FEATURE ARTICLE

Pastor Amos Dada Ph.D, P.EngSaturday, March 7, 2015
[email protected]
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

ANNOUNCE THIS ARTICLE
TO YOUR FRIENDS

LET THE OLIGARCHIES, CORRUPTERS, THIEVES AND ABUSERS LEAVE ME ALONE - MOTHER NIGERIA CRIES!

advertisement

cannot forget in a hurry the discussion we had that afternoon in the Departmental office of Chemical Engineering, University of Benin. It was so hot outside. We all managed to scramble to the tiny office. The air conditioning system was to help us cool down and give us a breathing space, unfortunately all we were hearing from the rickety, old worn out machine was hunnnnnnn, endlessly and no help of cooling was coming. As usual we all started discussing , naija. 'How come an ordinary AC will not work.' Some quipped. 'What is wrong with Nigeria.' Said another. AC that was to blow cold is blowing hot air and making noise. It was the year 1990. Students, both undergraduate and post graduate were there. I was the only PhD student. I remember two lecturers and some non teaching staff. The failed AC triggered our discussion, 'Seriously, why don't things work in Nigeria?'

The first person that spoke was the cleaner. 'Na you educated people be the problem of Nigeria' he opined. How? responded one undergraduate student! 'Una know too much. The thing be say all you know you dey use am spoil Niaja. See ordinary AC no fit work for university, wetin go work? Na you be lecturer, engineer, commissioner for this, commissioner for that, governor for this state and that state, president and you dey abuse this country, and na you complain pass'.

We all knew he was telling the truth but we had no answer. But someone knew the cleaner from home. So he said to him, "so what of you, who is not educated, because you are not in power you have nothing to be blamed for?" He mentioned his name and asked - "how many wives do you have?" The cleaner replied - "two." Our friend asked again "How many children? -"13!" the cleaner replied.As if it was a choir leader raising a chorus in the church service we all shouted 'aahaa'!

The undergraduate continued, you are the least paid staff in this Department and you have 13 children, how do you want to train them? Then he shocked everybody. 'Who wan train them? I don't want to train them. Train them to become what? I know some of them will become armed robbers, prostitutes, cleaners like me and some like these oga them (pointing to the lecturers) but what difference does it make, the educated and the non-educated are the same, no vex sir, they are all raping mother Nigeria!"

That afternoon, I entered my rickety old Volkswagen Passat driving back to Warri, I began to soliloquize. I said to myself, 'how come everybody can diagnose Nigeria's problem and no one can fix it?' How come like the bible says we all do not remove the mold in our eyes and all we see is the speck in other men's eyes. That was 25 years ago and it is still like yesterday.

Particularly, during election campaigns like this, we are all quick to point accusing fingers whereas if only we can all look deep down in our hearts and see where we are major contributors to the destruction of Mother Nigeria and prepare to make repairs.

I don't know the category you belong to, the whole essence of this article is for us to think about what we are doing to cause mother Nigeria to cry and to stop it. Did the bible not say we should not be hearers only but doers! We should also not be readers only but doers.

Who are oligarchies? An oligarchy is a form of government in which most of the political power effectively rests with a small segment of society, typically the people who have the most wealth, military strength, ruthlessness or political influence. The word "oligarchy" from the Greek words olígos, which means "few," and archo, which means "to rule". Some political theorists have argued that all societies are inevitably oligarchies, regardless of their supposed political system!

What is corruption? Who are corrupters? Corruption is the abuse of public resources to enrich or give unfair advantage to individuals, their family or their friends. Corruption Watch is concerned with any such abuse of power or position by anyone at any level of government or in business. Examples of public resources: Money, goods, vehicles, buildings and any other resources that belong to the government. Pension funds and medical aid funds. Trade union money and resources. Lottery money. Donations to charities. Some common forms of corruption are: A business or individual pays a bribe to a government official in order to be given a government contract or licence. The use of government-owned resources, such as motor vehicles, for private purposes. A government official takes advantage of his or her position to favour a family member or business associate for a job or tender contract. Over inflation of contract price. Embezzlement or misappropriation of government fund. This is commonly called nepotism. A police officer solicits a bribe or a member of the public offers one in order to escape lawful punishment. I was working in one of the Nigerian Refineries. I cannot remember what they sent me to do in the Fire Department. It was early in the morning. As I was on my way there, I saw the fire truck, revving heavily. Before I got there the driver had driven the heavy vehicle out. Few minutes after he was back. Came with breakfast he bought at the local grocery junction (bread and bean cake). 'Sir, how can I help you, sorry, you missed me I just dashed to that corner to get my breakfast.' As if I did not know I asked 'are you the one that drove the Fire Truck? You mean you used the fire truck to go and get your breakfast?' It was his regular practice; he did not even realize he was one of the corrupters.

Who is a thief? A person who steals something from another. A thief takes the goods or property of another by stealth without the latter's knowledge: like a thief in the night. A robber trespasses upon the house, property, or person of another, and makes away with things of value, even at the cost of violence. Please note and permit my little digression. I am not defining these categories of people to justify a president that says stealing is not corruption. I feel it is a shame for any high ranking official, husband and father, not to mention a president arguing openly to defend his position on such matters. If he made a mistake to say stealing is not corruption, one would think that at the slightest opportunity he has, he would deny it in line with the lifestyle of politicians and claim he was misquoted, and not continue to justify it. If stealing is not corruption what else is corruption? What is such a President still doing in power? What that means to me is that you cannot give what you do not have. If you grew up believing that stealing is not corruption and you find yourself in the corridor of power how will you not steal? Since as far as you are concerned, you are a Christian and not even your faith teaches you or prevents you from stealing. How will you not justify your cabinet members stealing? It means they are not doing anything wrong. What a shame!

Who are abusers? Abusers come from all walks of life. They can come from any ethnic group, religion, class or neighbourhood. They may be older or younger. However, whilst they may also be any gender, the majority of perpetrators are men. Abuse is generally used in the context of family relationship, but to me this is a misnomer. It goes beyound that. When you misuse position in any guise, you are abusing the system. Recently, I heard that some pastors were bribed by the presidency to support the re-election of the incumbent president. While I find it difficult to believe, I posted some information on my Facebook page condemning the act and suggesting that if it was so, the bribe takers should return the money. But what shocked me was the reply of one Pastor who of course thinks that the fact that one does not live in Nigeria means he does not know what goes on in Nigeria. He wrote " Pastor, do not involve yourself in this matter, you do not know what is going on in Nigeria, we the PFN and CAN have adopted the president for re-election ' Those are the broad spectrum of abusers I am talking about. What is the business of PFN or CAN adopting a candidate?

As a pastor you have people of diverse ethnicity, social class, and financial class in your assembly. How do you adopt a candidate for them? By a pastor saying you adopt a candidate what if that is not God's choice. Even if you were not bribed, how will the people not accuse you of being bribed? No wonder the president and governors do not go to market places to campaign any more, all you see them do is holding microphones on the altars and telling the gullible, 'I am not here to campaign but to bring greetings' kneeling down for prayers and giving fat offerings. Politicians colluding directly and indirectly with pastors polluting altars. The church is not Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC). The church is not Student Union. That is what I call the abuse of the altars of God. Mother Nigeria is crying leave me alone! Pastors' duty is to advice the congregation to vote, and to vote wisely. The church is to educate the people about the biblical teaching, albeit moral teachings encourage people to have godly character, shun corruption, ostentatious living and abuse. The church is to pray for God to give us leaders that will help the masses that constitute the congregation.

Paul teaches us our duties particularly during elections 'I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."

We need to live a peaceable life; we need to get those who have not known God in Nigeria, to be saved by evangelizing them, preaching the gospel(good news) so that they will be saved, whether they are poor or rich, young or old, living in Aso Rock or Aso Bush, educated or not educated, politicians or electorates, civilians or military, teachers or students Fundamental Muslim(terrorists) or Moderate Muslim and atheist or pagans, and Boko Haram members or Boko Haram sponsors! That is the role of the church. Pray, teach, evangelize and educate not adopt candidates. Even if you have your personal conviction, you are entitled to your vote, but to tell church members you have adopted a candidate is an abuse of the altar.

Let us discuss the issue of the oligarchies. Who constitute the oligarchies in Nigeria? They are two numerous to mention. They span from East to West, North to South and South to South. They are the power brokers, the mafia and cliques. They are MEND, OPC, CAN, ACF, NORTHERN ELDERS, MASSOB, PFN, AFENIFERES etc.

The not so obvious yet so dangerous oligarchies and highly controlling are the media, both electronic and print media, mafia, the political parties, the Obas, the market women, military, occultists and imperial colonialist. Since the amalgamation of the South and North territories to form Nigeria, they have started raping mother Nigeria everyday and they have not stopped. I can hear mother Nigeria crying and fainting and saying 'leave me alone.' Reader can't you her?!

The common parameter of the oligarchies, like the corrupters and abusers is simply self-interest. Sadly, they are the loudest complainers and grumblers. They have no solution to the mirage of problems facing the nation and they are not prepared to let go. They have been there through the era of coups and republics, they have nothing to offer but they will not let go! Even when they identify people of noble character, people who are intellectually endowed, people who mean well for mother Nigeria, people who want to come to power and help refine the nation as crude oil that has no value until when refined, people with servanthood mentality and disposition, who are prepared to rule well, men of integrity who are prepared and capable of turning the nation around, these oligarchies will not allow them.

In 1979 we had one of such contestants for the presidency of Nigeria. They frustrated him. They used judiciary, rigging, mathematical calculation of 122/3 to derail the nation. When he died they ran to his widow and told us - the best president Nigeria never had! The question is why can't we have the best president? Oligarchism! Period. The wicked power brokers will not allow it. They bought over power sector promised power to the people and all the masses see is bills after bills, even when they live in darkness. To add insult to injury, recently their names keep showing up on Forbe Magazine as richest people in Africa, by oppressing the poor, instead of getting government to establish more refineries and refine our crude oil, they prefer to sell the crude oil, refine it out side the country and sell it back to poor Nigerians at exorbitant prices. Almost every Wednesday they address the media and tell the people the number of project vis- a- vis contracts awarded at huge cost to the tune of billions of naira and dollars, and that is the end, they pay themselves upfront and that is the last thing you will hear. A party has rule the country for upward of 16 years without anything to show and yet wants to continue to rape mother Nigeria. If your interest is to help the nation and not your pockets, if you run out of ideas on security, development, creation of job for the youth , power generation, development of basic infrastructures and roads why not allow fresh ideas!

There is another voice in the wilderness now, someone tested and proven, and someone who by his pedigree had sanitized the system at the apex and is at an advanced age clamouring to give him chance to help mother Nigeria. To stop the oligarchies raping her. But the voice of the oligarchies is louder. Just as the people were crying 'crucify him crucify him' the judge asked 'who do you want, the Just one or the thief? Crucify the just, give us the thief. From distant nations endorsement are coming, yet the noise of the oligarchies is louder, crucify the just, give us the thief. Some are even shouting if he gets the presidency we shall all go to jail. Therefore deny him!

If you know you have committed crime be prepared to go to jail! Jail is the home for corrupters and abusers. But the powers of the oligarchies cannot be undermined. Unfortunately, the church that could deliver the nation from the oligarchies have itself knowingly and unknowingly joined them or is it bribed over?

Friends, listen to the cry of Mother Nigeria! Are you the cleaner in the office, refusing to clean, are you the politician, inflating contracts, you see governance as the quickest means to enrich your pocket? It is only in Nigeria, you see someone today on minimum wage, who resigns and joins politics and in six months of getting to position either as local government chairman, member of state assembly, house of representatives, senate or governor or just even political appointees and president, his mansion will be in billions of naira if not dollar. To make matters worse, they will be called honourable, his excellence, after looting the nation!

The corrupters have a new name for old evil - stomach infrastructure. Governors will line up police men and be giving them one fowl to rig elections in their favour. It is in our age you see political candidates distributing bags of rice, can of vegetable oil with their name on the packaging! Mother Nigeria is crying, enough of rape. I am dying. Let us in our mosques and churches, market places, schools and universities, bars, hotels and work places listen to the cry of mother Nigeria, groaning under the oligarchies, the corrupters, thieves and abusers and help mother Nigeria. By searching and checking our conscience, identify the areas we are contributing to the under-development of Nigeria, frustrating the growth of the economy. Look beyond your immediate needs and do not be an Esau anymore taking a plate of red porridge to give away your birth right.

When good men keep quiet, evil men think they have wisdom. Do not keep quiet, speak loud and clear against the powers of darkness controlling mother Nigeria. Speak with your vote. Do not be a corrupter, be content with your wages, why are you building houses you cannot maintain, why are you amassing wealth you do not know who will spend? Love mother Nigeria enough to wish her well, stop raping her, she has bled enough, do not leave her to die. Vote wisely on March 28, 2015 you know if you are in position to vote and you do not vote you have indirectly voted the wrong person to power. Your vote will do two things, one, stop the oligarchies, the corrupters, the self acclaimed thieves and system abusers and secondly enthrone good government and good governance for this generation and the next.

advertisement
IMAGES IN THE NEWS