OF CONSCIENCE AND CORRUPTING INFLUENCES (2)

The point being made here is this: God did not quibble about prosperity. He said what he meant: that he wants his children to prosper materially. The Bible clearly states that he indeed delights in the prosperity of His people. And indeed He did not just say it; He acted it all through biblical history. Indeed, God is so particular about the material wellbeing of His people that right from the onset, and all through biblical history, the Bible records how material prosperity was one of the distinguishing marks of His people. Perhaps some authentication will help here.

I was saying that a disproportionate concentration on the abuses of prosperity teaching is responsible for the kind of conclusion that many commentators reach about the subject. And I boldly declare, because I know it to be true, that far from been corruptive in its influence, wholesome prosperity teaching is indeed purifying.

But first, what is prosperity teaching or prosperity theology as Tony Nyiam put it in his three-part newspaper serial, The Corrupting Influence of Prosperity Theology, which is my inspiration for this contribution. The simplest way to answer this is by defining the word or concept “prosperity” as used in the Bible.

This is necessary because of a popular notion among opponents of “prosperity theology”, which Tony Nyiam strongly asserted in his write-up in these words: “It is often forgotten that the word 'prosper', in the spiritual sense, and the way it is used in the Scripture, means to excel in the totality of one's being - body, soul and Spirit. The biblical idea of prosperity is not the 'material prosperity' which many of our men of God mistake for the objective of prosperity theology. If that was not so, the Spirit of God, speaking through Zechariah, would not have questioned the already materially-rich King Joash and his people: "Why transgress the commandments of the Lord, that ye cannot prosper?" (2 Chronicles 24:20). It is not just about money, riches and other material wealth. Thus, in the Third Letter of John we are each wished ‘above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth’ (3 John 1:2).”

My study of the scriptures has shown that at its most basic, prosperity simply means success. And I wish to state that, no matter how much we try to spiritualise things, the word is used more in relation to the material, the earthly, the here and now, rather than in relation to the spiritual. Even in the famous 3 John 1:2, the beloved apostle had to make a distinction between the spiritual and the physical.

As for the King Joash example quoted above, it must be pointed out that Zechariah was simply doing what prophets do – prophesy, foretell or forth-tell. He was telling Joash what will become of him and his people, not describing their current state. And what he prophesied came to pass; their “prosperity” soon became somebody else’s spoil: “And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of Syria came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus (2 Chronicles 24:23).

Without turning this into a Bible study session, let’s check out a few of the Hebrew root words translated into prosper, prosperity, and prosperous in English.

One of the more commonly used is “tsalach,” which according to Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionary means, “to push forward”. Literally or figuratively, it also means “break out, come (mightily), go over, be good, be meet, be profitable and prosper. Another one is “tobe” which simply means good, but which also translates, among others to, among others, favour, pleasant, pleasure, precious, prosperity, wealth and welfare. Another well-known one is “shalom”. Strong says this popular word literally means safe or safety. Figuratively and abstractly however, it is also rendered as well, happy, friendly; and welfare, that is, wholeness, health, prosperity and peace. You may know that it is used as a greeting among the Jews and some Christians. There is also “shelve” and it means security and prosperity.

The New Testament, incidentally, mentioned the word only thrice using the Greek root word “euodoo” which Strong’s dictionary says means contextually, “help on the road”, that is, “succeed in reaching” and figuratively, “to succeed in business affairs”. One can go on and on. No matter the context, you won’t find anywhere in the Bible where the word, prosper or prosperity was used to mean anything but the physical. Name the root word: is it sawkal, or halak; tselakh or shalah; shalev or kasher, none, absolutely none has any spiritual connotation.

The point being made here is this: God did not quibble about prosperity. He said what He meant: that he wants his children to prosper materially. The Bible clearly states that He indeed delights in the prosperity of His people. And He did not just say it, He acted it all through biblical history. Indeed, God is so particular about the material wellbeing of His people that right from the onset, and all through biblical history, the Bible records how material prosperity was one of the distinguishing marks of His people. Perhaps some authentication will help here.

The Bible records in chapter one of the book of Genesis how God created the heaven and the earth, the animals, birds and all else climaxing it with the making of man in his image and after his likeness. Verses 28-30 records what followed like this: “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

For the avoidance of any doubts, the word “bless” here takes its root from the Hebrew word “barak” which contextually means to confer benefit upon abundantly. In order words, God prospered man from Day One!

If that is not convincing enough, of God’s material prosperity agenda, let’s see the environment God placed his first man, as described in the Bible: “And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates. And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it” (Genesis 2: 10-15).

Even when man fell and God eventually decided to begin again, as it were, through Noah, His prosperity plan did not change. Right after the first rain had ceased and the flood ended, what did he do? He blessed the new first family in these words: “ And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things” (Genesis 9:1-3).

Anyone faintly acquainted with the Bible knows about Abraham, the Abrahamic covenant and the great material prosperity that accrued from it. That he “…was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold (Genesis 13:2), even as Abram did not hinder his destiny as “father of many nations” Such was his material state that the Bible said of him towards the end of his earthly sojourn: “And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things (Genesis 24:1). And if you thought that was vague, listen to this testimony of his servant: “And he said, I am Abraham's servant. And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses (Genesis 24:34-35). (Continues Next Week)
PIX: Lt col Tony Nyiam(rtd)...inspired this serial

CONSCIENCE AND CORRUPTING INFLUENCES

“But before that, I wish to state categorically that while I concede that the ownership of a private jet is incongruous with the humility and simplicity of comportment of this particular man of God, I do not consider a personal jet as so out-of-this-world that its ownership or lack of it should define the spiritual health of an Adeboye or any church leader for that matter. God does not have any problems with His children having things; he is concerned about things having them. ”

The unfolding tragi-comical political drama in Ekiti is taking on the character of a soap opera, with all its twists and turns, reflecting the ebbs and flows of life, flashes of nobility and humaneness and sometimes downright silliness. The Ekiti saga also has another major characteristic of the soap, it’s not a sprint; it’s a marathon.

What do I mean by that? Anyone who thinks that curtain-call is near, because of the declaration of Engr Segun Oni as the lawfully returned winner of the Ekiti governorship supplementary election on last Tuesday, and his swearing-in the next day, needs to go and watch more soaps! There are several more episodes ahead and they promise to be as exciting and revealing as ever. How it will end? God never ends anything on a negative.

It suffices to repeat here today what we said last week in our discussion on the subject of conscience: “…Mrs Adebayo has raised a weighty matter and I hope, she did so, not lightly, for to trifle with her conscience and with the democratic will of a people is to pour upon herself, hot coal – and it burns! The same applies to all who are actors in this nauseating drama.”

Talking about conscience, that word was used in yet another important context last week. In a three-part treatise by Tony Nyiam titled “The Corrupting Influence of Prosperity Theology”, the vexed issue of Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye’s supposed private jet came up for mention. Adeboye is the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

In a really refreshing series, Tony, a retired military officer, wrote as follows: It is unChristlike for a man of God to become a copy-cat of those who are attracted to the super (materially) rich life-style. This is especially so when many of those paying tithes to the pastor's church are struggling to make a living. It is undoubtedly unwise of Pastor Enoch Adeboye to have allowed himself fall into the temptation of the mighty's private jet ownership life-style. This runs contrary to the biblical allusion to the fact that Christianity is not particularly a calling of the mighty and the noble. Isn't this why Paul said that "God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty" (1 Corinthians 2:27)?”

He continued: “Pastor Adeboye needs to search his conscience. For it is only then will he understand and realize what our Lord meant by the declaration "My Kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). I do hope Pastor Adeboye does not, in response to this request that he searches his conscience, invoke the usual self-flattering claim that God told him to buy such an expensive private jet airline. It is the ego that has driven Pastor Adeboye to make such an unwise decision. For Pastor Adeboye to be going for a life style that the public, even in richer countries like the USA, are criticizing is a big mistake. An insensitive one at that. Pastors must always remember Paul's warning against being self-interest driven: "For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled" (Titus 1:7)… Pastor Adeboye has always seemed immune to this lavishness. Recent events show that things may be about to change. We pray this does not happen to a pastor who has, in the past, done much for the body of Christ.”

I agree absolutely that Pastor Adeboye does need to search his conscience; so do we all. In fact I would be surprised if he needed Tony’s advice to do so. I expect that kind of exercise to be second nature to a man God has used so tremendously in His vineyard. But what I find unacceptable is Tony’s pre-emptive strike. Perhaps it is the soldier in him, but he certainly betrayed intolerance of any response that runs counter to his opinion when he said “I do hope Pastor Adeboye does not, in response to this request that he searches his conscience, invoke the usual self-flattering claim that God told him to buy such an expensive private jet airline. It is the ego that has driven Pastor Adeboye to make such an unwise decision.” The point here being that Tony either does not believe that God does speak to His children or that if He does, God is bound by Tony’s own understanding of His will.

This is the kind of flaw that runs through the certainly well-meaning exertion of the writer on the subject of Prosperity, which has become a major weapon of the enemy is sustaining division and widening the gulf within the One United Church that the Lord Jesus Christ built.

But before that, I wish to state categorically that while I concede that the ownership of a private jet is incongruous with the humility and simplicity of comportment of this particular man of God, I do not consider a personal jet as so out-of-this-world that its ownership or lack of it should define the spiritual health of an Adeboye or any church leader for that matter. God does not have any problems with His children having things; he is concerned about things having them.

Let me state also that I agree substantially with Tony's position on the rise of materialism among the clergy in Nigeria as in many parts of the world. And without mincing words, I admit that this is much more pronounced in the wing of the Church that I belong to - the charismatic/Pentecostal movement. But I do find Tony's thesis overly dismissive of financial and material prosperity as less than godly, not to say ungodly. And this is certainly untrue of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, as I shall try to demonstrate briefly.

What is true is that, as with everything, balance is quintessential; and that seems to be in short supply today, even in the Church. Unfortunately Tony also manifests this trait in his piece. If we excuse the headline, nowhere in the piece did Tony identify anything good about the so-called prosperity theology, or is it corruptive through and through and should therefore never be preached? Yet he says he is of the holistic school! To show that sincere as this well regarded man is, he is sincerely wrong on this issue, one may ask: Shall we shut down the television stations, close all the newspapers and magazines and yank all radio stations off air because of the “corrupting influence” of the media? Tony canvassed a place for political theology; doesn’t that have any corrupting influences?

He himself put his finger on the heart of the matter when he wrote: “It is often forgotten that the word 'prosper', in the spiritual sense, and the way it is used in the Scripture, means to excel in the totality of one's being - body, soul and Spirit. The biblical idea of prosperity is not the 'material prosperity' which many of our men of God mistake for the objective of prosperity theology. If that was not so, the Spirit of God, speaking through Zechariah, would not have questioned the already materially-rich King Joash and his people: "Why transgress the commandments of the Lord, that ye cannot prosper?" (2 Chronicles 24:20). It is not just about money, riches and other material wealth. Thus, in the Third Letter of John we are each wished "above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth" (3 John 1:2).”

In other words when the Bible speaks about prosperity, “money, riches and other material wealth” is inclusive. Would the gospel be complete were we to ignore or deliberately downplay these components of prosperity? Certainly not! At its most basic, a wholesome teaching on prosperity would be one that recognises that the Christian’s spiritual health is as important to God as his physical and financial well-being. 3 John 1:2 quoted by Tony makes that crystal clear.

While I do not wish to turn this into a rebuttal of Colonel Nyiam’s piece since, as I said earlier, there are substantial areas of agreement; I think it is useful to take a close look at God’s position on the financial and material well-being of His children as revealed in the Bible. This is particularly so because, as we shall see, true biblical teaching on prosperity, far from being corrupting in its influence, has a purifying influence. The problem has been a disproportional focus by commentators on its abuse. (Continues Next Week)
PIX:Lt, Col Tony Nyiam (rtd)

CONSCIENCE AND EKITI’S RE-RUN ELECTION

“Easton’s Bible Dictionary describes conscience as “That faculty of the mind, or inborn sense of right and wrong, by which we judge of the moral character of human conduct. It is common to all men.” In this age of relativism, where everything is “right” or “wrong”, relative to other things and therefore, where nothing is accepted as inherently right or wrong in itself, you can understand the import of the phrase “as a Christian”. It is simply saying, my heart, led by the principles of my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, adjudges this action or omission as “right” or “wrong”. There is therefore such a thing as ‘Christian conscience.’”

Chief Mrs Olusola Ayoka Adebayo did the unprecedented last Tuesday. She resigned her position as Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ekiti State, three days after supervising the Court of Appeal-ordered rerun of the election for the office of state governor. She had announced results from five of the ten local governments. With elections in one of the local governments, Oye, postponed, results from four of the remaining five were supposedly being collated when news filtered out that she had taken ill and was unable to continue with the process.

According to the purveyors of this information, the stress of the job had been too much for the 74-year-old woman. But Mrs Adebayo reportedly disowned this explanation in a phone conversation with the state chairman of one of the parties. A newspaper report quoted her as saying late on Saturday night: "I thank God; I’ve left the place. I can’t do anything against my conscience. I’m a Christian. They want me to announce fake results. I can’t – at my age; for how much I’m hale and hearty; I’m not ill. I’m fine... I’m the only one permitted to declare results, but I’ve told everybody that I won’t work against my conscience…I promised fairness and I won’t change my stand. Thank you."

This theme was to feature in her now controversial “resignation letter” three days later. In the letter, written on her personal letter head, Mrs Adebayo said as follows:

"It is with heavy heart that I am writing to inform you of my resignation as the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ekiti State. In accordance with the rule of law, the on-going election in Ekiti State was supposed to be the election that will enhance the image of INEC electoral process in our dear country, Nigeria and the whole black race. Unfortunately, the circumstances changed in the middle of the process; therefore, my conscience as a Christian cannot allow me to further participate in this process. I thank you and my great country, Nigeria, for giving me the opportunity to serve".

As you might have guessed, it is her reference to “my conscience as a Christian” that is of significance to this column. What is conscience? Is there such a thing as “conscience as a Christian” and how much of that has been in evidence in this particular episode of the Nigeria’s tragic-comic political drama?

A simple dictionary meaning of the word, conscience is “a moral sense of right and wrong, especially in relation to conduct.” Easton’s Bible Dictionary describes conscience as “That faculty of the mind, or inborn sense of right and wrong, by which we judge of the moral character of human conduct. It is common to all men.” In this age of relativism, where everything is “right” or “wrong”, relative to other things and therefore, where nothing is accepted as inherently right or wrong in itself, you can understand the import of the phrase “as a Christian”. It is simply saying, my heart, led by the principles of my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, adjudges this action or omission as “right” or “wrong”. There is therefore such a thing as “Christian conscience.”

The most famous reference to conscience in the Bible is in chapter three of the book of First John. In verses 20 and 21, the Apostle wrote: “For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.”

Matthews Henry, the famous Bible commentator had this to say in his discussion of these verses of scripture: “Our heart here is our self-reflecting judicial power, that noble excellent ability whereby we can take cognizance of ourselves, of our spirits, our dispositions, and actions, and accordingly pass a judgment upon our state towards God; and so it is the same with conscience, or the power of moral self-consciousness. This power can act as witness, judge, and executioner of judgment; it either accuses or excuses, condemns or justifies; it is set and placed in this office by God himself.”

Henry cross-referred to Proverbs 20: 27 which reads: “The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly”. He declared: “The spirit of man, thus capacitated and empowered…is a luminary lighted and set up by the Lord… taking into scrutiny and viewing the private recesses and secret transactions of the inner man…Conscience is God's vicegerent, calls the court in his name, and acts for him… God is chief Judge of the court: If our heart condemn us God is superior to our heart and conscience in power and judgment; hence the act and judgment of the court are the act and judgment of God; as…if conscience condemn us, God does so too…”

Pardon me, dear reader, if this is sounding like an Ethics class, but it is just as well, since things like these hardly get a peep-in most churches and schools these days. The point being made here is that Mrs Adebayo has raised a weighty matter and I hope, she did so, not lightly, for to trifle with her conscience and with the democratic will of a people is to pour upon herself, hot coal – and it burns! The same applies to all who are actors in this nauseating drama. The highly regarded Prof Mrs Dora Akunyili, in her office as spokesperson for the Federal Government of Nigeria addressed a press conference. She was reported as saying “there is no evidence that Adebayo was impeded from carrying out her statutory assignment as the Resident Electoral Commissioner and Returning Officer in Ekiti State.”

Her statement to the media read in part: “The supplementary governorship election in Ekiti State held on Saturday has thrown up a situation, which is viewed with utmost seriousness by government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. From the reports available to the government, the election was successfully held in nine out of the 10 local councils where the election was held. As at the evening of Sunday, April 26, 2009, the results from the election had been collated and the outcome in five local governments announced. However due to tension and fear of violence, the election did not hold in Oye Local Council. INEC then scheduled to conduct election in Oye on Monday, April 27, 2009. Before the appointed day, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ekiti, Mrs. Olusola Adebayo, who is the returning officer for the state, reportedly took ill, a situation which led to further postponement of the election.

"To the amazement of government, a letter purported to be from the same Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ekiti, Mrs. Adebayo and addressed to the President emerged today (yesterday) claiming that she is resigning her appointment in protest. All the reasons stated in the resignation letter which was purportedly written by Mrs. Adebayo and which expressed her reservations about the process are within her powers as resident electoral commissioner to address. The purported letter from all indications is intended to undermine and discredit the government, the government rejects the letter of resignation…”

I sincerely hope that this woman of integrity believes everything that she read in that statement. In other words, I hope this is a conscientious statement, not just one in the line of duty.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mike Okiro, who spoke at the same press parley, threatened to declare Adebayo wanted if she does not report to INEC office or the nearest police station. Declaring her letter as “suspect”, Okiro was quoted as saying that the woman was wanted because “there is need to properly investigate the weighty allegations contained in the letter…”

Is Okiro acting in Christian conscience, if as his name suggests, he is one? Of course his statement might have prompted a reaction from Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) General Secretary, Samuel Salifu, in which he warned “that anyone who touches her should expect the reaction of all Christians, because the Church is ready to defend this woman. We must be clear that we will not tolerate any intimidation."

Mr. Steve Osemeke is another person who got in the fray, hopefully with his conscience at peace. Described as newly-appointed Deputy Secretary, Publicity for INEC, he issued a statement on Wednesday which stated in part: “Contrary to the stories being peddled that no result had been announced in Ekiti State supplementary governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission hereby affirms that results were announced at the nine Local Government area collation centres in the presence of party agents, politicians and members of the public. For the avoidance of doubt, the only outstanding result is in some wards in Oye Local Government Area.”

If Adebayo announced only five results before she disappeared to reappear, who announced the other four? For, if our heart condemn us…

FASHOLA’S INTERFACE WITH THE CHURCH (2)

The question can be asked: are the churches ready, willing and able to be partners-in-governance? The answer, unfortunately, is not a categorical ‘yes’. In spite of the great potential that the church has to influence social, economic and political behaviour of its members, very little is being done in this respect. These issues don’t get attention from the pulpit. Most of the small groups are so focussed on their areas of “specialty” that they also end up becoming replicas of the church, unable to talk about day-to-day issues. The Churches have to rise to the Fashola Challenge!

I was saying that Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola’s establishment of a well-staffed, functional department for religious liaison in his office is noteworthy. I suggested that it is a reflection of the governor’s recognition of the place of the spiritual in the affairs of man. I noted that “the calibre of staffing, the depth of the speeches they present on behalf of their principal…demonstrate that he sees this as an important factor in his on-going success”

Now, I do not claim to know how spiritual he is himself, and it’s probably not the place of this column, Christian in orientation as it is, but the visibility of the religious affairs department seems to say something about the state of the man’s heart and his understanding of the potential contribution of religious and faith-based organisations to the development of the state under his watch. The latter is the focus of this piece.

Fashola, for instance, was recently represented at the 47th Synod of the Obun-Eko Circuit of Methodist Church Nigeria’s Diocese of Lagos, by Rev’d Mrs Yewande Akitoye-Braimoh, Special Adviser, Christian Religious Matters. Now, notice, this wasn’t a synod of the Lagos Diocese as a whole, but a circuit of it. It was therefore possible to either decline or send a lower-level official. But he honoured it. I do not discount the interplay of such forces as “who knows whom” etc, but I perceive a deliberate decision to interface with the Church, on what ordinarily might have been seen as by a less perceptive leader as no business of the their’s.

A Sunday Independent report of the event lends credence to this. Speaking on behalf of the governor, Akitoye-Braimah was quoted as describing the synod theme, “Church in a Troubled World” as “instructive and appropriate, especially taking into consideration our present need as a people for spiritual, social and moral rejuvenation in the service of our fatherland.”

According to the report written by Aramide Oikelome, the governor seized the opportunity to call on religious leaders to work towards sustaining the on-going interface between church and state in order to impact lives positively and enhance development of the state.

The report quoted him as saying: “The role of the Church in contributing to societal harmony is in greater need now than before because of the social dislocation likely to arise from the global economic meltdown. Like most institutions and organisations, which are taking measures on the crisis, the Church will be expected to rise to the occasion and provide leadership to its numerous flocks.”

As I stated last week, Governor Fashola’s unabashed liaison with religious bodies is indeed courageous because it runs against the grain of the liberalist tendencies of most of our opinion leaders and moulders. I have referred to the recent statement credited to our very dear Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka that religion is irrelevant in the public life of our nation.

But this isn’t just about courage, it’s about wisdom. Read the above statement again. The world economy is going through recession, the kind that a country like Britain has not experienced since the Second World War. Every one who knows anything about the way the world works knows that people will experience all kinds of pressures. The young man who loses his job will be tempted to steal. The pretty damsel, whose parents cannot provide for, will be tempted to use what she has (her body) to get what she needs. You can picture the variety of pseudo-creativity and pragmatism that people will seek to bring into the good old task of meeting their daily needs. There is no better institution than the Church to step in and rein in the clear and present danger to the social fabric that the economic crisis poses.

The governor was further quoted: “We regard our religious leaders as partners in governance because they are saddled with the responsibility of admonishing the congregation to be law-abiding and shun criminal tendencies that pose a threat to the security of the state. The church can also act as partners to the government in preaching against lawlessness, corruption, disorderliness and disobedience to constituted authority and leaders.”

This is hardly debatable, also. On the roads, in the market place, in our offices, virtually everywhere, lawlessness and disorderliness reign supreme. Disobedience to constituted authority is the norm. A vast majority of the people who manifest these anti-social traits can be found in various worship places including churches. Doesn’t it therefore make sense for government to carry the message to where the people are? That is the wisdom of the Fashola approach, which is a far cry from the cynical reach-out at the approach of elections that we used to see.

The question can be asked: are the churches ready, willing and able to be partners-in-governance? The answer, unfortunately, is not a categorical ‘yes’. In spite of the great potential that the church has to influence social, economic and political behaviour of its members, very little is being done in this respect. These issues don’t get attention from the pulpit. Most of the small groups are so focussed on their areas of “specialty” that they also end up becoming replicas of the church, unable to talk about day-to-day issues. The Churches have to rise to the Fashola Challenge! We have to deliberately begin to exhort and admonish our members about these issues.

The beauty of it is that the people are willing, if the leaders are ready. That is to say, it is more up to the pulpit than to the pew, as I believe this little story illustrates. Recently I took a motorbike (okada) from Ogba to Adeniyi Jones Street in Ikeja both in Lagos, Nigeria. The driver, a young well-turned out guy, handed me a crash helmet. I dutifully wore it on my handkerchief covered head. He drove off, his own helmet dangling from where he hung it between the bike's speedometer and the hand throttle, and merrily launched into singing. Three gospel choruses later, I interrupted him.

From your songs, I sense you are a Christian, I began.

Yes sir, he replied obviously deferring to my age. “Do you know that the Bible teaches us to obey to the laws of the land?”

Yes sir, he responded.

Do you know that ‘okada' operators and passengers are by law bound to wear crash helmets?

Yes, and I have mine here, he said patting the helmet where it was. And, I put it on anytime I'm nearing police or Road Safety (Commission) check-points, he answered.

I pointed out to him that what the Bible says is to obey constituted authority, not deceive them. And that what he was doing was deception not obedience. I quoted to him the Biblical passage in Colossians 3:22-23 which reads: “Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.”

What followed was very instructive. Without another word, he parked the bike, took his helmet, put it on, strapped it securely at the chin and drove off.

God bless you, I prayed for him and he replied with an ‘Amen’.

As I disembarked at my destination, he thanked me warmly and assured me, he would stay obedient.

I do not for one moment assume that I shall get the same results every time I chanced across a law-breaking biker, but I do intend to continue to try. Truth is that there are far too many people out there whose Christianity does not reflect in the quality of citizenship. I am fully persuaded that the Church can help raise the level of obedience to constituted authority in our nation, and work to mitigate the threat to our socio-economic well-being that the global financial crisis constitutes.

In passing, I understand that representatives of church were at a meeting with officials of Fashola’s government where the subject of noise pollution was discussed recently. I am told that maximum noise levels were agreed upon as - 55 decibel during the day and 45 decibel at night; while early morning services should not start earlier than 6am nor daytime services continue beyond 9pm. Perhaps this will need fine-tuning, but it is one of the advantages of the interface between Church and State that we’ve been talking about, particularly if consultation is wide enough. Kudos, Governor BRF. (Concluded).

PIX: Archbishop John Onaiyekan, President, Christian Association of Nigeria

FASHOLA’S INTERFACE WITH THE CHURCH

It is against this background that I find the establishment in a Department of Religious Matters in the Governor’s Office particularly instructive. And from my observation, the office is not just political cosmetics. It reflects Governor Fashola’s recognition of the place of the spiritual in the affairs of man. The calibre of staffing, the depth of the speeches they present on behalf of their principal, and the deliberate decision to stay connected; all demonstrate that he sees this as an important factor in his on-going succes

s.

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola is, by common consent, the most celebrated state chief executive in our nation today. His approval rating, were some of our pollsters to conduct one, would most certainly be near the maximum.

That is significant because, historically, Lagos has been more blessed than virtually any other state of the Federal Republic with more than its fair share of effective governors, military and civilian.

Mobolaji Johnson, the very first governor, took office as an Army Major, a rank lower than most of his colleagues in the military administration of Yakubu Gowon, which created the state along with eleven others from the erstwhile four regions. He had to create the take-off structures from scratch. And he not only did it so well that, as the cliché goes, he left his footprints on the sands of time, he was also one of, if I remember correctly, only two governors who were not found guilty of official corruption when the regime was probed.

Several military governors later, many of them above average, Lateef Kayode Jakande, nicknamed the action governor came on the scene, the very first civilian to rule the state. The zeal with which he carried out his assignment was unparalleled. Right from the first whistle on October 1, 1979 to the early hours of December 31, 1984 when the army caught him right at his desk, at the onset of yet another military interregnum, he served his people without relent. He trebled the number of schools at primary and secondary levels within months of coming into office in order to implement the "free education at all levels" policy of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) to which he belonged. Today, thousands of people still live in Jakande Estates, not so named by him, which dot the state - veritable reminders of a leader’s fulfilled promises.

There was Muhammed Buba Marwa, a colonel who served during the infamous days of maximum ruler, Sani Abacha, yet managed to win the heart of Lagosians. He is fondly remembered for fixing Lagos roads, which his immediate predecessor had said was impossible due to unavailability of bitumen! He also has the credit for introducing tricycles, named Keke Marwa after him, into the city’s transportation system. He can also be credited with raising the standards of government estates further through the Marwa (now MKO) Gardens, the upmarket housing estate he built in Ikeja.

And of course there was Bola Ahmed Tinubu, immediate past governor in whose administration Fashola served as chief of staff. Tinubu was not afraid to innovate. He moved swiftly to institutionalise the oft-talked about public-private partnership mode of public governance. When traffic control situation graduated from a crisis to a nightmare, he established the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA). When his best effort at cleaning the environment seemed to be failing due to old-habits-die-hard indiscipline, he caused the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) Brigade to rein it in. To superintend an integrated transportation system for the fast emerging megacity of Lagos, he and his team put together the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA). He was visionary and courageous. It is incontrovertible that the Tinubu Administration laid the foundation for today’s many successes.

But not even that fact can detract from the leadership credentials of the current helmsman. In less than two years, he and his team have done so much in virtually every area of governance that not even Lagos has ever had it so good. The launch and expansion of the Bus Rapid Transport scheme, the greening of many parts of the metropolis, rehabilitation and expansion of roads, return of sanity to the various bus terminals, resulting in the reduction of travelling time within the state by as much as half in some cases, all add up to less stressful living for the citizens. So many credible Nigerians are on record as acknowledging Governor Fashola’s achievements that very little can be added to it here.

One of the most recent was Monsignor Gabriel Osu, spokesperson for the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos. Asked to comment on the said intention of President Umar Yar’Adua to seek a second term in office, he retorted, “second term” to do what; to continue sleeping?” He then added: “without being sycophantic, if Fashola wants to continue for life, the people of Lagos would give it to him …everybody can see what he has done; that he has surrounded himself with energetic people working hard to serve the people…”

It has been suggested that one of the secrets of his success is something already being touted as the “Lagos Model” of socio-political leadership. By this model, it is said that Fashola, a largely apolitical technocratic type, leaves politics to Tinubu, the consummate politician, while he confronts the nitty-gritty of governance. The raison d’etre of this “model” is that politics and governance are contending factors and the ability to optimally handle the twain hardly ever meet, in one and the same person.

The truth or otherwise of this postulate will be revealed in the coming months, as we approach the next general elections in 2011. But irrespective of the durability and the wider applicability of this so called model, it is certain that Lagos is a miracle happening right before our eyes.”

For this writer, every time I behold yet another facet of the Lagos Miracle, this popular verse of scripture pops up in my spirit: “This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.”(Psalm 118: 23). The Message translation captures my feeling and those of many people I have discussed with better. It reads: “This is GOD's work. We rub our eyes--we can hardly believe it!”

You see, the truth is every good and every perfect gift comes from God. All the great and mighty things being done are indeed God’s doing and no matter what theory we may develop around it, the Bible, which is our compass in this column has said that “… it is God which works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Let’s see how The Message paraphrases it in contemporary language: “That energy is God's energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure”. This is the truth that President Olusegun Obasanjo failed to see when he was pursuing the so-called third-term agenda. He was taking credit for the work God was doing through him. He ended up in disgrace.

It is against this background that I find the establishment in a Department of Religious Matters in the Governor’s Office particularly instructive. And from my observation, the office is not just political cosmetics. It reflects Governor Fashola’s recognition of the place of the spiritual in the affairs of man. The calibre of staffing, the depth of the speeches they present on behalf of their principal, and the deliberate decision to stay connected; all demonstrate that he sees this as an important factor in his on-going success. At a time when an intellectual giant like Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka is decrying religion as irrelevant in the public space; when political correctness dictates that political office holders should distance themselves from the spiritual lest they be seen as anti-intellectualism, this is commendable courage. (To be concluded).

PIX: Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN, Governor, Lagos State

WHO IS WHO AGAINST HOUSE BILL 150?

Interestingly, some of these role models who have, in my opinion, discharged themselves creditably for the public good, are being linked to pro-same-sex marriage approval, through some organisations they are connected with. A check on the antecedents of the NGOs said to be standing with Amnesty against HB 150 would probably lead you to join me in wondering if there hasn’t been a mistake somewhere.

I feel constrained to return the vexed subject of gay rights and the Nigerian nation. A casual perusal of the list of signatories to Amnesty International's statement of January 26, left me wondering if certain Nigerians should not be making categorical statements about there position on HB 150, and homosexuality in general. HB 150, by the way, is House Bill 150 titled, A Bill for an Act to Prohibit Marriage between Persons of Same Gender, Solemnization of Same and for other Matters related therewith, currently before the House of Representatives.

Of course, in a free country like ours, the right to support or refuse to support any bill before the National Assembly is inalienable. So also is the right to be indifferent. But it would be unfortunate, wouldn’t it, were one to be associated with a position on any issue merely by default, particularly on an issue that’s capable of defining the very future of mankind.

No matter how exaggerated it may seem to the liberal sensibilities of many of us, the truth is, as marriage goes, so goes the culture and the future of the human race. At its most basic is the rhetorical question the Guardian newspaper raised in its editorial on the subject: “Homosexuals are claiming that men can marry themselves. If everyone followed their example, would they have even been born?”
One is therefore fully persuaded that this is an issue about which everyone who has any kind of claim to leadership in Nigeria should take a stand, clearly and unambiguously. This is because certain individuals and institutions have powerful opinion moulding capabilities and are therefore able to influence society for good or for ill.

Interestingly, some of these role models who have, in my opinion, discharged themselves creditably for the public good, are being linked to pro-same-sex marriage approval, through some organisations they are connected with. A check on the antecedents of the NGOs said to be standing with Amnesty against HB 150 would probably lead you to join me in wondering if there hasn’t been a mistake somewhere.

The Nigerian Bar Association, for instance, was listed through its Human Rights Institute. Established “to promote and protect the rule of law, independence of the legal profession effectively and efficiently and to advance human rights enforcement in Nigeria,” NBA–HRI’s membership is “open to all legal practitioners and law firms in Nigeria interested in pursuing the objects of the institute…” Although this membership clause suggests that a legal practitioner can belong to the NBA without being a member of the institute, the question that arises is, does the institute speak for the NBA? I would be surprised if there are many right-thinking members of the public who would hold otherwise. Would it therefore not be right to conclude that Nigerian lawyers, a preponderance of whom would claim to subscribe to Christianity or Islam, support the Amnesty International statement that is clearly saying that homosexuality is a human right? I think not. Yet if the NBA or, at least, Association of Christian Lawyers has dissociated itself from this position, I am unaware of it!

Also on the list is an NGO known as The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) which was "established in October 1997 in response to the need for an independent space for critical reflection and development of universally relevant and culturally sensitive responses to the challenges posed by the democracy and development agenda in the West African sub-region, CDD has become a major reference point for informed analysis and practical strategies on West African socio-political dynamics.”
Apart from the fact that support for same-sex marriage, even indirectly, would seem to run counter to the goal of seeking universally relevant and culturally sensitive responses to the democratic and development challenges (emphasis added), it would be interesting to hear the position of such Nigerian associates of CDD as Matthew Hassan Kukah and Obiageli Ezekwesili, to mention just two.

Kukah, is a Catholic Reverend Father and former Secretary-General of the Catholic Secretariat in Nigeria who served on Nigeria’s Presidential Truth and Reconciliation Commission into Past Human Rights Violations. He is a respected public commentator, who currently runs a diocese of the Catholic Church in Kaduna. Northern Nigeria.
Ezekwesili is a Chartered Accountant who as President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Senior Special Assistant on Budget Matters made such great impact that her elevation to the cabinet and subsequent appointment as a vice-President at the World Bank was seen as richly deserved. She’s a committed Christian whose husband is a pastor.

Also prominent among the NGOs listed as signatories to the Amnesty International statement are HURILAWS; Socio-Economic Rights & Accountability Project SERAP; The International Centre for Reproductive Health and Sexual Rights (INCRESE); Centre for Law Enforcement Education (CLEEN Foundation); and Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO).

HURILAWS was founded by none other than Olisa Agbakoba, a human rights activist, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association. It started in 1997 as “an independent, non-profit service, dedicated to providing public interest and human rights law services to advance the legal protection of human rights and has “working relations with the Episcopal Commission for Justice, Development & Peace Commission of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria…”.
Now, Agbakoba’s catholic credentials are incontrovertible and that might explain HURILAW’s working relationship with a commission of the Church. The position of the Catholic Church of Nigeria on homosexuality is too well-known to require a rehash here. So, how do you explain HURILAW’s place on Amnesty International’s list of signatories?

SERAP was established in 2004 to promote transparency and accountability in the public and private sectors through human rights. Its National Advisory Board members are: Mr. Femi Falana, President West African Bar Association, Mr.Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), Professor Oluwole Smith, Dean Faculty of Law Lagos State University, and Mrs.Ayo Atsenuwa, Professor of Law University of Lagos. How opposition to HB 150 promotes “transparency and accountability in the public and private sectors through human rights” is beyond me and makes me wonder whether these influential Nigerians are privy to their NGO’s signature on Amnesty’s statement.

INCRESE touts itself as “the leading Nigerian NGO working for a favourable environment and expanding access to sexual health and rights information and services and has as its vision, “to be the preferred leading sexual Health and right NGO.” With its so-called values as “Autonomy, Diversity, Integrity and Choice,” it is not inconceivable that “choice” might include abortion rights and perhaps a choice to marry within your gender. But does Dr Kayode Fayemi, who is likely to be the next Governor of Ekiti State, endorse this – being one of the Nigerians on INCRESE’s Board of Trustees?

Where do some of the well-known members of the Board of Trustees of CLEEN Foundation, also a signatory, stand of this issue? They include Mrs. Ayo Obe, human rights lawyer and former president of the Civil Liberties Organization; Josephine Effah Chukwuma, who pioneered the establishment of shelter for female victims of violence in Nigeria, and is currently the executive director of Project Alert on Violence Against Women and; Frank Odita, a retired Police Commissioner and former public relations chief of the Nigeria Police Force, who currently presents an television magazine programme Security Watch. There is also Innocent Chukwuma who is Secretary of the foundation. Another icon of human rights struggle in Nigeria who might consider speaking up is Festus Okoye whose NGO, Human Rights Monitor, is on the list.

In closing, I commend to all our leaders and opinion makers the words of Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans For Truth About Homosexuality, who in a reaction to an April 3 Iowa Supreme Court decision imposing "same-sex marriage as a constitutional right,” said in part:

"Homosexual 'marriage' is wrong because homosexual behaviour itself is wrong and destructive -- as proved by its role in the early deaths of countless 'gay' men. We must shake loose of the secularists' and libertarians' amoral nonchalance regarding 'same-sex marriage' by asking questions like this: how exactly would two men consummate their 'gay marriage'? Answer: by engaging in what one Founding Father, Noah Webster, writing in saner times, rightly defined as a "crime against nature.… Our Creator is pure, perfect and holy, and homosexual behaviour is diametrically opposed to His will for people's lives and His purpose for sex within the healthy boundaries of marriage, for the procreation of children. This same God graciously provides a way out of this sinful lifestyle through His son Jesus Christ, a path many former homosexuals have taken -- including those now living in real (man- woman) marriages…”
Pixes:REV FR MATTHEW HASSAN KUKAH and MR OLISA AGBAKOBA, SAN...Time to speak up

AS THE GREAT GAY DEBATE HOTS UP (2)

The second group, in my opinion, is the Guardian’s third group populated by those, in the Guardian’s words, see homosexuality as “a biological condition, which is as perfectly normal as heterosexual orientation”. They are the people who created the phantom 'group one' of the Guardian’s analysis, otherwise known as the homophobes, that is, those who want homosexuals eliminated, violently, if necessary! The gay lobby has perfected this blackmail and used it successfully in a number of places. It must not be allowed to succeed here. Prescription of prison terms for anti-social behaviours are intended to deter and correct and do not necessarily result from hatred.

As every one interested in the subject would have noticed, the gay ‘rights’ debate has tended to elicit more heat than light. That has been the situation almost everywhere and Nigeria wasn’t going to be an exception. That is why interventions such as that of the Guardian newspaper through its March 23, 2009 editorial comment titled; “Homosexuality and the Lawmakers” must be seen as a welcome development.

It is welcome because, it did attempt to throw some light into the debate with its review of the basic arguments for and against the anti-same-sex marriage bill being considered by the National Assembly. The newspaper also identified three broad tendencies on the subject among Nigerians. In one group are “many Nigerian Christians and Moslems” who “the mere mention of homosexuality is guaranteed to drive up the wall in revulsion”. A second group consists of “others, somewhat tolerant who are inclined to look at the phenomenon as a form of benign affliction from which the victims can be rescued” who therefore believe that “homosexuals and lesbians should be managed until they return to the path of rectitude.” The third group is peopled by “others” for whom “homosexuality is not a stigma but a biological condition, which is as perfectly normal as heterosexual orientation”.

This analysis is only partly correct. In reality there are only two groups. From years of engaging with the subject, one has come to realise that the Christian community’s revulsion for homosexuality stems from the position identified by the Guardian and attributed to a certain second group. Namely, that homosexuality is an “affliction from which the victims can be rescued.” In other words, the first and second groups identified by the Guardian actually belong together hating the sin of homosexuality, but loving the sinner and willing to help nurture the sinner back to the path of “rectitude”.

The second group, in my opinion, is the Guardian’s third group populated by those, in the Guardian’s words, see homosexuality as “a biological condition, which is as perfectly normal as heterosexual orientation”. They are the people who created the phantom 'group one' of the Guardian’s analysis, otherwise known as the homophobes, that is, those who want homosexuals eliminated, violently, if necessary! The gay lobby has perfected this blackmail and used it successfully in a number of places. It must not be allowed to succeed here. Prescription of prison terms for anti-social behaviours are intended to deter and correct and do not necessarily result from hatred.

The editorial was however spot on when it wrote: “The problem with Nigerians is that we are all too eager to copy the latest fads from the western world. Not every product from the West is good and the well-heeled homosexual lobby is one such example. We must come to look at the issue of same sex relationships from the prism of our culture and religion. For the African, the idea that a man can be married to a man or a woman to a woman is anathema. The culture of marriage is predicated on the union between a man and a woman and all our traditional practices and normative values regarding marriage are based on the assumption that the other member is of the opposite sex.”

It was also correct to say that “African parents prepare their children from birth through adolescence for marriage to the opposite sex. Too many things will be upset were it possible to upturn age-old customs and practices…Africans have a right to say 'no' to a movement whose ultimate outcome will be the destruction of the family. Homosexuals are claiming that men can marry themselves. If everyone followed their example, would they have even been born? Looking at the debate, we conclude that in the short run both parties cannot be reconciled without grave injuries being done to either of them. ”

One cannot also fault the newspaper’s take on the human rights angle to the debate: “Those who argue that opposition to homosexuality amounts to a violation of universal human rights, may well need to realise that the dislike of homosexuality is not inconsistent with the observance of human rights. Nigerian homosexuals are not pilloried for being gay. They have a choice: they can marry members of the opposite sex or stay single…”

Implicit in this, though is an acceptance of the lie of the enemy that there are truly people who are by nature, gay; made homosexual by God, the creator. There is overwhelming evidence that this is not so; particularly with the increasing number of people who have successfully fought same-sex attraction. Newspapers ought to join in holding out homosexuality as the perversion that it is rather than facetiously grant them recognition and then admonish as the Guardian did that “they only draw unfavourable attention to themselves when they threaten the safety and security of the majority.”

But easily the most worrisome part of the editorial is its conclusion: “Since sodomy is already criminalised in Nigeria, we wonder whether the National Assembly is utilising its time optimally by focusing on homosexuality when the majority of our people are suffering from hunger, lack of access to water and disease. Moreover, as pointed out by the gay lobbyists, same sex marriage is not a common social practice in Nigeria therefore legislating against it is redundant and can only further stigmatise the sexual minority. Perhaps the National Assembly should be spending its time on real issues that impact on the lives of long-suffering Nigerians.”

First, this conclusion seems to dismiss the bill currently before the House of Representatives as merely intended to “criminalise” sodomy. It goes beyond that. For one, it even reduces the penalty from 14 years to five, making it less punitive than the provisions of the Criminal Code! For another, if passed, it will send a strong signal to the international gay lobby that the Nigerian society is not about to buy into their lie. Most importantly, it will forestall the likelihood of a powerful, rich lobby coming through the backdoor to have the current law taken of the statute book on the pretext of reviewing “colonial laws.”

The second and, for me, more critical issue raised by the conclusion is what I see as “the price of fish syndrome.” First the Guardian wonders: “whether the National Assembly is utilising its time optimally by focusing on homosexuality when the majority of our people are suffering from hunger, lack of access to water and disease.” And when it stopped wondering went on to advise: “Perhaps the National Assembly should be spending its time on real issues that impact on the lives of long-suffering Nigerians.”

It’s a subject, I have addressed in this column before and some of the things I wrote then might bear repetition here.

In “Obama, Goose Bumps and Nigeria (2)” (September 14, 2008), I pointed out that if we are to avoid the socio-cultural abyss to which the United States has sunk through extreme liberalism, we need to reign in our liberalist tendencies. That piece concluded in these words: “… When all those so-called more serious matters have been dealt with, the issues being currently touted as unimportant would have become intractable…”

In Homosexuality and the Price of Fish (October 12, 2008), I referred to that piece noting that “one of those issues being characterised as unimportant today…is homosexuality. As someone would have put it, what has homosexuality or nudity got to do with the price of fish, or garri? For effect, he would have added, “make we hear word, jare” which is street lingo for, let’s get serious.” That is exactly what the Guardian has said in more elegant prose.

In that October piece, I recalled a TIME online story which demonstrated how “within the space of 43 years, homosexuality and same-sex marriages have transformed from being a sin, a crime and a mental illness, to becoming an orientation to which human rights apply, a social preference and is increasingly being de-listed as a sin in many parts of the United States of America.”

I conclude today, as I did then - on a note of warning: “homosexuality might fare better sooner in Nigeria, if Nigerians, particularly the Church do not move against it now! The best of economic strategies will flounder in a decaying social milieu. The current state of the world’s economy is clear evidence that everything that can be shaken will be shaken, and that only that which is built on righteousness will stand.”
*PIX: Hon Dimeji Bankole, Speaker, Federal House of Representatives, Nigeria