Many Nigerians are bound to take this question to be as pointless a debate as that of chicken and egg. God knows I understand the source of their anger but tarry a little, hold your grief, and listen because like Mr. President himself, God has spoken to me. Ah…ah…ah.

Before I go in perspective, I’d like to say that I have deliberately used the word Rulers because I believe those at the helm of Nigerian affairs are politically immature to be regarded as leaders, and until they undergo intensive training, let them remain so.

But kudos to those who are at the forefront, or at the background of alleviating the symptoms of poverty in the land; Kudos to those who are fighting political and economic oppressions; Kudos to those who refused to sell their souls over the third term imbroglio irrespective of the camp they belong to; Kudos to those who genuinely yearn for a nation to be proud of. 

As a citizen, it’s painful but a relief to know that most of our so-called politicians are Machiavellian apostles (Nicolo Machiavelli, an atheist, believes that political rule is a matter of simple might; religion is but a childish toy; there is no sin but ignorance). It seems to me these inconsiderate politicians hide their Machiavellian behaviour under Agbada, suit, babariga, or khaki.

They still glorify God in public but passionately fond of another Nicolo Machiavelli’s belief: Conscience and morality are mythologies, which the crafty prince uses to keep his subjects in awe.

 Are you still as ignorant as geese why our rulers invoke religion in everything they do? It is to keep us in fear and wonder. Ponder on a statement credited to Mr. President when he made allusions that God does not abandon projects, forgetting that God’s projects are ever hardly finished by one man. For example, Joshua and others finished the mission of Mosses. When Nigerian rulers invoke God’s name, they expect you and I to listen and believe their passing fad.

One Prophet Rufus Cyrus Judah once said that God had approved extension of Obasanjo’s tenure. Now that the National Assembly had buried his false prophecy, I am curious as to this yeye oracle’s next argument or sham prediction.

These feeble minded beings have taken over the city for their own profit and behaving like a god among us. They are shameless of the fact that their expectations have done little good to our souls. They would rather fight over who should rule in 2007, or engage in personality battle than getting started. They often use sophisticated language like SAP (Structural Adjustment Programme), OFN (Operation Feed the Nation), NEEDS (National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy) and so on, to deliberately deceive us. They would use invalid arguments to usurp our thinking, saying their economic and political programmes are for the future. What future? That future is right now – mess up.

Or do you think a nation that subjects its pensioners to a “grueling exercise just to receive peanut for their sweat” is a nation in making? Continue to deceive yourself like I used to, but I pity you for such naivety.

Nigerian rulers are stiil the embodiment of all that’s wrong with Nigeria. They have pilfering fingers. They disregard the law of the land from time to time by disobeying court orders; by tinkering with the constitution to feed their ego, they are greedy and dishonest, they seem not to care about security in the land, they derive maximum pleasure from “oppressing” those they supposed to protect, and they even like blaspheming God. Nothing about them can shock me anymore.

 The Commissioner for works in Ogun State, Mr. Olayiwola Taiwo, recently displayed such shameless and uncanny behaviour when he was reported to have physically assaulted a 75-year-old woman on the ground that the elderly woman had insulted his wife.

But aren’t they stealing our hearts away and putting stone in its place gradually? How shall we explain further? Surely Nigerians are angry, sad, and tired of their thoughtless rulers. But despondency as they are, sick as they are, not one is more than I (exaggeration mine).

Yet the bible instructs us to get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger; brawling and slander, along with every form of malice… (Ephesians 4:31)

There are two major options for us apart from dissolving this marriage of convenience called Nigeria. We either forgive or confront and probe all those who have sinned against the nation. I prefer the former though reluctantly. This is because no "government" will give room for probe. I shall jubilate if proved wrong.

Perhaps this fear of probe is the root cause of the need to die in office. It could be this fear that eventually prevented the “best candidate” from winning elections in 1979, 1999 and 2003 respectively.  We should remember that the guilty are always afraid, and that fear can lead to inhuman atrocities and inordinate ambition. Abacha – in fact all of them – come to mind.

Forgiving them might allay their fears, which in turn can inspire them to support laying solid foundation for the future of God’s children. It has to be done. It must be done.

OBJ for instance, has since challenged anyone with evidence against IBB’s corrupt practice to come forward. But it was the same OBJ who warned us about Babangida’s shady and manipulative characters before that esprit de corps meeting at “our” Ota farm eight years ago when the current ruler professed to be on the masses side.

Well, if dark-goggled Abacha were to be alive, no evidence would surface against him. Such is the way of their supercilious and dishonourable conduct of governance. But we are not as stupid as they think. We know they play games with our precious lives but take consolation in the fact that evil seems good to the wo(man) whose mind god leads to disaster. Just watch.

So let us leave them with the pillage. Let them carry it to the grave like Abacha did to his own booty. But let us put our energy on how public office will cease to be a path to riches; let us amass resources in order to prevent coup plotter this and that from ruling us again. As I stated somewhere else, we should not do this by fighting them directly but by educating the masses why coup plotters should be executed – politically.

Aren’t these people full of deceit like the scorpion whose head fascinates what it means to sting? The evidence is there for us to see their polemic hypocrisy. Each successive government came to or usurped power by accusing its predecessor of corruption and inefficiency. Now it is clear that all governments we have had are almost the same. They have shown us that human happiness consists only in wealth, power, or fame but not in virtue. To put it succinctly, only very few of them can be regarded as human beings.

They do not know about the mutability of all human fortune where joy and accomplishments vanish like a dream, where success and honour turn to agony and shame. Go ask Tafa Billion, the policeman or Alamco, the girlish governor. They have refused to understand this benevolent thought: “There is no toleration for those who put forward doctrines that would undermine the virtue of the citizens.”

Nigerian politicians have yet to realise that, in the eyes of the gods he who rises the highest is also the lowest. No, they like to feel big. They are pompous and ostentatious. For them it’s not realistic to carry people’s welfare in their minds as a magus carries the truth. 

For example, why should it take donkey’s years for Nigerian government before committing itself to alleviating the sufferings of Niger Delta people? Why are we still lacking basic amenities like electricity, water, good road, medical care, and good education in Nigeria?

Dismiss my questions as cliche if you like but I won’t stop asking them until the government is applying itself to the alleviation of the symptoms of poverty.  Any government that refused or that cannot provide basic amenities for its citizen deserves no respect. And that is why I bear a grudge.

Even our friends at the Nigerian embassies may refused to give you due attention as a Nigerian citizen. They often imply they are to represent the government and not “riff raff” who had managed to escape poverty. O God, what exactly is their duty! What exactly does government mean?

What is people’s welfare as long as they and their families could boast of several mansions at home and abroad? Who cares about the fast deteriorating hospitals as long as they and their siblings could fly abroad for treatment? Do these people know what dignity entails? Do they not know that going abroad for medical treatment is like saying our hospitals and doctors are inferior? Do these people think at all?

Sunday Afolabi, a former deputy governor and minister, died in London. Nigerian First lady died in Spanish hospital for whatever reason. Apparently, these people go abroad for medical check-up simply because Nigerian hospitals are not good enough. They are proud of seeking medical treatment abroad like ordinary Nigerian of “checking out” of the country. It’s true these are advanced countries but they became advanced due to the leaders’ genuine intentions.

Yet Jesus answered Peter’s question of how many times to forgive. “I tell you not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Matthew: 18:22. How I wish I could quote the Quran as well as other similar books.

Now that most of them are bending over backwards to acquire more and more fortune despite the efforts of EFCC and NAFDAC, I think we should give them the hint about fortune’s rule. When people complain about her fickleness, Lady Fortune says in self-defence.

“Inconstancy is my very essence; it is the game I never cease to play as I turn my wheel in its ever changing circle, filled with joy as I bring the top to the bottom and the bottom to the top. Yes, rise up on my wheel if you like, but don’t count it an injury when by the same token you begin to fall, as the rules of the game will require.” (The Consolation of Philosophy).

If you think this is just a sixth century epic story and has no relevant today, then go ask Tafa Balogun, former IG and Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, former Bayelsa State Governor. Within a twinkle of an eye their world collapsed like cookies crumble.

Yet it warms the cockles of our hearts to forgive those who have sinned against us.

Before we forgive them however, the present and past rulers need penitential through arduous journey to holy places to seek forgiveness for their sins, and they should not do it by proxy. Let them go on the journey barefoot. They are to pray, fast, and to give alms to the needy. Most especially they must remain chaste during this peregrination.

This isn’t a punishment in a way since confession plays a more important part in people’s spiritual lives, as they turn inward to assess the state of their souls. It can also serve as a luminous experience, which takes them to the margin of a new reality. When they come back they shall be on a higher level. As they go along, they must take pen and paper. They must write it in capital letters, and swear before God (they always claim He appears to them). “HENCEFORTH, THE WELFARE OF NIGERIANS SHALL BE OUR PRIORITY.”

 Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing. I mean Nigerian rulers.

This is a revised edition

Robot  Villager

# 1 Many Nigerians are bound to take this question to be as pointless a debate as that of chic...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 29.05.2006 11:37

ithinkbetter

# 2 wooo.....what a CRAP! Posted by ithinkbetter| 29.05.2006 13:00