Curiouser and curiouser. For the second time in about two years, I find myself muttering Alice’s famous exclamation in the book, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll (real names- Charles Lutwidge Dodgson). And I have developments in the race for Nigeria’s presidency in 2011, and the place of incumbent, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in it, to thank for this resort to “Literary Nonsense.”
Frankly, I thought I had said my bit on the subject and can now move on to other issues. This is because, having written at least three times trying to show why I think, the “lucky” man of Nigerian politics should not try his “luck” this time, my job was done. As I have learnt over the years, the place of the journalist/commentator is to have his say without necessarily having his way.
But how can one fail to wonder aloud about the melodrama we are being treated to? Every day that dawns you get to read one statement or the other from one group or another calling on the President to run, or endorsing his as yet undeclared candidacy. Some women say they won’t have sex with their husbands, and have enjoined others not to, unless GEJ runs. Members of a so-called civil society group say they’ll go on hunger strike by a certain date, if he denies Nigeria his “good luck charm.” It’s a sickening reminder of the days of million-man marches; youths earnestly asking for Abacha, and the then political parties, dubbed five fingers of a leprous hand by the late Bola Ige, warming up to adopt the then maximum ruler as their presidential candidate.
Of the various statements, one of the least ridiculous, yet “curiouser and curiouser-inducing” is that by Jonathan’s National Assembly liaison men, Senator Muhammed Abba-Aji and Dr Cairo Ojuigo. Speaking at the launch of yet another Jonathan-must-run special purpose vehicle, they assured Nigerians that their principal will run; that he will announce his intention to do so soon after completing his on-going fast in solidarity with his Muslim compatriots, and that he will, if elected, stay in office for only one term of four years.
While I really do not want to go into any further discussion of the merits or demerits of the president’s decision to run or not to run, it is pertinent, to my take today, to note the seeming desperation setting in, in these matters. What are we supposed to make of the president’s Ramadan solidarity fast – piety or politics? Why does he want only one term in office? To complete the Yar’Adua/Jonathan ticket which belongs to the North? What does that mean for the game of roulette, sorry, rotation within his Peoples Democratic Party? Will “power” return to the South in 2015? Or would having an Ijaw man head more than half of the North’s eight-year turn mean that the South has had its turn and “power” should therefore return to the North? Where is the Igbo interest in all of this?
All of this brings me to the theme of today’s piece, which is once again about the Church; but this time specifically about the place of its leaders in the affairs of the nation. It was triggered by a report “Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State has declared the Church in Nigeria a failure in its duty of checking the excesses of the country’s political class. He handed down this damning verdict in a lecture on ‘The Role of the Church in National Development,’ on Saturday (August 14) marking the 34th anniversary of the Egba Diocese of the Anglican Church.
“Obi, a devout Catholic, told the audience in Abeokuta, Ogun state, that instead of reprimanding, and publicly shunning well-known corrupt politicians and businessmen, some church leaders offer them front seats in their churches. He was of the opinion that unless the church changes its attitude in this critical area, it would be impossible for the nation to achieve her collective goals.
“He stated that the church has a greater role to play to correct the ills of the country, because church leaders have effective platforms in their pulpits from which they can criticise the ills plaguing the country. It behoves the church, which has moral authority, he said ‘to question the source of sudden wealth of individuals. But, unfortunately, the church is becoming part of the problem.’
“Differing from the general opinion that corruption was the nation’s major problem, he said greed was the problem, because that is what gives birth to corrupt practices. He wondered why church leaders are not just keeping quiet about, but are also honouring, corrupt persons including politicians they are aware have several houses abroad, which they cannot justify from their legitimate income. In Nigeria today, he said, ‘people who have no means of livelihood but are stupendously rich are respected, honoured and entertained by the church.’
“Recalling his experience during his three-year legal battle to regain his governorship mandate, which was denied him through vote rigging, Obi said all the church leaders he approached counselled him to accept the robbery as an act of God. That’s how God wanted it, he was told. But, according to him, when against their advice, he pursued his rights and won, the same church leaders turned around to say, ‘we have been praying for you since.’
“Turning attention to the approaching elections, the governor, now in his second four-year term said: ‘Elections are coming and politicians are busy planning how to rig and manipulate the polls. And after they have rigged their way into office, the church will not only keep quiet about it, it will allow such politicians to come for thanksgiving. Not only that, the church leaders will pray for such politicians for God to bless and protect them…this has to change.’”
Now, save for Primate Elijah Ayodele, whose prophesy was quoted here last time, it is not clear where church leaders stand on the on-going “Jonathan, Run or we Die” charade. While I admit that it is possible that some may have offered private counsel to the President, it is more in character that the reluctance or unwillingness to speak truth to power, is once again at play. Like Governor Obi said above, the Church must never again fail to speak the truth and stand courageously by it.
In concluding, I appropriate these words of General Obasanjo to Mrs Margaret Thatcher, many years ago: “dear church leaders, if you fail to speak up now…Dr Jonathan, if you waste this defining moment...and Nigeria comes to any grief, “my heart would be broken, but my hands would be clean.”
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