By Adeniyi Ojutiku
A rejoinder to the Acting President’s Speech to the 14th National Biennial Conference of the Pentecostal Fellowship Of Nigeria, PFN, in Benin City, Nigeria.
THE Acting President’s speech to the 14th National Biennial Conference of the PFN, doubtlessly marked him as a distinguished master of oratory protocol, as well as an erudite scholar of Nigeria’s terrorism history. His erudition as a Pastor and his fortitude in biblical exegesis was aptly on display. Unfortunately, he might have been simultaneously and unwittingly compelled to awkwardly wear two “unfitting” feathered hats..
I commend the Acting President for his boldness in listing all the atrocities against Christians and Christianity in Northern Nigeria, over several decades. That singular action, coming from the Acting President confirms to everyone the extent and persistence of the intolerance and hate of radical Islamist terrorists in Nigeria. This is the first time ever that anyone, who is currently in the pinnacle of our National government would go on record to admit the alarming statistics of human carnage and destruction by Islamist supremacists. No one can deny the facts of history any longer. It is in the annals of permanent official record.
There is little doubt that some Press and News outlets continue to be complicit in providing news blackout and distortions, not only to the reportage of events of Christian massacre and ethnic cleansing , but also in their absolute contempt for the human and civil rights issues of Christians and Nigeria’s Northern Minority tribes. These Press and news media minions have further underscored their hardened resistance against Christians and Northern Nigeria’s Minority tribes by the clear attempt at censoring the Acting President’s message. The Press/Media-released version of the speech was reduced to two minutes in the newsreel, to the extent that the Nigerian Christian Elders Forum, NCF, had to arduously search for the video, in order to transcribe it for a wider audience circulation, within the country and abroad. There seems to have been an official conspiracy, to hide the true narrative of the continuous trajectory of Islamic insurgency in Nigeria. Meanwhile, the speech of Governor Shettima of Borno (given about the same period) was given media exposure, while that of the Acting President was muffled.
Scriptures are adamantly emphatic that “The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong”- Romans 13:4.
In effect, the government is instructed to be “good”, meaning fair, just and benevolent. The government is instructed to be accountable to the people, and no less to God as well – for God has entrusted “righteous” earthly governments with the authority to protect and administer justice against all ungodliness, including Boko Haram and Fulani Herdsmen’s atrocities. This is a no mean responsibility! The question is, do we have a righteous government, or anything close to it in Nigeria? If not, why not?
Blaming the victims of crime, rather than condemning its perpetrators has become one of the most insidiously cunning and crafty strategies of the “Sharia” proponents and radical Islamist terrorists facilitators in Europe. For example, many European victims of violent rape, shamed and assaulted by the invading Islamist refugees from Middle Eastern countries, are blamed for the rape. They are often accused of being the only initiators of the crime of rape by their dressing up in revealing apparels. Unfortunately, the perverted Islamist rapists are absolved from the crime and suffer no consequences for their action.
We must be careful with Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen, not to cave into the obnoxious idea of blaming the victims of their crime, while letting the perpetrators off the hook. We must never, ever say that Christians are responsible for the ills of Nigerian society, and worse still that they bear even an iota of blame in the radical Islamist massacre of their innocent victims.
Make no mistake about it, the entire Nation and in particular Christians in Nigeria and the Diaspora support this bold, howbeit “baby-step” attempt of the Acting President at correcting the battered historical narratives concerning the systemic, systematic and sustained execution of Nigeria’s belligerent Islamist supremacist agenda.
By by virtue of the issue, the platform, viz-a –viz his position and views, the recent speech of the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to the 14th annual National Biennial Conference of the PFN in Benin City, appears to have culminated in a mere strident effort. In my estimation, he fell short of rallying the much needed support, to have emerged as the probable “Paul Revere” of the moment. What do I mean?
The paroxysmal episodes of betrayals and counter betrayals, especially in Nigeria’s corridors of power, in the fight against the human and ecological scourge of Boko Haram and Fulani Herdsmen, is an open secret. Those whose body language and occult but radiant influences have set the tone for the intransigencies we witness as Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen attacks are hidden behind the veiled wall of anonymity, thrusting the Acting President into an uncomfortable position. The gentleman now has to placate the victims, while leaving the perpetrators of radical Islamist terrorism unscathed in his public interlocutions, lest he missteps.
As the bonafide Acting President of Nigeria, Prof.Osinbajo’s primal duty is first and foremost, the protection of the life and property of every citizen and foreigner living in Nigeria. The speech by him, failed bigly in providing the audience with a simple, but thorough analysis and explanation of the real threats posed by Islamist terrorists in Nigeria.
Furthermore, the speech by the Acting President failed to induce confidence in the listeners: There seemed to have been an inadequate presentation of the clear physical and statistical evidence of the Federal government’s resilience, effectiveness and reliability in completely curbing the menace of radical Islamist terrorism by Boko Haram militants and Fulani herdsmen.
Placating Christian communities and diverting them away from possible reprisal attacks against radical Islamist terrorists is definitely within the ambit of his role as the Nation’s current Chief Executive, in the absence of the President. However, an overplay of that important role by the Acting President, especially by using the instrument of the Christian faith – the Bible, (without any admonition against the terrorists) may have showed him as been evasive and cunningly soft on radical Islamist terrorists and terrorism.
For me, the anti-climax of the Acting President’s admonition of Christians was for him to have openly blamed the victims, rather than the perpetrators, for the unabated continuation of the senseless killings and massacres in Nigeria.
Yes, Christians have the spiritual responsibility for the Nation and the scriptural mandate to continually pray for its political leadership, “so that all can live in peace”. Also, so that the enemies of the cross of Jesus Christ can repent of their evil ways and be saved. However, the political obligation and responsibility for safety, peace, and the deterrent against their contravention, is not strictly and directly a Christian, mandate.
It is the Government’s, as prescribed in Leviticus 24:17
“…..Men ought always to pray and not to faint” – Luke 18:1 But, it is only a person who is alive and free from the fear for his/her life that can perform the spiritual duty of praying!
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