AN OPEN LETTER TO NIGERIAN LEADERS

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To Mr. President, VP, Governors, Senators and other elected officers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

AN OPEN LETTER TO NIGERIAN LEADERS

Your Excellencies,

Congratulations on your swearing in as the President, Vice President, Governor, Senator, etc.  Your victory, just like others before you brought hope to Nigerians – the hope of true democracy and good governance, devoid of selfishness, discrimination and exploitation of citizens – hope that is yet to be realized.

Pause and sniff the Stench, it's horrible!

Nigerians have suffered for many years and are still suffering due to bad governance. We have been nicknamed ‘shithole’ because any form of rubbish is allowed here without complaint or putting up a fight; ‘burial ground’ is another adjective that qualifies Nigeria – Most of you loot our money and help in developing other countries. When you or your loved ones get sick, you travel to those countries you have helped to develop because you failed to maintain and equip the hospitals in our land, but when your loved ones die, the ‘burial ground’ will receive their dead body. You send your children to foreign schools because you have helped to mess up the standard of education in our land. I can go on and on.

Its infectious, our Youths have been Infected

The worst is that our leaders, past and present have corrupted the minds of Nigerian youths – the future leaders. It’s no longer about the reward for hard work, quality service, accountability, etc, but about greed, selfishness, popularity, power, etc. Frustration and disappointment have eaten up many destinies. Tell me, if these things don't bother you, then what? Are you not bothered about what will become of this nation when you are gone? Please don’t add to the problems already created, come up with solutions, even if that solution is to stop creating more problems.

Live and Let Live

Members of a family have their differences and so with members of the society and nation. Serve your own God and leave others to serve theirs. You have your value systems, culture, norms and traditions and so do others, so live and let live. “A brave man acknowledges the strength of others” - Veronica Roth. It is your responsibility to stop the killing of human beings by their fellow human beings and not to promote or pretend not to notice it. Nigerians cannot be fooled so please stop taking advantage of their lack of courage. “Let the kite perch and let the eagle perch too – If one says no to the other, let his wing break.” – From Chinua Achebe’s collection of proverbs.

Give Nigerians a Push and Watch us Fly

You are not in that position to manipulate, humiliate and exploit others, or see those who voted for you as useful idiots – we cannot all be in a position of power, that’s why you are there, so take your position as a responsibility and privilege, and not your right. You are in that position to create an enabling environment for Nigerians to thrive; to stop multi taxation system so that youths in entrepreneurship can thrive; to develop this nation with the abundant resources God has given us, etc. You are there to encourage productivity by reducing middlemen involved in the production/distribution chain. How can a product pass through SON, MAN, CPC, NAFDAC, etc with all their demands?  In the end, a product of N100 will be valued at N2, 000. At least help the producers and consumers by assigning a group of product to one agency, so that manufacturers/producers can make enough profit after their hard work. I’m sure there are a lot of Nigerians who have something to produce but are afraid of the many hands that will squeeze them dry from inception.

If it’s not Easy, then you are not Qualified

It is not easy to lead but you can make it easy for yourself by choosing the right people to work with – not those that only sing your praises, but those that applaud and also criticize you – those that tell you what you know is the truth. I know that in every twelve, there is always a Judas but the peace of mind which only you can seek out will help you coordinate yourself enough to identify and handle the Judases the way they should be handled. God has placed Nigerians, its states and zones in your care and what you do with them will define you, not only in Nigeria but the entire world.

Why Program our Reasoning for Perfect Crimes? 

No one is perfect. Yes. Why is it easy to say that no one is perfect, yet, we commit crime and perpetuate injustice perfectly? Instead of wasting your intelligence on crime and injustice – oppressing people, siphoning public funds for your selfish gains, etc, I advise you to channel that wisdom and intelligence to meet the needs of the public, which is the reason why you are in power.

A Good Name is Better; Not so?

The wounds inflicted on Nigerians by the past and present administrations will take time to heal and even when it heals, the deeds, acts of irresponsibility and grave misconducts of the past and present leaders will remain in the records as history - even the power of oratory and favour buying will not be able to rewrite the ugly history of most of you that parade as leaders.

Was it not said that a good name is better than silver and gold? Does it cost much to have a good name? What will it profit you to gain the whole of Nigeria and have your name and image rubbished in the eyes of the majority?

Heroes do what others have not done. Why not be a hero and write your name in the hearts of Nigerians, then watch them willingly decorate Nigeria choice places with your image. Is that too much to wish for?

What’s Happy about Democracy Day?

I cannot pretend to say happy democracy day when in the actual sense there is cold war and many people are dying in silence. May God give you the needed wisdom and intelligence to govern Nigerians!

Respectfully yours,

Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi

Idealolive.blogspot.com.ng      

Obedience is Better than Sacrifice (1Sam. 15:22b)

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This is a familiar topic, and as most of us know, it originated as a result of Saul’s disobedience to God. Some of us know the story; and also know the meaning of obedience, and sacrifice based on the story. But I must admit that in our activities, we tend to sacrifice this truth on the altar of pretense and ignorance.

Saul’s Disobedience

The entire chapter 15 of 1 Samuel that explains this topic points out that:

1.      God told Saul through Prophet Samuel to go and destroy the Amalekites and all that they own.

2.    Paul went and destroyed the Amalekites but spared their King and the best of their animals (an act of disobedience to God)

3.     When Samuel confronted King Saul, his reason for disobedience was that the plunder are to be sacrificed to God at Gilgal

4.     When Samuel told King Saul a piece of God’s mind, King Saul confessed the real reason for his disobedience – he was afraid of the people and so he gave in to what they want, he wanted the approval of people rather than the approval of God.

King Saul had heard the word of the Lord but thought he had a better idea. He was aware of what he was doing yet he went ahead to disobey God and wanted to use sacrifice as a defense mechanism. But the question is: Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

We cannot buy God

When we make sacrifices to God, we kind of see it as a way of buying whatever we want to get from God according to our needs which could be child, husband, wealth, etc. This makes us think that He owes us, so we sit and wait for what we ordered from God to arrive.

Then, before the birth of Jesus Christ, they used Peace offering, Burnt offering, the Sin-offering, Tithes, Duties, etc to appease God.  But in the present, it is First fruit, Thanksgiving, Vow, Tithes, etc. There is nothing wrong with offerings but they are not God’s priority. To God, obedience is better than sacrifice. God's salvation is freely given to us by our obedience to the lordship of Jesus Christ, not through our sacrifice.

We are as guilty as King Saul

We have many King Saul today in our worship centers. People who engage in fetish activities to destroy their fellow human beings, yet go to church with fat offerings, People who steal public funds, yet donate for church buildings, people who bear grudges and work against their fellow human beings as an act of jealousy, yet they sing cheering praises, serve in the prayer group or other church activities, people who refuse to work hard for God to bless the works of their hands but pray away their time, expecting God to release magical money, car, house, etc. Such people are all King Saul who thinks they can bribe God and cut corners to receive salvation and blessings. God is not a merchandise, He cannot be bought and He cannot be sold.

God is not interested and cannot be appeased by the magnificent cathedrals and churches we build; he is interested in the souls of men. Those cathedrals and church buildings shall be useless to Him if the worshippers are headed to hell. There is no short cut to total submission/obedience to God; we cannot bribe Him.

Just like King Saul, some men of God pretend to be interested in the souls of politicians and wealthy men; they become diplomatic in administering the Word of salvation to them when they are present; with the excuse that they may chase them away from the house of God if they try to use the gospel of salvation to appeal to their conscience; But in the actual sense, they don’t want them to go with their money. 

The Sacrifice of Obedience

The best sacrifice we can offer God is the sacrifice of our body and soul - to live a holy and righteous life; such a sacrifice is an act of worship to the Lord.  In 1 Peter 2:9, it is written, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; It is also written in Romans 12: 1 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

We are worthless before God when we try to appease Him with material things knowing that he owns the world and everything in it. It is written in Mathew 5: 23 and 24 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First, go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift". Sacrifice flows out of obedience. A sacrifice that does not flow out of obedience is disobedience and is not pleasing to the Lord. God will appreciate our offerings and tithe when we come to Him with a clean heart.

Religion is not Obedience to God

Some of us are so religious that most times, we tend to confuse obedience to God with our religious rituals like attending all church activities, serving in the church, following the order of service, observing the holy days, etc. It is written in Ephesians 2:8-9, For it is by grace, you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” We can’t earn or work our way into Heaven.

Conclusion

This is a challenging topic and I hope that after reading, not only ourselves but people around us will feel the impact and learn to choose obedience to God rather than empty sacrifices.