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he recent criticism of Nigerian Christian leaders by Sheik Gummi
which drew some ire from some Christians gives a glimpse of the
complexity of the Nigeria problem and magnitude of the of the challenge
that must be surmounted to give Nigeria a future. I have had very
little to agree with Sheik Gummi and many religious leaders like him
who hold a concrete view and understanding of ancient literatures. I
have opposed his stand on the Islamisation of Nigeria and the
imposition of Sharia law in north Nigeria. This is because the
justification for these moves stem from religious bigotry and
intolerance. Moreover, I believe that the use of political power to
advance religious objectives is wrong and only creates disorder in the
society. I also do not share his attitude to religion and the way and
manner he and many other religious leaders, including Christian leaders
misuse the writings of their holy books to fan division and bigotry and
perpetrate intolerance and ignorance. However, I could not agree
more with the Sheik when he criticised the covetousness of Nigerian
Christian leaders.It reminded me of the teaching of Jesus on
covetousness.
This is not the first time a Muslim will remind me of the words of
Jesus. In December 1992 or there about, I was holidaying in Aba far
away from Jengre where I worked. On the morning of 27 December, I
suddenly cut my holiday short. I developed an over whelming need to
return to Jengre and I told my mother. She was not happy. I set out to
return to Jengre and arrived at about 6 PM. Dr Bashir Jabo, the NYSC
doctor serving in the hospital was very excited to see me. He told me
that he had fasted since about 6 AM praying to Allah to bring me back.
He told me that there was a patient in the hospital with serious
strangulated hernia who refused to go to Jos University teaching
Hospital and said that he wanted to die in our hospital. He had
emptied all his intestines into his scrotum. Then he said, I know that
Allah will bring you back.I could not believe it.
This was a Muslim doctor; serving in a Christian hospital fasting and
praying to Allah to bring back a Christian doctor to save the life of
a Muslim patient because the patient would not go another hospital to
receive the same treatment. We took the patient to theatre and after a
six hours surgery saved his life. Seven days later he was discharged.
Some weeks later he brought me some yams and two cockerels and said,
‘if I was a Muslim he would have paid for me to attend the hajj. This
is one of the experiences that changed my view about religion and
opened my understanding to godliness and religious beliefs. It taught
me that God hears all prayers, Muslims and Christians as long as they
are offered from a pure heart and for good motives which makes me see
the constant war between christains and Muslims in Nigeria as simply a
sign of ingnorance.
The comment by Sheik Gummi about Christian leaders reminded me of the
teaching of Jesus Christ on covetousness. Seeing that the Pharisees
were always trying to entrap him, Jesus taught his disciples many
things using the Pharisees as example. In the gospel according to Luke
chapter 12 verse 15, Jesus said to his disciples” take heed and beware
of covetousness, for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of
things which he posseth. KJV. Jesus was saying to his disciples, be
mindful of becoming inordinately desirous, excessively wanting to
obtain possessions or becoming avaricious .In order to buttress his
point about the evil of covetousness, Jesus told his disciples the
parable of the rich fool who decided to build a new barn when he
returned a rich harvest and God told him that, that day was the end of
his life. In the parable Jesus taught his disciples the difference
being religious and being rich towards God. From this parable Jesus
was telling his disciples that religious people like the Pharisees are
like the rich fool. The rich fool did nothing obviously wrong. He did
not break the Ten Commandments. He earned his money. It was his
rightful profit from his labour. He simply decided that he needed a new
barn because he had more things to store. He did not think of those
who had nothing when he had plenty.This is the same sin Sheik Gummi
says Christian leaders are committing.
Christian leaders whose ministries are generating millions of Naira
are not thinking about those who have nothing. Instead, they think of
replacing their Mercedes Benz cars with private planes or their modest
houses with palaces. They are using the money to build schools and
hospitals which only the rich can afford. They use the increase in
abundance to fund lavish life style which Jesus said is because of
covetousness. They are righteous people who justify ostentatious living
in the midst of poverty and wants and Jesus hates such people no matter
the claim they make about their faith and religiosity.
This is the same thing Sheik Gummi saw when he looked at Christian
leaders for which he is now vilified by the same people. It reminds me
too much of the attitude of the Pharisees to Jesus. Jesus said that
such people are rich in natural things but not rich towards God.I
wonder what Jesus would say if Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor complaints to him
about Sheik Gummi. I can imagine Jesus saying to Pastor Oritsejafor and
co, go and sale your private planes and expensive cars, give it to the
poor and them come and follow me. Jesus taught his disciples that
after they have met their basic necessities that they should think of
those who have nothing. Jesus is saying that those who are rich towards
God do not need to change their Pajero Jeep to Mercedes Jeep or 505 to
Mercedes just because they have made more money. Jesus taught his
disciples that when those who know him make more money that they do not
need to change their modest house into a mansion. He said think of
those who have nothing when you make more money. Jesus said, if you
can afford a plane ticket to wherever you want to go, you do not need a
private jet when millions go without clothing, food, shelter and life
changing education.This is the gospel according to sheik Gummi which
our Christian leaders hate so much.
I think Sheik Gummi is right. He spoke the truth and there is no need
to vilify him. His gospel came directly from the bible. In Exodus
Chapter 18 verse 21, Moses was advised to find able men who fear God,
men of truth who hate covetousness to appoint them as leaders. Paul in
First Timothy chapter 3 verses 2 and 3 reminded the young Timothy that
bishop; Christian leaders must not be covetous among other qualities.
In second Timothy Chapter 3 verse 2 he told him. In the last days
perilous time shalt come and that men would be lovers of their own
selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents,
unthankful and unholy. These are the sins Sheik Gummi sees when he
looks at Christian leaders and it is sad. The bible makes it clear that
covetousness disqualifies a person from being a Christian leader and
this is what Sheik Gummi was saying. I do not think it should matter
that it is Sheik Gummi that pointed it out. Christian leaders should
be men who shun ostentatious living and flamboyant life style. Well
done Saint Gummi, told them as Nigerians would say.
However, is it not rather strange that when Sheik Gummi looks at
Nigeria he sees avarice only in Christian leaders, when the same
disease also afflicts our political leaders? It would seem hypocritical
to turn a blind eye to the greed and avarice of our politicians which
is fuelling corruption in Nigeria when giving a sermon on covetousness
and concentrate only on Christian leaders. What has Sheik Gummi said
about the criminal remuneration of our politicians? What has Sheik
Gummi said about the billions of Naira Northern governors have wasted
in ostentatious living while the region is overrun by Almajiris because
of Islamic teachings and attitude to women and children? Why is Sheik
Gummi not trying to understand that the real reason for Boko Haram is
what Islam teaches its adherents and attempt to point the people to
what is just, the path of understanding, peace and love? Why has Sheik
Gummi not preached against Boko Haram assertion that western education
is sin? It is simply naive to say the least, for Nigerian leaders
political and religious to ignore the fact that criminality in many
societies is related to the, traditions, what the prevalent religions
teaches and attitude of the predominant religion to women.
Where a people or country adopts an enlightened attitude towards women,
crime is better controlled. However, whenever the attitude to women is
what it is in Nigeria as a result of traditions and religion, crime is
usually out of control. Wherever a people are free to marry many wives,
at whatever ages they want and traditions justify inequality and
discrimination of women, such a society cannot develop. This is
because criminals often come from large families and large families are
often religious families and exists where men because of religion can
express their libidinal urges unregulated as supported by Islam. With
what Islam teaches about women , its stand on Child marriage and the
attitude of the catholic church to contraception; does anybody still
wonder why Nigeria is awash with Almajiris, Boko Haram members,
kidnappers , armed robbers and corrupt politicians. It will help very
much if people like Sheik Gummi are not only motivated my religious
interest when they address the ills of the society.
He was probably saying to Christian leaders, look at me I live
modestly, this is a sign that I am right and you are wrong. If you are
really God’s servants you should live modestly. Yes, Sheik Gummi is
telling the truth, but it is not the whole truth and nothing but the
truth. He seems to be speaking the truth because it would make his
opponents look bad and this is also a sin. God knows our real motives
we can only infer it from what people say and how they say it. We also
suspect peoples real motives from what the refuse to see or say.
I hope that The saintly Sheik will remember that jesus also warned
that he who thinks he stands should take heed, least he falls. I hope
He does not have a Child bride, or many wives, supports paedophilia
in the name of Islam, or sponsoring Boko Haram because as Jesus would
say, you should remove the beam in your eyes before attempting to
remove the speck in your brother’s eyes. Thank you Sheik Gummi for
reminding Nigerian Christian leaders that they have lost the plot and I
hope Sheik Gummi will support my campaign to remove Sharia from the
Nigeria constitution so that our senators would not be intimated to
vote to legalise evils like child sexual abuse because it is allowed by
Sharia.
