Oyinlola event. He opined that such a horror would have been deemed “two fighting” between a former president and a former governor. He was wrong. He would have been arrested as the aggressor and God have mercy on him, should Baba Iyabo end it up in the flurry of his blow. He won’t be governor again. He would be standing trial for pre-meditated murder.
Guests like IBB, who shook his hand for what would amount to infantile heroism, would possibly be shaking their heads in pity for him and their hearts in condemnation of his action, if things went “badder.” My take; ma ba obo ja ewura (don’t join the idiotic in idiocy).
That exactly is my message to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) this morning, as the supposed representative of the Body of Christ in Nigeria, indecorously engage prominent Islamic bodies- JNI and NSCIA-in war of words that should ordinarily be beneath both sides. The street will capture this as “two fighting” and when you have two inseparable tuggers, the best way is to draw a battle-line for them, circle around them, get hailers and wailers in the cheerleading orchestra and wait patiently for one to pummel the other to the pulp. That is the bolekaja style!
Is it sinful for the Christian body to be involved in the running of the nation? I don’t think so, though many would argue that God himself acknowledged the devil being in complete dominance of the world which would ordinarily include Nigeria and has put his (devil’s) own elect in charge. Without doubt the Word is infallible, and a mournful cast around, confirms who truly are in charge of global politics, policies and ideologies, including our own dear nation. But there is the argument of Christian votes being procured to install devil pikins in positions of authority, which makes it compelling for the Body of Christ to show more than a passing interest in how the mandate is being mandated. Absolutely true.
So, what is wrong with CAN’s intervention, considering the dangerous slide the nation has been experiencing from conception and the fatal hemorrhage being currently endured? Everything.
Christians (I mean genuine born-again children of God) are such simply because of Christ. If CAN can start by simply reflecting its intemperate mode of communicating what is without doubt, the collective worries of those who genuinely love the humanity that Nigeria represents, it would be crystal-clear to those running the association that one can deliver the right message, the wrong way. What about those high-sounding, reader-entertaining but Spirit-fouling adjectival phrases, clauses and insulting descriptive vocabulary! Lord, have mercy. Is this still about God or self?
Why only CAN, questions may abound. What about the “bricks” being hurled from the other end? A Yoruba wisecrack would appear a fitting answer but for its contextual inappropriateness.
When you have a body representing an interest, the best 11 of such an interest, would be assumed to people the body. Don’t they say the best should lead the rest. As children of God, we are specifically commanded (the will of God should be a direct order to His children) to be like our Father in heaven, and that should be in all things. Can CAN leaders, who now do better yabis than Fela and his inheritors like Seun Anikulapo and Alariwo of Africa, look those of us they are supposedly leading in the eye, and offer their conducts as the genuine will of God?
Yes, Christians may be having it rough under Muhammadu Buhari’s regime. The deal has also been truly raw particularly in the North. But I see the suspected Islamisation agenda as an opportunity to get The Omnipotent God to rent the heavens, for the sake of His own; but that can only be in harkening diligently unto Him in obedience. Children of God lose ground to the “enemy” when they live in disobedience and if the battle is truly The Lord’s, then care must be taken to avoid getting consumed by emotions and not the mind of Christ.
Am I saying CAN should turn the other cheek every time Christians (not church-goers) are assaulted? No. I’m saying they should seek the face of God through His Word and stop abusing the creed of “eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”
Yes, the creed is in Exodus and surely in the Word of God. But is that part of the salvation package? Isn’t salvation supposed to separate us from the world and not conform to it? If the only striking difference between Christian leaders and their opponents, is just in the acronyms of their respective associations, why the disagreement then, since they are similar in all conducts. Isn’t the 30 shekels also similar, despite two different sides to the coins?
It is time for a new rule of engagement. Enough of bolekaja spirituality. If we allow God to lead the battle, no matter how scorching, victory is assured and He won’t even allow His own suffer any casualty before bringing the enemy (?) to his knees. The leaders must also be reminded where their real home is. That alone should temper them. There is no CAN in heaven, only over-comers. As for the other side, this moment too shall pass.
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