Once upon a time (well, not too long ago), I was a strong proponent of the Buhari/Bakare ticket for the presidential race in the April election in Nigeria but I have woken up from such dreams and done a complete 3600 repentance. In other words, I am taking the biblical stance in my support towards this wonderful duo (BB) – the bible leans towards the big picture rather than single or collective events. With my experience and credentials in business management, I have realized that the product cannot in anyway compare with the process that produced the product.
About 20 centuries ago, a man named Pontius Pilate washed his hand off the decision of a high percentage of Israelites to release Barabbas – a known murderer and thief – in place of Jesus – a controversial healer. Due to vested interest of the High Priest and Scribes, the people of Israel voted for Barabbas overwhelmingly. Looking at this particularly outrageous event from the big picture, we have come to appreciate the result because most bible students know that Jesus losing this election was paramount to his success today.
In this same light, we have witness the errors made by President Jonathan since the bomb blast on October 1st, 2010 till date on the campaign trail. His mistakes are just too numerous to call it a slip – a rational mind does not need a seer to know what his presidency holds for the Nigerian state. However, he is the most favored to win the election according to “This Day” Newspaper poll with a 60.3 percent popular votes across the nation. Despite, this apparently disturbing news, I am not perturbed; I am more concerned about the Nigerian people who believe in the “messiah” status.
In trying to understand this mentality, I questioned a beautiful young lady on her reason for praying before a flight took off. Her answer seemed plausible; “we are to pray without ceasing and to acknowledge the Lord in all our doings; I pray before doing anything before eating to waking up – don’t you believe in prayers?” I answered and posed her a question; “I believe very much in prayers – do you pray before kissing or making love to your boyfriend?” She laughed hysterically and said “NO”. Then I told her that her prayers were inspired by fear and without faith, it is impossible to please God.
Fortunately, she agreed that she has a phobia during plane take-off. Her constant prayers before plane take-off would not remove the phobia. Her problem was not the plane take-off but the phobia. It is by developing the desire to live without fear and by confronting the phobia that true change could take place. Our problem in Nigeria is not a messiah of some sort but a credible system of governance that would reveal all ineffectual works. Let’s lay more emphasis on the system rather than the person – alas, it is a person with the will and fortitude that creates such system that may reveal even his/her weakness. One of such system can start with the electoral process.
It is not really about who wins the election but the process of election. The product that emerges from the right process is a “win” for the Nigerian state. You cannot bully people into making the apparent right decision; people have to personally learn from their mistakes before true repentance can take place. If after a free and fair election, President Jonathan emerges the winner – it will be a decision in the right direction because the people would come to understand that they chose whatever situation they are experiencing and that is the advantage of true democracy – it shows you the result of your choice.
