FROM THE PREACHER'S LENSES

Wednesday, May 18, 2022
[email protected]
Lagos, Nigeria
IF I WERE PRESIDENT MOHAMMED BUHARI; MOSES VS JOSHUA; DAVID VS SOLOMON

y hope was very high that President Mohammed Buhari will take us to the promised land. And it is not me alone but a huge number of other Nigerians.

Anyone who listens to my Radio broadcasts or read my comments in the online newspaper, Nigeriaworld.com, will attest to what I just said. My hope in him did not just start in 2015 after he won the election that put him on the throne but right from 2011 when he even lost to President Goodluck Jonathan.

Refer my comment published on Tuesday April 26 2011 http://nigeriaworld.com/feature/publication/aweda/042611.html (Biblical Truth & Power in names. The Man Goodluck Jonathan & Destiny) (Part 1).

I can recollect about 19 articles and radio broadcasts, which I wrote, expressing my hope in him. Certainly, people whose votes put him on the throne in 2015, did not vote for the Party, All Peoples Congress (APC) that nominated him but him, General Mohammed Buhari, based on his integrity. Alas, the hope seems dashed as of this moment; few months to the end of his 2nd term. Poverty as well as insecurity escalated. Those of us who placed our hope in him have become a laughing stock.

What went wrong?

Could it be a case like Moses who God did not allow to take his people to the promised land but instead anointed his assistant Joshua to do it? (Numb. 27:12-22) Or could it be as in the case of David who God did not allow to build a house for Him because he had much blood in his hands but his son Solomon to do it? (1Chr. 28:3; 2Sam. 7:11-13; 1King 5:3-5; 1Kings 8:19)

So today, the topic of my sermon is "If I were President Mohammed Buhari; Moses vs Joshua; David vs Solomon

Let us pray.

If I were President Mohammed Buhari; Moses vs Joshua; David vs Solomon

Many of us had very high hope that President General M. Buhari will eradicate both poverty and insecurity that have ravaged the land. Unfortunately our hope is not realized.

I know some ignorant people will be grumbling and asking "Is this preaching or Political talk" Let me say it for the umpteenth time that the type of government in power has a lot to do with the ease of realizing one's ambition to heaven. A good government can facilitate, the journey of a person, conscious of heaven while a bad one can easily make the most conscious of heaven backslide and miss his heaven goal. The Bible equally testifies that 'With good men in authority, the people rejoice; but with the wicked in power, they groan' '(Proverbs 29:2).

It is my believe that sai Baba did not become the President of Nigeria based on any merit of the party, All Progressive (APC), which he belongs. The ordinary Nigerians who made him President voted for him based on the record of his integrity and track record when he led the military junta, which ousted the democratic government of Alh. Sheu Shagari on Dec 31 1983.

I believe that the APC itself used him as a bait to win, because of his popularity based on his touted integrity.

Even President Obasanjo attested to his positive integrity though he marked him low on the knowledge of economics. But to me that is not a problem because one can always get some honest experts to manage that area for him.

Anyone who listens to me constantly or read my publications will however testify to what I always say without mincing words that in a democratic government, other than military, everyone must be godly, particularly; Ministers, Legislators and all other top government officers. For any leader to be able to end our suffering, everyone in a civilian government, must be upright because however righteous or godly or determined and disciplined, any head of government, whether at the Federal or State can be, he cannot succeed in the midst of an ungodly majority. Such a righteous President or Governor will be speedily frustrated and impeached by the ungodly majority. Reasons for impeachment cannot be in want. But has the Bible not said it that "Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach" (Prov. 14:34).

And this is what has happened and the President knows it. He himself had confessed that his impressive performance, which we always refer to, was when he ruled as a Dictator with gun.

Though I had high hope in him, I never expected him to have success with him alone in the camp of the unrighteous majority.

So, if I were President Buhari, what I would have done right from the inception of my government was to call a meeting of all the stakeholders in the party and all who I have put in different positions and all heads of parastatals and plead with them to always remember that I am the sole factor and the issue, in the victory of the election, based on my trusted integrity and they should please protect my name. I will plead with them to always remember our campaign promises and we should not be made a laughingstock at the end. I will say it frankly to them that it is only corruption that will make us fail and I will ask them to swear to an oath not to take more than what is appropriated to them by the virtue of their services and not only that but to protect and monitor every money budgeted for their different ministries and departments.

If all these had been properly addressed and honesty reigned, Lawyers who Baba had indicted when on a visit to India as being the hindrance to his success would have been rendered jobless and incapacitated as they will have no thief to defend.

Of course when I was writing, preaching and eulogizing his return to the throne, I did not project him as an angel without a fault. I pointed out my annoyance, when as a military ruler, he killed some three gentlemen on accusation of drug peddling when in actual fact, they committed the offence outside the law of "Death penalty" Read my comment published on Tuesday April 26 2011 http://nigeriaworld.com/feature/publication/aweda/042611.html (Biblical Truth & Power in names. The Man Goodluck Jonathan & Destiny) (Part 1)

I initially had high hope on President Goodluck Jonathan too because of His name "Goodluck" which has been true to him all along and I did write two epistles on him..

Refer the two articles :

i. Biblical Truth & Power in names. The Man Goodluck Jonathan & Destiny) Part 1 published on Tuesday April 26 2011

http://nigeriaworld.com/feature/publication/aweda/042611.html

ii. Biblical Truth & Power in names. The Man Goodluck Jonathan & Destiny) Part 2 published on Tuesday May 03 2011

http://nigeriaworld.com/feature/publication/aweda/050311.html

But I could not with a good conscience stand with him after sometimes with the reckless looting of government treasury going on, left and right under his nose. Baba Obasanjo himself commented that the person (Jonathan) on the seat was not the one ruling but four other women. At last, he was a disaster as a head of government as regards to corruption. I wrote at the end of it all, published on May 05 2015 "How President Jonathan missed Being the Anointed one http://nigeriaworld.com/feature/publication/aweda/050515.html

However, I give praise to Jesus on his behalf and thanks to him as well for averting a civil war by relinquishing power voluntarily at the time he did.

The hope of putting a stop to the looting and banditry of the commonwealth was very high with the ascendancy of Sai Baba to the Presidency. Many people, including me saw him as the 'Messiah' I called him "The Nehemiah of our time" after the Biblical revolutionist, Nehemiah, who restored the fortune of his people.

I saw him as the cat, which has entered the house, which will make all mouses go underground. Unfortunately the rats became more bold and more destructive than the time of President Jonathan.

Another hope, which Citizens had with the ascension of baba Buhari to the presidency was that the days of Boko Haram were numbered. Again, Boko Haram became more emboldened and ruthless. Kidnapping and Banditry had greater and unrestricted, unfettered field days. In fact they became more strengthened and determined to even take Aso Rock (the seat of the government) itself.

But could the government be complicit in this case? Otherwise, Baba ought to have spoken strongly. Prof. Wole Soyinka has said it all that what the President ought to have done was to come out and say though his people are the ones committing these atrocities, he knows nothing about it. His quietness brings a lot of suspicion and discomfort.

Baba Buhari has the desire to cub corruption, I have no doubt in my mind. I can perceive this because after he got to seat, it took him months to appoint ministers and others. I guess he was looking for people of proven integrity to place in positions. Do you remember him say "I am for everyone I am for no body" whichever way he said it! But where will he get Mr. Clean? Did any Mr. Clean pay for his nomination fee? Did any Mr. Clean bank roll his campaign expenses?

Of course there were millions of incorruptible Nigerians out there who can run a credible government with him but they were not in politics and it would be impossible for him to appoint them and ignore those who financed his campaign expenses. At last he had no choice other than to hire those Mr. and Ms. Dirty who paid for his nomination form and who bankrolled his campaign; as the adage goes "He who pays the Piper dictates the tune" So his desire on this project of curbing corruption was stalled and we have come out worse than President Jonathan government.

And they have again started on the path of I don't care attitude reminiscent of a Yoruba slogan "We are full in our own case and we cannot be bothered if anyone is hungry. They have 'pegged' using their word, Presidential nomination form fee at N100m. N100m? which is over $200, 000.00.

Certainly these people either do not know what the majority of Nigerians are going through or they cannot just be bothered. N100m to pick presidential nomination form? May God have mercy.

I raised alarm when in 2010, the PDP puts its Presidential nomination fee at N11m and the Gubernatorial at N6m. I wrote an article titled "Nigerian politicians can make a Patriot mad and make the Poor commit Suicide.

http://nigeriaworld.com/feature/publication/aweda/111610.html

The following week, I wrote another after I researched what candidates in the US, the richest country in the world pay to pick such forms titled "Filing fee for a US Presidential Aspirant is $2,500.00 (N375,000) or 5000 signatures"

http://nigeriaworld.com/feature/publication/aweda/112310.html

This reminds me of the comment of Alh. Usman Bugaje, one time Federal Legislator, which he made in Nov. 2007 at the day of honor for Chief Sunday Awoniyi, in Abuja after he died. Bugaje lamented and said that hardly does any weekend passes by, when who is who in the Northern Region will not gather for one function or do other and they will spend money like sand, yet there will be one fellow in the same North who will require medication costing just N1000.00 and he will not have it and will die "How true Alhaji Bugaje is!

What I wrote, when President Buhari lost the election to Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 has now become a prophecy come true. It was published on April 26 2011 under the topic "Biblical Truth in Names. The Man Goodluck Jonathan & Destiny (part 1)"

Let us read some of it

http://nigeriaworld.com/feature/publication/aweda/042611.html

"I must again break from the ongoing exposition "Hearing from God" to comment on the just concluded Presidential election.

We have a number of tested hands among the April 2011 Presidential aspirants. Among the tested hands, one stands taller than the rest in integrity and judged free of corruption. He is Gen. Mohammed Buhari (rtd).

Other than the charge of partiality leveled against Buhari as Military Head of State in the manner he treated members of the Alh. Shagari Government, which he sacked, I too was and still till feel sad about those three young men he executed for allegation of peddling drug.

I do not support drug peddling; not at all. But those guys committed the offence when 'Death Penalty' had not been decreed for drug peddling. This depicts him as someone of unfair character in meting justice. There are scores of other mis deeds leveled against him.

However going by the nagging problem of corruption bogging the nation for quite many years, Buhari can be judged to be up to the task.

But then, the story will not be the same with Buhari in mufti as opposed to Buhari in uniform, a dictator.

Surely, he will confront corruption and win, putting him in uniform again because of his clean hands.

But in mufti, he has dirty party men and corrupt National Assembly men who will make him go the way of Alh. Barabe Musa, governor of Kaduna state in the 2nd Republic.

For those who are not old enough to understand what happened to Alh. Balarabe Musa in 1979, Balarabe was summarily impeached by the Kaduna State House of Assembly when he refused to open the State treasury for them.

So, even if Buhari had won the Presidential election, I can be sure that he would not last except he is ready to compromise with those greedy party men and National Assembly Members who are addicted to living on the state treasury"

That was what I wrote on April 26 2011 after he lost the Presidential election to Mr. Jonathan. He eventually won in 2015 and remain on seat till now, 2022. He lasted because he was helpless with corrupt people in his government. In deed what I wrote in 2011 has become a prophecy come true. His government has thus become the worst in the history of Nigeria in terms of corruption, welfare of the citizens and security. What a pity!!

So, if I were President Buhari, what I would have done right from the inception of my government was to call a meeting of all the stakeholders in the party and all who I have put in different positions and all heads of parastatals and plead with them to always remember that I am the sole factor and the issue in the victory of the election, based on my trusted integrity and they should please protect my name. I will plead with them to always remember our campaign promises and we should not be made a laughing stock at the end. I will say it frankly to them that it is only corruption that will make us fail and I will ask them to swear to an oath not to take more than what is appropriated to them by the virtue of their services and not only that but to protect and monitor every money budgeted for their different ministries and departments.

I am having a feeling that the APC presidency is already planning to sell to us another candidate of sure integrity, good health, young in mind, brilliant, astute, ebullient and an orator who without any doubt, loves this country and who we can be proud of as our President in the comity of nations but I am afraid, the same thing will happen if the same old clich� of money bags pay for his nomination form and bank roll his campaign.

But could it be that God wants to repeat the story of Moses and Joshua? Though God judged Moses as the meekest person on earth (Num.12:3); but just for one mistake he did (Num.20: 1-12), God decided that he will not take the glory of leading His people to the promised land but his assistant, Joshua will do it (Num.27:12-22; Deut. 34:1-9).

God who knows the end from the beginning might have allowed General Buhari to be on the throne and to work out someone who will take Nigeria to the promised land.

Or is it going to be a repeat of the case of king David, who had planned to build a Temple for the Lord but God said 'No" because he had too much blood in his hands (1Chr.28:3) but his son, Solomon (1Kings 8:12-19) would do it and David got all the materials ready before he died (1Chr.28)

So what is the way out for the incoming Joshua or Solomon?

i. Every citizen must be persuaded to have the right frame of mind as to how politics is run in order to make the citizens happy, put in other words, how politics makes everyone to eat the good of the land. Meanwhile, the Politicians and the card carrying citizens of the ruling party shares the whole commonwealth among themselves. This is evil. The commonwealth is not for the party in power, it is for everyone, including those who do not even belong to any party. The joy of any party that wins the election is in the will and determination to do something outstanding, to make the lives of the citizens better than what her predecessors have done and at the end of their stewardship, their names written in gold. Unfortunately, what I see happen from time to time is clusters of people in the different communities who belong to the ruling party, meeting every week to share money or goodies doled to then by their political representatives. Does that mean that those who belong to the opposition party or a person like me who does not belong to any party should die from hunger?

What is another way out?

ii. We must persuade every citizen to go Godly. The Bible says it clearly that "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." (Proverbs 14:34). As I said earlier, no government can succeed when the majority of the politicians and other citizens are ungodly and selfish particularly in a country like Nigeria where the rule of law does not work. Everyone must learn to do unto others just as he would have others do unto him.

iii. If we would face the truth, the salvation of Nigeria is not in the hands of the present crop of politicians. They are too full of greed. However, being an optimistic person, that I am, with the believe that there is nothing, which God cannot do, if they would allow God in their hearts, they can repair all, which they have destroyed. They can decide to return to the government coffer, all which they had stolen. Zacchaeus, the notorious sinner allowed Jesus in his heart and he paid back in four folds all people he had scammed. Prophet Jonah preached to the people of Nineveh, telling them of the destruction looming on them within 7 days, they repented with fasting and God spared them.

Let us pray.

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