Nnamdi Kanu And The Pinching Truth On Nigeria Christian Leaders
Nigeria Christians attacking Nnamdi Kanu for speaking out against the hypocrisy of most Nigeria men of God should endeavour go and study the Holy Bible appropriately. No place captures the scenario better than the book of Amos where God used an ordinary vegetarian and shepherd(Amos) to caution and warn the Israelites, their priests and the king of the impending wrath of God should they continue in their evil ways. Ironically, the very person that started and led a campaign of calumny against Amos is a Chief priest called Amaziah, just as overzealous Nigeria Christians are doing to Nnamdi Kanu today. From the 10th verse of the 7th chapter reads thus:
" Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: “Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words. For this is what Amos is saying:
“‘Jeroboam will die by the sword,
and Israel will surely go into exile,
away from their native land.’”
Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom.”
Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ Now then, hear the word of the Lord. You say,
“‘Do not prophesy against Israel,
and stop preaching against the descendants of Isaac.’
“Therefore this is what the Lord says:
“‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the city,
and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword.
Your land will be measured and divided up,
and you yourself will die in a pagan[c] country.
And Israel will surely go into exile,
away from their native land.’”
I wonder why at this point, some people still find it hard to assimilate the fact that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is not a man you can blackmail because he speaks the truth, neither can you intimidate him with the exuberance of extreme religious rhetoric. After reading a portion of the Bible that says-'my people perish due to lack of knowledge,' I actually agreed; however, after a critical look at the way Nigerians reason and react to issues beckoning on them, some thoughts ran through my mind.
Nigerians are perishing not just because they lack knowledge; they're doomed because they have been bewitched with 'ignorance'. It is one thing to acquire knowledge, it is another thing to still think and behave like a wild animal even after accumulation of such knowledge. A legal aphorism says, 'ignorance of the law is not an excuse.' Ignorance is simply choosing to be foolish whereas you are certifiably trained to be an encyclopedia of wisdom. Ignorance is seeing a black, yet turning around to call it a white. Ignorance is believing that you are free to talk to God concerning your wants and needs, yet you can't even be bold enough to point out and vehemently condemn the ungodly lifestyle of your religious leaders at their face.
Truth be told, the leadership of the Nigeria Christendom cannot excuse themselves from whatever precarious and appalling state Nigeria is today. Either passively or actively, most religious leaders are instrumental to the mess we're in. This is exactly what drives Nnamdi Kanu's rage against the compromised Christian leaders that have never boldly condemned the atrocities and carnage being perpetrated in this country, but would rather devote their time and energy extorting their miserable congregation all in the name of tithing and sowing of seed. When we say Nigeria is home of corruption, we must not just scapegoat the politicians, we should also hold the various sectors that are supposed to function as watchdogs accountable.
There is a magnanimous undercover corruption which is being aided and abetted by some religious leaders in this country. In the north, religion is seen as a weapon of jihadi warfare and a perfect tower of elitism; while in the South, it's turning out to be more of a business enterprise and tragically used as a tool to mentally entangle the masses from revolting against their evil leaders. This is why in Nigeria, everything is virtually prayed for. We pray to God to give us good roads, good hospitals, good schools and even electricity. We easily forget that 'faith without work is dead'. Now have you seen why those attacking Nnamdi Kanu for speaking out against the hypocrisy of most Christian leaders in Nigeria are actually making a mess of themselves?
The worst form of ignorance is not being silent in the face of evil; it is actually fighting tooth and nail against those who are brave enough to bring an end to the evil status quo. Nigerians are in a deep mess politically, religiously and culturally. However, just a look at how this same Nigerians channel all their energy in attacking Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB, you then discover the perfect illustration of 'stockholm syndrome'. Isn't it ironic that a people that have been held captive for so long are now the ones fighting against a person or group that has risen with all sincerity to set them free?
What I actually find baffling and insane is that even the so called Nigeria intellectuals are arguing that Nnamdi Kanu shouldn't dabble into religious affairs, in as much as he is a freedom fighter. Then I ask: Has Nnamdi Kanu who has openly professed to be a Jew ever forced his religion on anyone? Does being a Jew stop anyone from pointing out and criticising the inadequacies of religious leaders of different faith? How on earth could a reasonable person portray such criticism as an act of religious bigotry?
The message from Nnamdi Kanu is clear. Nigerian men of God must sit up, else, God will raise stones to deliver his message and execute His rage unadulterated and uncontrollably. If you think you're immune from criticism because you're a clergy, then you're no different from the family of the Biblical Eli that once fashioned that their fortunate 'Levi' ancestry can shelve them from the wrath of God, having waded off several warnings from their underdog servant called Samuel. How I nearly knocked a horn out of one extremist that attempted to quote 'touch not my anointed...' simply over some words of love which Nnamdi Kanu dropped to Nigeria Christian leaders.
Even Moses, God's one and only personal secretary couldn't step an inch into the promised land, because at some point in his life, he became intolerable to criticism and the murmuring jabs of his orally armoured Israeli brethren whom he just led out of Egypt. It is time the Biggies of the Nigeria Christendom had a rethink and lead their flocks appropriately, fearlessly and selflessly.
(Paul Ihechi Alagba is a Senior Analyst and Deputy Nationa Leader of Family Writers Press International).
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| Nnamdi Kanu |
Nigeria Christians attacking Nnamdi Kanu for speaking out against the hypocrisy of most Nigeria men of God should endeavour go and study the Holy Bible appropriately. No place captures the scenario better than the book of Amos where God used an ordinary vegetarian and shepherd(Amos) to caution and warn the Israelites, their priests and the king of the impending wrath of God should they continue in their evil ways. Ironically, the very person that started and led a campaign of calumny against Amos is a Chief priest called Amaziah, just as overzealous Nigeria Christians are doing to Nnamdi Kanu today. From the 10th verse of the 7th chapter reads thus:
" Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: “Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words. For this is what Amos is saying:
“‘Jeroboam will die by the sword,
and Israel will surely go into exile,
away from their native land.’”
Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom.”
Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ Now then, hear the word of the Lord. You say,
“‘Do not prophesy against Israel,
and stop preaching against the descendants of Isaac.’
“Therefore this is what the Lord says:
“‘Your wife will become a prostitute in the city,
and your sons and daughters will fall by the sword.
Your land will be measured and divided up,
and you yourself will die in a pagan[c] country.
And Israel will surely go into exile,
away from their native land.’”
I wonder why at this point, some people still find it hard to assimilate the fact that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is not a man you can blackmail because he speaks the truth, neither can you intimidate him with the exuberance of extreme religious rhetoric. After reading a portion of the Bible that says-'my people perish due to lack of knowledge,' I actually agreed; however, after a critical look at the way Nigerians reason and react to issues beckoning on them, some thoughts ran through my mind.
Nigerians are perishing not just because they lack knowledge; they're doomed because they have been bewitched with 'ignorance'. It is one thing to acquire knowledge, it is another thing to still think and behave like a wild animal even after accumulation of such knowledge. A legal aphorism says, 'ignorance of the law is not an excuse.' Ignorance is simply choosing to be foolish whereas you are certifiably trained to be an encyclopedia of wisdom. Ignorance is seeing a black, yet turning around to call it a white. Ignorance is believing that you are free to talk to God concerning your wants and needs, yet you can't even be bold enough to point out and vehemently condemn the ungodly lifestyle of your religious leaders at their face.
Truth be told, the leadership of the Nigeria Christendom cannot excuse themselves from whatever precarious and appalling state Nigeria is today. Either passively or actively, most religious leaders are instrumental to the mess we're in. This is exactly what drives Nnamdi Kanu's rage against the compromised Christian leaders that have never boldly condemned the atrocities and carnage being perpetrated in this country, but would rather devote their time and energy extorting their miserable congregation all in the name of tithing and sowing of seed. When we say Nigeria is home of corruption, we must not just scapegoat the politicians, we should also hold the various sectors that are supposed to function as watchdogs accountable.
There is a magnanimous undercover corruption which is being aided and abetted by some religious leaders in this country. In the north, religion is seen as a weapon of jihadi warfare and a perfect tower of elitism; while in the South, it's turning out to be more of a business enterprise and tragically used as a tool to mentally entangle the masses from revolting against their evil leaders. This is why in Nigeria, everything is virtually prayed for. We pray to God to give us good roads, good hospitals, good schools and even electricity. We easily forget that 'faith without work is dead'. Now have you seen why those attacking Nnamdi Kanu for speaking out against the hypocrisy of most Christian leaders in Nigeria are actually making a mess of themselves?
The worst form of ignorance is not being silent in the face of evil; it is actually fighting tooth and nail against those who are brave enough to bring an end to the evil status quo. Nigerians are in a deep mess politically, religiously and culturally. However, just a look at how this same Nigerians channel all their energy in attacking Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB, you then discover the perfect illustration of 'stockholm syndrome'. Isn't it ironic that a people that have been held captive for so long are now the ones fighting against a person or group that has risen with all sincerity to set them free?
What I actually find baffling and insane is that even the so called Nigeria intellectuals are arguing that Nnamdi Kanu shouldn't dabble into religious affairs, in as much as he is a freedom fighter. Then I ask: Has Nnamdi Kanu who has openly professed to be a Jew ever forced his religion on anyone? Does being a Jew stop anyone from pointing out and criticising the inadequacies of religious leaders of different faith? How on earth could a reasonable person portray such criticism as an act of religious bigotry?
The message from Nnamdi Kanu is clear. Nigerian men of God must sit up, else, God will raise stones to deliver his message and execute His rage unadulterated and uncontrollably. If you think you're immune from criticism because you're a clergy, then you're no different from the family of the Biblical Eli that once fashioned that their fortunate 'Levi' ancestry can shelve them from the wrath of God, having waded off several warnings from their underdog servant called Samuel. How I nearly knocked a horn out of one extremist that attempted to quote 'touch not my anointed...' simply over some words of love which Nnamdi Kanu dropped to Nigeria Christian leaders.
Even Moses, God's one and only personal secretary couldn't step an inch into the promised land, because at some point in his life, he became intolerable to criticism and the murmuring jabs of his orally armoured Israeli brethren whom he just led out of Egypt. It is time the Biggies of the Nigeria Christendom had a rethink and lead their flocks appropriately, fearlessly and selflessly.
(Paul Ihechi Alagba is a Senior Analyst and Deputy Nationa Leader of Family Writers Press International).
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