The Bible in Proverbs 14:34 clearly says: “Righteousness exalts a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”
I know that what I am going to say through this write up will be controversial and likely attract a lot of flakes from certain quarters just like when I granted an interview to the Sun newspaper in the run up to the 2015 elections stating that I will not vote for President Muhammadu Buhari because of Prof. Yemi Osibanjo who happens to be a very senior pastor in RCCG. The reasons I gave for taking that decision have come to full manifestation and the entire nation is sorry for it.
It is not flattering to read what the word of God says about the situation in our country. It is quite worrisome. It puts a lie to most of the prophecies and utterances made by “men of God” about what to expect in Nigeria. People that expect a change for the better in the nation without definitive change in character to address the injustice, fraud, wickedness and oppression prevalent in the land are living in a fool’s paradise and are involved in a grandiose design to deceive the undiscerning.
My recent experience that prompted the write up “Man’s inhumanity to man” led me to review God’s word on injustice. The revelation was quite startling as I got the understanding that the root cause of the challenges facing the country is injustice in different forms. The moment oil was discovered and the ruling class decided to enact statutes to exploit the mineral resources to the detriment and deprivation of the oil producing communities a curse was activated upon the nation (Isaiah 10:1-2). There exist several other forms of injustice in the land like the current crises in the Middle Belt and the South East that have further reinforced this curse. The scriptural review below will throw more light on this assertion. God hates injustice, simple. Except we face the truth as a nation and repent we will run into more crisis as we approach 2019 to elect new leaders for the nation. The actions and decisions of our leaders will always impact positively or negatively on the nation. Ask the children of Israel about their experience when David numbered Israel against the wish of God. So long as the prevailing injustice continues, Nigeria can not make true progress economically as a nation. Let no “man of God” deceive you.
A visit to a typical Ijaw village like Polobubo (Tsekelewu) will drive home the point. A social condition survey will easily establish that the oil producing community is worse off today than it was 60 years ago when oil was discovered in Nigeria. It represents the face of injustice, fraud, wickedness, oppression and deprivation prevalent in the land. That is the story of the oil producing communities in Nigeria from Eastern Obolo in Akwa Ibom State to the Apoi and Arogbo Ijaws in the western flank. The current happenings in the Middle Belt and South East further establish this fact.
I read Obasanjo’s letter, which stated the obvious about the current leadership in the nation but did not mention the need to address the injustice and wickedness, which he and others have helped to perpetuate in the land. This shows that they are not yet ready to make meaningful progress in Nigeria.
Nigeria is on the path of receiving God’s judgement on the ruling class except the current system and structure of governance change and justice done to the people, especially of the Niger Delta. Nigeria will move from one leadership crisis to the other until the wicked is completely destroyed except they repent.
It is unfortunate that men of God are actively involved in perpetuating this injustice and wickedness in the nation. Their involvement in this abomination does not change the word of God. The word of God is sure.
►Efiye Bribena, a pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, wrote from Lagos