John ESENE

Most elected politicians have turned their back against the electorate without remorse. Senator Roland Owie of Edo State said on December 26, 2019 “What is creating problem in Nigeria is this itching for acquisition and instinct to ensure that there is no justice because when there is no justice, there will be no peace. How can a man have 50 houses when he can only sleep in one room and he acquired this at the detriment of others?” Does the aged he-goat need to be told that his long beard is no longer to be regarded as a sign of wisdom?

     What is important in this life is not the number of houses or amount of money you have but the number of people whose lives you are able to touch. As a good leader, you are expected to change the lives of your people through your mentorship. Are you providing leadership that endures or leadership that works? Leadership that works is that which persuades people to accept and admire for now; it destroys. But the leadership that endures concerns about leaving a legacy for tomorrow, learning, careful and has vision. Giving is living, the beauty of life is not only determined by how happy one is but also how happy others are because of you.

      We are happiest when we discover that what we should be doing and what we are doing are the same things.

Unfortunately, our leaders seem to be happy irrespective of their inability to bring a change to Nigeria. If you hate change you cannot succeed in life. Life itself is not static but dynamic. Time and change are twin brothers or sisters. Anyone that refuses to change cannot be helped further to succeed in life. They have been and are still enriching themselves rather than fight for the common good of the people. You achieve greatness when you have done something that has added value to humanity.

     On April 27, 2021, our current President (Bola Tinubu) was among the Senators who went to the then President Mohammad Buhari to challenge him because of the Nation’s insecurity.  During interview with the press, Senator Bola Tinubu said among other things, “There is no President or Leader that will want his nation fractured by tribalism, religious differences and all that. It calls for serious management and serious evaluation and dialogue once in a while. There is no one that will want his citizens exposed to banditry and danger.” And the Yoruba adage says, “The dog does not bark unnecessarily.” But when our youth went on huger protest recently, some were killed and some arrested during President Bola Tinubu’s regime. What a contradiction?

     Most people do what they see their role-models or leaders do and not what they say. So, our children who are watching us will do what they see us doing (especially the negative aspects of our actions). Jesus said in Lk 11:11, “Would any of you who are fathers give your son snake when he asks for fish?” Let us avoid doing evil so as to prevent them from experiencing worst hardship in future. These children are gifts from God who expect us to lead them to Him.

     Many years ago when Ghana was heading towards untold hardship and corruption, God rescued her through a few people and today that country has changed. The way Nigeria is going we cannot fight for our right directly now in our land physically but we can repent and pray to God for His intervention. On our part we too have to abandon our sinful ways. God desires our prayer and repentance and if done, this relationship will bring us closer to Him. Sincere prayer is the timeless cord that binds us to our Divine Identity, God. We are suffocating in many ways today because our sins have broken this cord. Let us make a U-turn for our common good!

     Now that we are living from hand to mouth and the leaders turn their back on us, let us cry to God who has the power to change our sorrow to joy; He created dried land in the Red Sea for the Israelites to escape from their enemies, the Egyptians. Our Merciful God has not changed. Those who put their trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion that cannot be shaken, that stands forever. As the mountain surrounds Jerusalem so the Lord surrounds His people, now and forever.” God wants us (like the prodigal son) to return to Him for healing. He waits for us to make amend before it is too late. “Now my eyes are open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is offered in this place.” 2 Chronicles 7:15.

      Let us go to God with clean hands and humble hearts in prayer and wait for Him to change Nigeria to a peaceful, safe and uncorrupt nation. Like Abraham, Jacob, Isaac, Moses, Ester and many more prayed with faith and trusted in God and He will not abandon us in the hands of our enemies. The ball is in our court! The woman in the Gospel persevered and persisted in getting what she wanted from Christ and she got it. May our persisted “Prayer for Nigeria in Distress” and efforts open to us God’s treasures in Jesus’ Name!

     We have just completed our Lenten season of fasting, praying and almsgiving but that should not stop us from praying for our desire for God to change Nigeria. Nigeria has come to a stage where you will wonder if we have become another Nineveh which God intended to punish for their sin. Some fathers are raping their daughters and some mothers encouraging their daughters to turn to prostitutes for financial survival. Some youths and elders have turned to money rituals and so on. Kidnappers have become a threat to this nation.

     Therefore, let us pray not only for ourselves but for the betterment of our nation, Nigeria. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people who bear my name humble themselves and pray and look for me and turn from their wicked ways, then I myself will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and restore their land.”