THOUGHTS TO CHEW ON

God has given us everything we need to bring about godly change in our nations, but until we stop simply talking about it and start acting on it, He will watch from heaven, allowing us to continue with our choice of dull and suppressed lives. – Roberts Liardon

WHERE I STAND ON THE FUEL SUBSIDY REMOVAL ISSUE

I am a Nigerian. I live in Nigeria. And I love and believe in Nigeria. I am not an activist neither am I an insurrectionist. But this is an issue that affects us all and our yet unborn children. This fuel subsidy removal has only brought into the open a long overdue leadership question we need to address as a people and nation.

If you know me, you know that I am not partisan where politics is concerned. My calling will not even permit me. I am a pastor. I lead people of different political persuasions. I neither campaigned nor canvassed votes for any particular candidate in the last April general elections. And I have no beef for the government in power or any of the dramatis personae in this matter. But I feel the pain of the man on the street because I have been there. Of course, high priests are chosen FROM among men and ordained FOR men (Heb. 5:1-2).

And that is why I’m speaking out. I will not bore you here with all the facts and arguments for and against. I’m sure you are aware of that.

Subsidy Removal or no Subsidy Removal, God’s Word still works! Faith is yet the victory that overcomes the world (1 John 5:4). Even though today I bought less than 10 litres of PMS with the same amount that would have bought me 20 litres just last week, we’ll still be here and standing. Whatever happens, we will still triumph by the covenant. We will survive! And we won’t just survive, we will thrive. In fact, we will FLOURISH! For “the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew” (Exodus 1:12). So it is for the children of the covenant.

BUT, and this is a big BUT, “the heavens belong to God, the earth has He given to us sons of men!” (Psalm 115:16) GOD will not do what MAN must do. We will pray but we will speak out! There’s a time for everything – “a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;” (Ecclesiastes 3:7b). WE WILL NOT BE DOCILE! Government or leadership must be accountable to the citizenry or it should quit!

I support the president, his cabinet, aides and the national assembly members. I pray for them. And I understand the burden of leadership. What I do not understand and I cannot endorse is a government that lacks empathy, that puts self before service and is full of arrogance.

Like I said in my facebook status post yesterday evening: “It will be well with Nigeria but not until we as Nigerians accept responsibility and take our destiny in our own hands. No one leader is smarter than the collective sensibility of the rest of us. I say NO to insensitive, unjust, and self-centered leadership. When a people become aware of their God-given rights and decide to exercise it and enforce it, let every ‘ruler’ posing as a leader beware! The time has come! No longer will Nigerians be taken for a ride.” GOD BLESS NIGERIA!