It is no news that security (the lack of it) is a major issue in Nigeria, and has been for a very long time. Government after government has paid lip-service to curing this head-ache. To our politicians, security is only another parameter, like electricity and employment, which when managed properly in speech can win elections for them. And when these elections are won, they begin their long-conceived tasks of looting the nation's treasury. The poor (and dead) minds of these mostly perverse set of people is generally so lacking in value that they achieve nothing but the acquisition of priceless physical assets for themselves at the expense of the nation they so blatantly steal from. Consequently, 51 years after being "independent", Nigeria can only wish to boast of good roads, regular electric power supply, jobs, food and education to its citizens. So much for democracy!
Security is a different kettle of fish. To speak of security, you would need to genuinely care - feel concern or interest; attach importance to something. Care is extremely alien to our country; a country where (almost) everyone aspires to rise to a place where he can get his own selfish share of some national cake; where ritual killings remain the bane of a good chunk of its societies; where one person will always scheme to outshine others; where rogues and robbers are honoured, and truth is mocked; where power-brokers shamelessly declare their dealings and profits in the shady affairs that steadily set the country on a downward course. If there is anything Nigeria can boast of, it is insensitivity and lawlessness in high places. The average Nigerian lacks care for self, let alone any good feeling whatsoever for others.
Another concept that lacks meaning in our society is that of leadership. One who carries the title of leader in these parts is the one who commands the service(s) of others and lords it over them. Leadership here has nothing to do with bettering the lots of the people who look up to you, or taking responsibility for their well-being.
The intense dearth of true leadership and security combined with the absence of any plan to provide any such thing then reigns supreme in the affairs of the Nigerian government, and people! What else would justify the payment of salaries to wild, mindless people because they act and fit the role of "militants"? Let President Jonathan's camp not even think of distancing itself from that decision as it would be utter irresponsibility to do so! It was convenient to blame the massacre in the North after the April 2011 elections on political rivals - it all happened in the violent north anyway!
Now that the opportunity of a lifetime has presented itself on a platter to the "Transformation 2011" President to show just a tiny, little bit of care for the citizens of the country he claims to lead, and he has blown it! Many days have passed since five members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme were kidnapped in Rivers State while working on a Community Development (CD) project. One statement from the Presidency might not have done more than save face for the government, or showed concern from Aso rock, or given some comfort to the families of the kidnapped youths, but no, it was not even considered appropriate. Only a few weeks ago, just about when the mass funeral of slain corps members was being conducted, Mr. President had announced to the nation that the NYSC scheme would not be scrapped. Why is he keeping mute now? Could it be because he is busy trying to cover his tracks on corruption lines, or because he is involved in self-enrichment intrigues, like the band-wagon of Nigerian politicians. Perhaps that fact that the kidnapped youths are neither "rich" nor children of the "powerful" makes them unimportant, and a paltry N5million would be sufficient for their parents in the event that anything happens to them (God forbid)!
If GEJ is truly worthy of his leadership position, his actions/inactions in this matter (and not mere words) would prove him.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Saturday, June 04, 2011
A Different Culture - A Different People
Life is definitely the best habitat in which man can fully express his humanness! That would appear as an unrealistic statement given the fact that life is perhaps all that most people have ever experienced. I mean, where else has man been? How else could he be expected to express himself? If a man is not alive (in life), he is dead anyway, so what's the fuss?
I have often pondered on the words of Jesus, as He declared to mankind that His purpose is to bring abundance (and even more abundance) into the Life that we live (John 10:10). Was He insinuating that everyone in that time had lived lives that had not been lavish enough, and was He promising a never-before-experienced form of copiousness? That issue is still open to a lot of debate in our world. Some schools of thought have however pointed out the fact that the Master was talking about a higher quality of life - life in a way that had never been lived before. I agree with those quarters to the degree of the statement of that fact, but not in the further explanations given by some of them. As we tend to do with all scripture, our interpretation of John 10:10 is usually aimed to suit our purposes - per time. How could we possibly relate and limit that great message of the Master to the acquisition of things for ourselves?
This brings me quite quickly to the meaning I have adopted for the term human. I know it is sometimes used to describe the kind and sensitive qualities people surprisingly tend to display (once in a while), but it is more often seen in our error-proneness which, by the way, has become acceptable, even to be expected. Such that a man in some place of authority (or seeming better position) talks down - rudely and spitefully - at lower-placed individuals, and political office (and other privileged posts) must be exploited financially (and in every other way possible), and men must generally be incorrigible, because it is only human [sic]?! Errors do not even get the opportunity of a correction any more since it is assumed impossible to be perfect anyway. But that has got to be the starting point of the experience Jesus was talking about. In any case, He went about all of Judah preaching the gospel of repentance - that change is possible and must be undertaken to usher in newness. Then comes the next step.
Leviticus 18 tells the story of God’s message to a people in transition - a people whom He has saved, and had given a promise to bring into a new place. The place He had taken them from had its traditions, which they (the Israelites) had knowledge of for over four hundred years. Of course, they had their own ways, but some of the customs of Egypt had to have filtered into their midst. There was also Canaan, which had it own people (the original inhabitants) and like all peoples, they had their own culture too. And here, God started to instruct Israel to take up neither the customs of Egypt nor those of Canaan, but be an entirely different people. As His plan had been for a long time (and still was when Jesus came), He was creating a new order. This new order required a prepared people for a prepared place, and a completely different manner for the living of life. He was definitely clearing ground that He would be “God” of a certain set of people who would in turn be “His people” - a relationship which He did not have with everybody. So, as Christ later came to proclaim, God offered a higher quality of life - beyond the limits of humanness - for man to express an extension of Him (God). He went on further in the book of Hebrews to say that He was writing His laws in the hearts of “His people”.
So, for a people in transition - leaving the old form of life by repentance, and moving on with life as a different people in the old corrupt systems of the world - God gives a call to service; asking them to take up the responsibilities of living life like God. He was asking the people who are called by His name not to live by the standards they had seen in the past, nor according to the customs that lay ahead of them, rather He wanted this people to hear His voice in their hearts and act according to what He told them to do. His call was for His people to truncate the practice of their education (teachings of the community from which they were taken) and embrace His revelation (new knowledge from Him). These people, though from the lot whose ways God rejected, were called to be an entirely different set. It was to be a re-orientation of sorts; a movement from the norm to a place of dissimilar, in fact opposite, set of values. These people would be a new breed even if only carved from those already in existence.
And that is what the born again experience is all about - the hewing of new creatures from the old. I submit that the more abundant life which Jesus preached about is premised on this - a transformation from humanness to God-likeness which pervades all aspects of human life. Yes, it is culture-shock at first, but ultimately, it is the only meaningful way of (or, to living) life.
I have often pondered on the words of Jesus, as He declared to mankind that His purpose is to bring abundance (and even more abundance) into the Life that we live (John 10:10). Was He insinuating that everyone in that time had lived lives that had not been lavish enough, and was He promising a never-before-experienced form of copiousness? That issue is still open to a lot of debate in our world. Some schools of thought have however pointed out the fact that the Master was talking about a higher quality of life - life in a way that had never been lived before. I agree with those quarters to the degree of the statement of that fact, but not in the further explanations given by some of them. As we tend to do with all scripture, our interpretation of John 10:10 is usually aimed to suit our purposes - per time. How could we possibly relate and limit that great message of the Master to the acquisition of things for ourselves?
This brings me quite quickly to the meaning I have adopted for the term human. I know it is sometimes used to describe the kind and sensitive qualities people surprisingly tend to display (once in a while), but it is more often seen in our error-proneness which, by the way, has become acceptable, even to be expected. Such that a man in some place of authority (or seeming better position) talks down - rudely and spitefully - at lower-placed individuals, and political office (and other privileged posts) must be exploited financially (and in every other way possible), and men must generally be incorrigible, because it is only human [sic]?! Errors do not even get the opportunity of a correction any more since it is assumed impossible to be perfect anyway. But that has got to be the starting point of the experience Jesus was talking about. In any case, He went about all of Judah preaching the gospel of repentance - that change is possible and must be undertaken to usher in newness. Then comes the next step.
Leviticus 18 tells the story of God’s message to a people in transition - a people whom He has saved, and had given a promise to bring into a new place. The place He had taken them from had its traditions, which they (the Israelites) had knowledge of for over four hundred years. Of course, they had their own ways, but some of the customs of Egypt had to have filtered into their midst. There was also Canaan, which had it own people (the original inhabitants) and like all peoples, they had their own culture too. And here, God started to instruct Israel to take up neither the customs of Egypt nor those of Canaan, but be an entirely different people. As His plan had been for a long time (and still was when Jesus came), He was creating a new order. This new order required a prepared people for a prepared place, and a completely different manner for the living of life. He was definitely clearing ground that He would be “God” of a certain set of people who would in turn be “His people” - a relationship which He did not have with everybody. So, as Christ later came to proclaim, God offered a higher quality of life - beyond the limits of humanness - for man to express an extension of Him (God). He went on further in the book of Hebrews to say that He was writing His laws in the hearts of “His people”.
So, for a people in transition - leaving the old form of life by repentance, and moving on with life as a different people in the old corrupt systems of the world - God gives a call to service; asking them to take up the responsibilities of living life like God. He was asking the people who are called by His name not to live by the standards they had seen in the past, nor according to the customs that lay ahead of them, rather He wanted this people to hear His voice in their hearts and act according to what He told them to do. His call was for His people to truncate the practice of their education (teachings of the community from which they were taken) and embrace His revelation (new knowledge from Him). These people, though from the lot whose ways God rejected, were called to be an entirely different set. It was to be a re-orientation of sorts; a movement from the norm to a place of dissimilar, in fact opposite, set of values. These people would be a new breed even if only carved from those already in existence.
And that is what the born again experience is all about - the hewing of new creatures from the old. I submit that the more abundant life which Jesus preached about is premised on this - a transformation from humanness to God-likeness which pervades all aspects of human life. Yes, it is culture-shock at first, but ultimately, it is the only meaningful way of (or, to living) life.
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