How To Change Government Peacefully: Social Mobility Is No Longer Frozen In Nigeria By Pastor Tunde Bakare

Last Sunday, we looked at the subject: HOW TO CHANGE GOVERNMENT PEACEFULLY AND MAKE SOCIETY BETTER. That message was delivered in a lecture format in this auditorium. Unknown to many, I was originally scheduled to leave the country that night for an engagement in the U.K., but I was restrained by the Holy Spirit to stay behind because men of the State Security Service (SSS) would come for me, and if they were to find out I left the night before, they would assume we have a pattern of preaching and leaving the country almost immediately; more so when their last invitation came after I had left the country. I therefore stayed put, and, true to type, they showed up at my house in the pursuit of their legitimate duties the following day, Monday, the 23rd of July, 2012, at about noon.

I would have ignored the whole episode and moved on to other things today but for the need to clarify some issues and to share the vital lessons we can glean from the SSS episode as well as other matters that cropped up following my visit to the State Security Service department. Let me deal with the lessons first.
LESSON #1: God knows what we do not know, and, when we cannot trace Him, we must trust Him. It is clear to me that in these perilous times, we need hearing ears, seeing eyes, and obedient hearts more than ever before. Someone may ask: How did you know that the State Security Service would come the next day? The answer is simple: God told me, and that was neither the first time, nor is it likely to be the last. I recall a crusade we held in Ilaro in the nineties (90s). I woke up early to pray at the hotel we were staying and, in the course of prayer, the Holy Spirit said to me, “Get ready, SSS men are on their way.” I turned to my wife and told her, “Make me a cup of tea quickly; men of the SSS are on their way here.” She did and I had scarcely finished drinking the tea when there was a knock on the door. Guess who knocked – Men of the SSS. I followed them and they asked me to stop the crusade because of the surge of the crowd. I responded that it was not the surge of the crowd that was their concern but the ancient gods of the Yewa people and the devils I attacked publicly. I told them: “I have the necessary permits for the crusade and will not stop till we finish.” They then advised me to tone down the message and, of course, I toned it up.

Three notable things happened at that crusade, among other miracles:

1. The occult hired worthless men to throw stones at me on the platform, which they did. However, no stone hit me and, as I preached, serpents came from nowhere and bit them. Nobody needed to chase them -- they ran out of the place themselves.

LESSON #2: O ran mo ni se fi aya ti ni Eledumare. Translation: God’s man, in God’s place, doing God’s work, in God’s way, and at God’s time, will not lack God’s support.

2. The second notable thing that happened was that a heavy cloud descended upon the city and many concluded it would rain. I stood there and declared, “God is the Father of rain; He cannot send me here to preach and send rain to disturb the crusade.” I told them it would not rain until we were done. The cloud became thicker and thicker and we could feel heavy downpour looming in the atmosphere - but it did not rain. The last night of the crusade, I announced to the hearing of all, “Get your umbrellas ready, for as soon as I leave your city, heavy rain will fall.” By the grace of God, it was so.
LESSON #3: God does not sponsor a flop.

3. Now to the third notable thing. Just before we closed the crusade, a young boy who was very sick and lying prostrate on his sick bed was supernaturally healed by the power of God as he listened to the message coming through our powerful public address system. His father was immediately contacted by relatives and he rushed to the crusade ground to give us the testimony in writing as there were too many people on the stage giving testimonies. The boy that was healed happened to be the son of the police head (D.P.O.) in Ilaro.

LESSON #4: The people that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy. Who knows what could have happened to the boy if the SSS had succeeded in stopping the crusade? Your guess is as good as mine.
As I said earlier, I had planned to move to other matters today but the SSS interruption - I beg your pardon, invitation - has necessitated a sequel to the message: HOW TO CHANGE GOVERNMENT PEACEFULLY AND MAKE SOCIETY BETTER. This sequel is predicated on Psalm 2 and I will proceed when we are done with the vital lessons from the SSS’ invitation.

LESSON #5: There is panic in the enemy’s camp (Joshua 2:8-14). Why? Acts 4 gives three reasons for the arrest and the harassment of the Apostles -

Reason (i): A notable miracle had been done through the Apostles that those who harassed them could not deny (Acts 4:13-16). What notable miracle has taken place in our own clime? SOCIAL MOBILITY IS NO LONGER FROZEN IN NIGERIA. Nigerians have gained and are gaining their voices back since the Ojota Freedom Park Rally in January 2012. Save Nigeria Group’s role in that is acknowledged by the powers that be, including the State Director of the SSS last Monday.

Our role at the SNG is not just to be the voice of the voiceless, but to let the voiceless regain their voices and use them as they please within the confines of the law. That is why we refer to the VOTE as the VOICE OF THE ELECTORATE.

Reason (ii): They arrested and harassed them so that the gospel would not spread further and none of them would teach or preach in the name of Jesus any longer.
Reason (iii): Their worst fear as contained in Acts 5:27- 28 (NKJV):

27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, 28 saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man's blood on us!”

Let me make it clear that the officers and men of the SSS did not arrest me or interrogate me for eight (8) hours followed by the granting of bail, nor did I say I was misquoted by any newspaper, as was falsely reported by AIT. AIT has since interviewed me and aired the correct version of what transpired on Monday, the 23rd of July, 2012 at the SSS office in Shangisha. The State Director of SSS and his men treated me with respect and dignity; they were very civil to me. The State Director himself had earlier visited me here at The Latter Rain Assembly in November 2011, making the same request that I tone down my message where politics is concerned, especially with regard to the person of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Last Monday, the same request was made. I gave the State Director a signed copy of Sunday’s lecture and promised to send him past publications and documents from the SNG office. I got to their office at 3:10 p.m. and left at 4:10 p.m. I am very grateful for their civility and respect accorded to me. They will all remain in our thoughts and prayers as they pursue their legitimate duties of ensuring peace in the state and country and allow us to continue to pursue ours within the ambit of the law.

But what lessons are we supposed to learn from the visit?

Acts 4:21&22 (NKJV):

21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. 22 For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.

There are at least two (2) additional lessons here:

LESSON #6: When you stay within the boundary of your call, no evil shall befall you.

LESSON #7: When your words are choice words fitly spoken, your traducers will find no way of punishing you.

Isaiah 50:4&5 (NKJV):

4 “The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned. 5 The Lord GOD has opened My ear; and I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away.”

Brothers and sisters, I appeal to you by the mercies of God, especially those of you who carry and will carry the prophetic mantle and speak truth to power - You must learn to follow the injunction of Paul the Apostle as recorded in Colossians 4:5&6 (NKJV):

5 “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”

LESSON #8: Apostles and prophets must not only be accountable to their primary constituency, they must accurately report every encounter with the civil government authorities to their base for the following primary reasons:

i. Prayer cover, and

ii. Recharge

Acts 4:23-31 (NKJV):

23 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage, and the people plot vain things? 26 The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the LORD and against His Christ.’ 27 “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. 29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

The content of their corporate prayer should interest every genuine disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The highlights are as follows:

HIGHLIGHT #1: The Lord is God who made heaven and earth, and the seas and all that is in them. What is the implication of this?
Jeremiah 10:6-11 (NKJV):

6 “Inasmuch as there is none like You, O LORD (You are great, and Your name is great in might), 7 who would not fear You, O King of the nations? For this is Your rightful due. For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, There is none like You. 8 But they are altogether dull-hearted and foolish; a wooden idol is a worthless doctrine. 9 Silver is beaten into plates; it is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the craftsman and of the hands of the metalsmith; blue and purple are their clothing; they are all the work of skillful men. 10 But the LORD is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth will tremble, and the nations will not be able to endure His indignation. 11 Thus you shall say to them: “The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens.”

HIGHLIGHT #2: The powers that be, including Satan and his human agents, can only do what God permits or allows them to do.

Acts 4:27-28 (NKJV):

27 “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.”

HIGHLIGHT #3: Realizing that God is truly in charge, they asked Him to grant them boldness, that with all boldness (not some boldness -- all boldness), they may speak God’s word. Let us pray for all boldness to speak the Word of Life accurately.

HIGHLIGHT #4: Finally, they asked God for more healings, “and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your Holy Servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:29-30; NKJV). Healings are okay, but because God does awesome things, some signs and wonders can be very frightening. Examples to come later.
The end-product of the Apostles’ collective prayer is recorded in Acts 4:31.
Acts 4:31 (NKJV):

“And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”

This is what I call Re-charge; Holy Ghost Faith Booster. Did they tone down their message afterwards? NO! Should I then tone mine down? NO!!

Acts 4:31 (NKJV):

“…and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”
Who should I obey – God or the SSS Director? The answer is in Acts 5:27-32.


Now, to today’s main message.

Text: Psalm 2:1-12

This is the sequel to last Sunday’s message, HOW TO CHANGE GOVERNMENT PEACEFULLY AND MAKE SOCIETY BETTER. My focus is on verse 12.
Psalm 2:12 (NKJV):

“Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.”

From that verse of Scripture, and for the little time we have left, I am preaching a message titled:

DON’T INTIMIDATE THE PROPHET: YOU WILL INFURIATE HIM AND BRING JUDGMENT UPON YOURSELF.

Since the beginning of this year, especially after the Ojota Freedom Park Rally spearheaded by the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) and allies, there have been threats of arrest against my person and some of our key leaders from the highest quarters; and at least twice in November 2011 and on Monday, 23rd July, 2012, the State Director of SSS asked me to tone down my message because, in his words, I have become partisan. I countered his argument by saying that my message has not changed since the days of the military. A corrupt, perverse, wasteful, directionless and clueless government is offensive to me and should be offensive to every intelligent patriot in this nation. I asked the Director if he considered my activities and that of SNG in January 2010 controversial and partisan when we marched the streets of Abuja and Lagos to protest the impunity being meted out to then Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan in the dying days of President Yar’Adua. He did not answer me. Now is the time to answer him and the likes of him who think partisanship is a spiritual sin or crime that must not be committed by lazy men - I beg your pardon, clergymen.

First, let’s define the word ‘partisan’ or ‘partisanship’ (Webster’s Dictionary):

a. n). Someone who actively supports (a party, cause or principle). By that definition, everyone should be partisan, because if you don’t stand for anything, you will fall for everything. Also, by that definition, only the spineless or lily-livered will not be partisan.

b. Someone not in a regular army who engages in guerrilla warfare. Such a charge cannot be levied against me. I am not and cannot be involved in any guerilla warfare against the state. Many in that category, such as MEND, are friends of this government and they now benefit greatly from their past guerilla activities as they are rewarded with fabulous contracts. And as the English adage goes: “Show me you friend and I’ll tell you who you are.”

c. One-sided or biased.
The messages I preach are only biased in favour of Righteousness, Justice and Truth. To this, I plead guilty because there is nothing anyone can do against the truth, but for the truth. If I am being asked to tone down my message because of perceived partisanship, those asking me to do so have only succeeded in precipitating a tone up, and examples abound in Scriptures which I encourage our security service agents and men of the armed forces, and the police to read and meditate on in the pursuit of their lawful duties.

• EXAMPLE #1: AMOS THE PROPHET.

Amos 7:10-17 (NKJV):
10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words. 11 For thus Amos has said: ‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive From their own land.” 12 Then Amaziah said to Amos: “Go, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah. There eat bread, and there prophesy. 13 But never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is the royal residence.” [IN OTHER WORDS, TONE IT DOWN.] 14 Then Amos answered, and said to Amaziah: “I was no prophet, nor was I a son of a prophet, but I was a sheepbreeder and a tender of sycamore fruit. 15 Then the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.’ 16 Now therefore, hear the word of the LORD: You say, ‘Do not prophesy against Israel, and do not spout against the house of Isaac.’ 17 “Therefore thus says the LORD: ‘Your wife shall be a harlot in the city; your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword; your land shall be divided by survey line; you shall die in a defiled land; and Israel shall surely be led away captive from his own land.’ ”

Whenever you ask the prophet to tone down his message, his God will respond on his behalf. The answer to tone down is tone up.
Amos 2:6-16 (NKJV):

6 Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, because they sell the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of sandals.7 They pant after the dust of the earth which is on the head of the poor, and pervert the way of the humble. A man and his father go in to the same girl, to defile My holy name. 8 They lie down by every altar on clothes taken in pledge, and drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god. 9 “Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was as strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit above and his roots beneath. 10 Also it was I who brought you up from the land of Egypt, and led you forty years through the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite. 11 I raised up some of your sons as prophets, and some of your young men as Nazirites. Is it not so, O you children of Israel?” Says the Lord. 12 “But you gave the Nazirites wine to drink, and commanded the prophets saying, ‘Do not prophesy!’ 13 “Behold, I am weighed down by you, as a cart full of sheaves is weighed down. 14 Therefore flight shall perish from the swift, the strong shall not strengthen his power, nor shall the mighty deliver himself; 15 He shall not stand who handles the bow, the swift of foot shall not escape, nor shall he who rides a horse deliver himself. 16 The most courageous men of might shall flee naked in that day,” Says the Lord.

• EXAMPLE #2: KING SAUL AND HIS SERVANT DOEG VS. THE PRIESTS OF THE LORD.
Secret service agents, men of the armed forces, and the police, hear the word of the Lord - Be careful how you carry out your assignment against genuine servants of God by any label – Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor or Teacher. Be careful not to obey the last order, especially if the last order is evil or against natural justice; you cannot obey such without bringing damnation upon your own head.

I Samuel 22:6-19 (NKJV):

6 When Saul heard that David and the men who were with him had been discovered--now Saul was staying in Gibeah under a tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants standing about him— 7 then Saul said to his servants who stood about him, “Hear now, you Benjamites! Will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds? 8 All of you have conspired against me, and there is no one who reveals to me that my son has made a covenant with the son of Jesse; and there is not one of you who is sorry for me or reveals to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day.” 9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, who was set over the servants of Saul, and said, “I saw the son of Jesse going to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. 10 And he inquired of the LORD for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.” 11 So the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests who were in Nob. And they all came to the king. 12 And Saul said, “Hear now, son of Ahitub!” He answered, “Here I am, my lord.” 13 Then Saul said to him, “Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, in that you have given him bread and a sword, and have inquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to lie in wait, as it is this day?” 14 So Ahimelech answered the king and said, “And who among all your servants is as faithful as David, who is the king’s son-in-law, who goes at your bidding, and is honorable in your house? 15 Did I then begin to inquire of God for him? Far be it from me! Let not the king impute anything to his servant, or to any in the house of my father. For your servant knew nothing of all this, little or much.” 16 And the king said, “You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father's house!” 17 Then the king said to the guards who stood about him,

“Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because their hand also is with David, and because they knew when he fled and did not tell it to me.” But the servants of the king would not lift their hands to strike the priests of the LORD. 18 And the king said to Doeg, “You turn and kill the priests!” So Doeg the Edomite turned and struck the priests, and killed on that day eighty-five men who wore a linen ephod. 19 Also Nob, the city of the priests, he struck with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing infants, oxen and donkeys and sheep--with the edge of the sword.”

My question to our state security service men is simple: Which one are you - Servants of the king with conscience or Doeg the Edomite? As you ponder on that question, just remember that judgment eventually fell upon King Saul and his sons and servants (II Samuel 31:1- 10).

• EXAMPLE #3: ELIJAH THE PROPHET VS. THE CAPTAINS AND THEIR FIFTY.
II Kings 2:1-17

Don’t assume you will get away with the evil you perpetuate against the priests when you turn to do same with the prophet. There is ranking in Ascension Gifts. It is important to use wisdom in the discharge of your duties as the third (3rd) captain did.

EXAMPLE #4: JESUS VS. KING HEROD (“TELL THAT FOX”).
See Luke 13:22-35

Speaking of foxes, let me close this message by focusing on my constituency - that is, the church. Last Sunday, journalists asked me three vital questions among others at a press conference in our Strategy Hall following the lecture. Here they are:

i. Can’t you see any conflict in your marching for Jonathan to become President and your criticism and campaign against him now?

ii. You have taken a public stand against Jonathan, but some of your colleague pastors are praying for him in secret and in the open. What do you say to these things?

iii. Does the Bible not enjoin us all to pray for men in authority? What is your view on this?

My answers:

First, let it be known to you that neither I nor the SNG marched for Jonathan:

i. We marched for constitutionality; for the Constitution to be followed regardless of who that action favours or doesn’t favour.

ii. If you think my present stand is against Jonathan’s person, then you goof. It is against bad governance, misappropriation of state funds, embezzlement of public funds and spending money like water without appropriation. I am against whoever does any of such and similar things.

iii. As for praying for men in authority, please note that God ordered Samuel to anoint Saul as king over Israel and subsequently ordered the same Prophet Samuel to stop praying for Saul and to go to Jesse’s house and anoint David instead of Saul in Saul’s lifetime. Is that consistency or inconsistency? When reigning kings start behaving like lunatics and make a lot of noise instead of speaking with the voice of reason, it is because God has found and anointed another king. See Jeremiah 46:13-17.

Furthermore, concerning all the window dressing, the shenanigans and the charade going on in respect of the subsidy thieves, it is my considered opinion that the efforts of this government cannot deliver justice, neither are they meant to. “Why?”, you may ask -- my answer is contained in Ecclesiastes 8:11-13 (NKJV):
11 Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. 12 Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him. 13 But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he does not fear before God.

We have been lied to as a nation and there is no sincerity in this government’s words or actions. Can you imagine that, as the nation is burning, Dame Patience, the First Lady, is busy pursuing and obtaining the status of an absentee Permanent Secretary? Does this make any intelligent sense except to political morons and imbeciles?

Now to the prophetic foxes who call evil good and good evil. Agents of the state within the church who are sustained by crumbs from their master’s table, hear the word of the Lord:
Ezekiel 13:1-23 (NKJV):

1 “And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart, ‘Hear the word of the LORD!’ ” 3 Thus says the Lord GOD: “Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! 4 O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts. 5 You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the LORD. 6 They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD!' But the LORD has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed. 7 Have you not seen a futile vision, and have you not spoken false divination? You say, ‘The LORD says,’ but I have not spoken.” 8 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you,” says the Lord GOD. 9 “My hand will be against the prophets who envision futility and who divine lies; they shall not be in the assembly of My people, nor be written in the record of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord GOD. 10 “Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying, ‘Peace!’ when there is no peace--and one builds a wall, and they plaster it with untempered mortar-- 11 say to those who plaster it with untempered mortar, that it will fall. There will be flooding rain, and you, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it down. 12 Surely, when the wall has fallen, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the mortar with which you plastered it?’ ” 13 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “I will cause a stormy wind to break forth in My fury; and there shall be a flooding rain in My anger, and great hailstones in fury to consume it. 14 So I will break down the wall you have plastered with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be uncovered; it will fall, and you shall be consumed in the midst of it. Then you shall know that I am the LORD. 15 “Thus will I accomplish My wrath on the wall and on those who have plastered it with untempered mortar; and I will say to you, ‘The wall is no more, nor those who plastered it, 16 that is, the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her when there is no peace,’ ” says the Lord GOD.

17 “Likewise, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own heart; prophesy against them, 18 and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Woe to the women who sew magic charms on their sleeves and make veils for the heads of people of every height to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of My people, and keep yourselves alive? 19 And will you profane Me among My people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, killing people who should not die, and keeping people alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies?” 20 ‘Therefore thus says the Lord GOD:

“Behold, I am against your magic charms by which you hunt souls there like birds. I will tear them from your arms, and let the souls go, the souls you hunt like birds. 21 I will also tear off your veils and deliver My people out of your hand, and they shall no longer be as prey in your hand. Then you shall know that I am the LORD. 22 “Because with lies you have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and you have strengthened the hands of the wicked, so that he does not turn from his wicked way to save his life. 23 Therefore you shall no longer envision futility nor practice divination; for I will deliver My people out of your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.”

In the days of OBJ, the message that shook the nation was titled ‘NO MORE WALLS’, preached on the 7th of March, 1999. Today the message is stronger and bolder:

THE WALL IS NO MORE, NOR ARE THOSE WHO PLASTERED IT! HALLELUYAH! (Ezekiel 13:15)

GOODLUCK NIGERIA...

The Nigerian contingent at the opening ceremony of the London Olympics 2012

Nigerian Soldiers In Army Uniform In Brutal Attack Of A Civilian In Ibadan

What looked like a normal day in Ibadan, Oyo State, turned out to be a nightmare in the early hours of 22^nd of July 2012 at around 2.30am when about six soldiers of the Nigeria Army in uniform attached to the PHCN Capital Building at Ring Road Ibadan went berserk on an unprovoked savage brutalization of Mr Akintokunbo Adejumo, a community leader in Ibadan and Southwark Borough in London and the respected Global Coordinator of Champions for Nigeria (Champions for Growth of Nigeria Initiative) www.championsfornigeria.com , a registered Organization in the UK and Nigeria,  with members all over Nigeria, continental Africa, Europe, Asia and America. Mr Adejumo recently returned to live in his home town of Ibadan after an illustrious career in Local Government, Business, Community Development and Management Consultancy in the United Kingdom.
The attack happened in the full glare of members of the public when a strange fire outbreak occurred within the premises of the PHCN and engulfed a neighbouring building, damaging irreparably properties worth millions of Naira affecting the ex-Barcelona and Nigerian International footballer, Gbenga Okunowo’s private home. In the midst of the pandemonium that greeted the fire incident, there were concerns about the role played by the soldiers who were attached to guard the property. Their attitude and behaviour was remotely detached from the collective efforts of ordinary citizens who frantically tried to call for the fire services and do whatever they could to minimise the damage.
Mr Adejumo, a resident and landlord in the estate, was there, with other residents, championing the fire rescue effort, in kindred spirit, and tried to mobilise all around to salvage the situation. Unfortunately, the soldiers’ mood was not in tune with the anxiety of the local community about the potential large scale destruction of lives and property and it raised a lot of questions about the origin of the fire outbreak. In an action that appeared to be akin to an illicit drug induced violent behaviour, the soldiers pounced on him, for allegedly making comment about their laxity and negligence, and savagely attacked Mr Adejumo, who was defenceless, surprised and frightened for his dear life. He was kicked to the floor, wantonly booted on the head, body and dragged on the floor without any confrontation or exchange of words. His plea for mercy and patience went on deaf ears, the more he tried to catch the attention of the soldiers to show restraints, and the more he was pounced on like a rag doll as if they were on a mission to kill in the war front. The crowd were so helpless because of fear for the life of this man and theirs, making them to reflect on the unenviable reputation of Nigerian Army men in uniform. The behaviour of these soldiers on the night was so dastardly heinous and conceived with a purposeful intention of maiming or doing serious damage to the person and body of Mr Adejumo who, luckily managed to be rescued from the senseless torture and grievous harm he was subjected to by these careless soldiers by fellow landlords and residents. He was left in profound pain and agony so much that he needed to be hospitalised for treatment.
The soldiers acted as if the fire incident was a war zone disaster and the brutality meted to Mr Adejumo was a legally binding behaviour that attracts no disciplinary consequences. When a Nigerian soldier began to batter his own citizen in peace time and cause bodily carnage and aggravated harm to defenceless ordinary citizens, should question not be asked whether, infact there is any insight amongst the military class that, engagement in brutal force with civilians amounts to gross indiscipline and necessitate thorough investigation and court martial proceedings. The Nigeria Army pride itself in professionalism and sacred discipline, but when the oath of disciplinary testament is violated without any fear of consequences, then it begs the question whether our democracy is lacking in its meaning. The Military ordinarily is an institution of highly disciplined professionals, majority of whom are, but the behaviour and actions of recruits like these cast a massive shadow on the tenet of discipline within the force and bring into public disrepute the hard work of the men and officers who are working loyally and patriotically to uphold the code of discipline and professionalism within the Military
The brutal and savage attack on Mr Adejumo, who is known for promoting peace, dialogue and selfless service to one and many, an attribute he portrayed for many years living in the inner city of London, mentoring the young and driving probity and altruistic endeavours and raising champions for community and mankind , should not be allowed to be swept under the carpet unattended to without the Commanding Officer looking at the ABC of the event and dispensing disciplinary measures to those soldiers for their crude and unenviable behaviour in Army uniform.
We call on the Governor of Oyo State to show leadership in bringing his official might to bear on this incident and ensure that, all citizens of the state is protected by the civil law and their liberty and safety is not violated by soldiers who are posted to the state. Mr Adejumo is not an ordinary Ibadan citizen, he is a community leader, a patriotic Nigeria and a selfless individual who would not trespass or trample on the jurisdiction of anyone to do his work in helping others and protecting lives and limbs of fellow citizens.
We are petitioning the GOC Ibadan division and the Commanding officer for these errant soldiers and also petitioning the Oyo State Government to give meaningful attention to this incident. In a responsive society, this will immediately attract military and civil proceeding for violation of human right to safety and breach of military code of engagement with the civilian public.
Get the Soldiers out! Name and shame them!! Investigate the incident!!! And put a stop to such crude behaviour by our men in uniform.
Act Now!
Written by Dr Olayiwola Ajileye

GOODLUCK FOR YOU. GOODLUCK FOR EVERYBODY

 
It is a poorly kept secret that, in the Jonathan’s household, the Mrs, Patience, is the one who wears the pants. She rules the roost. She is the one in charge; the boss.
In some cases, the woman being in charge is not actually a bad thing. In fact, it can be a good thing. However, I’m not sure if this is the case with the first family. It certainly isn’t proving to be the case now. When you look at Jonathan, when you behold and have been thoroughly put off by Goodluck’s docility, his lack of vigour and rigour, you would understand why Patience had to take charge. It’s just a shame that she doesn’t know where to draw the line.
It was recently reported that Mrs Jonathan has remained on the payroll of the Bayelsa State civil service despite the fact that she hasn’t turned up for work for even one minute since her husband became the Deputy Governor in 1999. Regardless of all that, she was still considered an active staff member and was being paid in full by the Ministry of Education (of all places!)

I was still digesting that appalling news and wondering when Reuben Abati would come out and announce that Mrs Jonathan has returned all the salaries and allowances she has been pocketing since 1999, when worse news floated in. This one came directly from the Head of Bayelsa State Civil Service, Gloria Izonfo. She announced that the same Mrs Jonathan has been appointed a Permanent Secretary. I can just imagine Don King’s hair standing on end as he shouts, “Only in Nigeria!”
For one, this is sycophancy gone out of hand. People will recall that the current governor, Seriake Dickson was one of the Abuja politicians who were used to fighting the previous governor, Timipre Sylva to a standstill until his election was annulled in April 2008 by the Court of Appeal. Back then, Dickson, a House of Representative member, avowed that the majority of PDP stakeholders in Bayelsa would not support Sylva’s candidacy to run again at a new election that was mandated after 90 days. He called Sylva “unacceptable” and a person lacking in skills to “build consensus.”
A Loyal Jonathan disciple, in 2012 Dickson was rewarded with the governorship after his oga became President and Sylva had been kicked hard into exile. Dickson was declared the winner of the governorship election by the State Returning Officer, Prof Joseph Ajienka. (More about him later)
As per our culture in Nigeria, Dickson is now thanking his oga through madam, however, he is doing it all wrong.
But, there’s a larger issue:
Mrs Jonathan stopped going in to work sometime in 1999. That is some 13 years ago. Let us do the math: According to her own bio, Mrs Jonathan got her NCE (Teacher training) diploma in 1989. Then she proceeded to the University of Port Harcourt for a 3 year Bachelor’s programme in Biology and Psychology, finishing, presumably, in 1992. Then she became a teacher at a Secondary School where she was until 1997. In 1997, she left and went into Community Banking.
Then things become sketchy. At some point, post 1997, Mrs Jonathan left the bank and returned “to the classroom briefly again as a teacher.” Then “she was transferred to the Bayelsa State Ministry of Education, where she served until 29 May 1999 when her husband became the Deputy Governor of the State.”
So. Ok. Let’s say Mrs Jonathan stayed in the banking sector for just one year. That would mean that she returned to teaching in 1998. A few months later, she joined the Ministry of Education in Bayelsa. To be generous, let us say she was with that Ministry for a full calendar year before she became Second Lady of Bayelsa. Once they were in office, Mrs Jonathan never darkened the doors of the Education Ministry again. However, she continued to draw a salary. On 12 July 2012, with just one single solitary practical active year experience in the Education Ministry, she was made its Permanent Secretary.
Please stop laughing!
So, what are the duties and responsibilities of a Permanent Secretary? The number one job of a Permanent Secretary is to run the department on a day-to-day basis. Effectively, the Permanent Secretary is the chief executive of a particular government department, overseeing its operations including, budgets, personnel, training, etc, etc. The Permanent Secretary also provides reports and advice to the political head of the Ministry, the Commissioner. Permanent Secretaries are also the accounting Officers for their department, which means they are directly answerable to the Legislature for financial matters. Furthermore, Permanent Secretaries chair their departments’ Management Boards.
Mrs Jonathan will do all of this and more with just one year of entry level experience under her belt; an experience acquired some 13 years ago.
Please now. I told you to curtail your laughter.
We have been told however – in an attempt at clarification – that Mrs Jonathan will do this in absentia. A brand new concept; a Permanent Secretary in absentia. Only in Jonathan’s Nigeria. In effect, Mrs Jonathan was just awarded a title for later use. The First Lady appellation would appear inadequate. A further attempt at clarification was made on 14 July 2012 by a Special Assistant to the governor, Daniel Iworiso-Markson. He said, “The State government believes that the services of the First Lady to the development of Bayelsa State and Nigeria qualify as essential service, which should be recognised and rewarded.”
Good God! You cannot make this up, even if you were writing a very bad movie script. Provincial outlook is being nationalised. We are being force-fed parochial backwater thinking and behaviour from the riverside. Lack of refinement and outrageous buffoonery has been elevated to statecraft. God help us all.
As a man, when your truculent wife comes to you with news of such “promotion,” you are supposed to quickly pour deserved ice water on it. You are supposed to show her the million ways in which it is wrong and inappropriate. As a Head of State, you ought to then go further and insist on decency, pick up the phone, call the bloody governor of Bayelsa and tell him to keep his Greek gift. Tell him not to ridicule further a government that is already struggling to convince people that it is a serious one. I just don’t understand: Is it that some people simply lack the ability to see what everyone else can see or they just don’t care?
But it is clear Mrs Jonathan calls the shots at home. Clearly, the President is not able to curtail her overbearing and flagrant impulses. He gave up trying long ago. Our Jonah is just too happy for her to go do her thing at any cost and leave him alone with all her wahala. In any event, they own the day now, so anything goes. Weak, distasteful and very unseemly.
Not too long ago, ’twas for the same Jonathan that an Italian construction company, Gitto Construzioni Generali, built a huge church in the heart of his village. Jonathan even saw it fit to defend such farce and obvious corruption. Why didn’t the same firm build churches in other villages before or after Jonathan’s?
Just last month, Mrs Jonathan was awarded a Doctorate by the University of Port Harcourt. On hand to confer that honorary degree on her was Prof Ajienka, the Vice Chancellor of the University. Yes, the same Prof Joseph Ajienka, State Electoral Returning Officer who declared Dickson governorship winner. Same day, President Jonathan approved N3 billion for the development of the University of Port Harcourt.
These are just the ones we know about o.
This is where we now find ourselves. Everything is so gauche. There is a complete absence of shame. No decorum, no circumspection. It is Idi Amin declaring himself the King of Scotland all over again.
And the sovereignty of 150 million souls is entrusted in the care of this man? Wasn’t it Fela who sang that ‘Upside Down get them meaning too?’ Nigeria we hail thee. This poor country just cannot catch a break

 
NATIONAL NONSENSE: Abati Sidelined As Mrs. Jonathan Fumes Over Bad Publicity; Okupe Hired As Attack Dog

Presidential spokesman Reuben Abati has been effectively sidelined, with the Presidency hiring Ogun-state born medical doctor, Doyin Okupe, to handle President Goodluck Jonathan’s publicity. Mr. Okupe’s designation is as a senior special assistant on public affairs. One source revealed that Mr. Okupe is being brought in to act as attack dog against critics of the president and his wife.

Our sources within Aso Rock disclosed that the personnel shake-up came at the instance of First Lady Patience Jonathan who bitterly complained that Mr. Abati was not doing a satisfactory job of shielding her as well as her husband from media attacks.
One source revealed that Mrs. Jonathan had been fuming over a recent spate of media attacks targeted at her. The media, civil society activists as well as opposition political parties have recently pummeled Mrs. Jonathan for accepting an absurd appointment as a permanent secretary in Bayelsa State and the naming of an Abuja street after her.

More recently, she has faced a barrage of criticism for squandering billions of naira of public funds to buy 200 expensive cars for a jamboree of African First Ladies in Abuja.

At first, the Presidency responded by stating that the cars were donated by Cocharis Motors. However, the story developed into an evolving scandal when the car dealer insisted that the cars were purchased, but declined to disclose who paid for the automobiles.

“The attacks over the cars finally overwhelmed Madam [Mrs. Jonathan], and she blamed her image troubles on Dr. Abati’s incompetence,” said a source. He added that Mrs. Jonathan then demanded that Mr. Okupe, a medical doctor who served as former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s spokesman, be brought in to take charge of the Presidency’s image management. “The impression is that Dr. Abati has been too soft and has committed too many blunders in his attempts to defend the president and his wife,” said one source.

One source said Mr. Abati’s role may now be a sinecure, with diminishing importance in the president’s media strategy. Mr. Okupe, who has held several political posts and once eyed the Ogun State governorship, will assume primary responsibility for managing the image of the president and his wife.

Another source in Aso Rock told SaharaReporters, “Dr. Abati is a victim of a rumpus in the Villa over the 200 cars. The First Lady protested to the president on Wednesday evening over the bad publicity. She queried the relevance of the presidential media team, headed by Dr. Reuben Abati.

She insisted on immediate overhaul of the presidential media and publicity crew. The president now decided to move to hire an attack dog as a senior special assistant on public affairs.”

One source explained that Mr. Abati further infuriated Mrs. Jonathan when he tried to argue that it was the duty of her media team to handle her publicity affairs.
A Presidency source who witnessed Mrs. Jonathan’s fury told SaharaReporters that “The First Lady was close to tears as she desperately declared her innocence. She said, ‘I did not award any contract, I did not buy any car. Why are they writing this about me? And nobody in the media team could defend me and my family. Those coming for our meeting are not up to 200 First Ladies, but then they say I bought 200 cars.’”

The source said all the presidential aides who were around at the time the First Lady delivered her tirade were speechless.

Two sources told us that the Presidency decided that it was time to bring in somebody who is willing to act as an attack dog in the same way that Femi Fani-Kayode did for former President Obasanjo.

“Fani-Kayode would have been brought in, but he has been a big attacker of the president. So the president decided to approach Dr. Okupe,” said one source.

Mr. Abati, a former columnist and editorial page editor for the (Nigerian) Guardian, and Mr. Okupe share something in common: they are both indigenes of Ogun State.

A source who knows Mr. Okupe described him as needing “urgent financial rehabilitation” after a series of political woes. The source added that the Presidency has decided it “it has had enough of these attacks from the opposition. It is now fire-for-fire.”

NATIONAL NONSENSE:

For those who are close to the so-called-Doyin, I will advice you guys to ask him to honorably reject this offer which was made to him only and only when the "Titanic Is Beginning To Sink". He still has time to make his children, tribe and race proud. Only those who have lust for worldly things associate themselves with this failed government. We respect Yoruba's and hope the needful will be done before it is too late. Truly: A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

"LET THE WISE LISTEN AND ADD TO HIS LEARNING".

I wonder who must have advised Dame to tell GEJ to fire Reuben Abati. Is this the way GEJ runs the country? What was Dame almost in tears for after she must have siphoned her share of whatever to fight Turai on a Gwari man's land. So far, how many cars has she bought if they are not up to 200? Is she the one to buy the cars? Is it from the tax payer's money? Is she the one to ask for an overhaul of the President's team(in any capacity)? What is PDP doing? Are the chieftains this inept and helpless? Mystery is being unraveled in Nigeria.

Reuben Abati has soiled and tarnished his image and that of his family. The respect he built over the years has finally been brought down unceremoniously all for peanuts.

Truly we need another President outside the first three citizens of the country, haba. This is National nonsense. Now we know who is running Nigeria. Are we this serious about our future and the future of our generation? Where are the few good men? So this woman will shout at her husband and before the twinkle of the star we see a replacement where as he can't do anything to save the masses from the cabal. God help us all.

God help us and our President. We all need help.

NIGERIAN LAW MAKERS and US OFFICIALS

Nigeria Senate House

In the United States, while the minimum wage is $1,257 (N191, 667), a US lawmaker earns $15,080 (N2.3m) per month. In the United Kingdom, a lawmaker earns $8,686(N1.3m) monthly while the gross national minimum wage is $1,883 (N283, 333) per month. Also, Nigerian lawmakers earn higher than their counterparts in Sweden. With a monthly pay of $7,707 (N1.2m), a lawmaker in Sweden will need to work for over 12 years to equal what a Nigerian senator earn per annum.

The president of the United States takes home an anual salary of $400,000 (N64.156,0m), including a $50,000 expense allowance making the president the highest paid public servant in the US. The $400,000 includes everything and $350,000 out of it is taxable.

Selected States (salary per annum)
The prime minister of the United Kingdom……USD 226,627.00
French president………………………………….. USD 318,072.00
South African president…………………………..USD 296,112.00
German chancelor………………………………….USD 296,112.00
The Prime Minister of Belgium…………………..USD 174,804.00
President of the Republic of Korea……………..USD 136,669.00
President of Russia…………………………………USD 122,652.00
Prime Minister Portugal……………………………USD 129,730.00
Prime Minister Namibia……………………………USD 115,155.00
President of Angola………………………………..USD 60,000.00
President Argentina………………………………..USD 55,139.00
Prime Minister Ukraine…………………………….USD 61,254.00
President Zimbabwe……………………………….USD 18,000.00
President of People’s republic of China………..USD 10,633.00
President Liberia……………………………………USD 90,000.00
Prime Minister Spain ……………………………..USD 102,960.00
Prime Minister Namibia…………………………..USD 115,155.00
President Namibia…………………………………USD 164,506.00
President of Colombia …………………………..USD 120,685.00
Prime Minister of the Netherlands……………..USD 190,740.00
Prime Minister Ireland……………………………USD 264,000.00
Prime Minister Denmark…………………………USD 264,533.00
President Mexico………………………………….USD 328,839.00
USD 328,839.00 ………………………………….USD 427,886.00
President Austria………………………………….USD 422,231.00
President of the European Council…………….USD 508,916.00

NIGERIAN SENATORS
Basic Salary (BS) = N2,484,245.50

Hardship Allowanc: 50% of Basic Salary = N1,242,122.75

Constituency allowance: 200% of BS  =  N4,968,509.00

Furniture Allowance: 300% of BS = N7,452,736.50

Newspaper allowance: 50% = N1,242,122.70

Wardrobe allowance: 25%   = N621,061.37

Recess Allowance: 10%       = N248,424.55

Accommodation: 200%        = N4,968,509.00

Utilities: 30%                      = N828,081.83

Domestic Staff: 35%           = N863,184.12

Entertainment: 30%            = N828,081.83

Personal Assistance: 25%   = N621,061.37

Vehicle Maintenance Allowance: 75%  = N1,863,184.12

Leave Allowance : 10% = N248,424.55

One off payments (Severance gratuity): 300%  = N7,452,736.50

Motor Vehicle Allowance: 400% of BS = N9,936,982.00

Total per month = N29, 479, 749.00

A senator’s anual salary          = over N182 million
multiply by 109 senators (don’t forget the House of rep, ministers, ambassadors,  …)

In addition to the regular and legitimate salaries and allowances of over N17 million ($113,333) and N14.99 million ($99,933) which senators and reps were collecting yearly and the irregular allowance of estacodes, duty tours etc, they were also collecting over N192m ($1.28m) and N140m ($0.93m) respectively in illicit quarterly allocation which is not provided for by RMAFC.

Effectively, a Nigerian senator was taking home at least $1.40m ($1.28m quarterly allocations + $0.113m regular salaries and allowances) as against the $0.174m an American senator takes home hence a Nigeria senator earns at least 8 times as much as an American senator and more than 3 times the American president.

Whereas a Senator in the U.S earns N21, 146,000, the same as a member of the House of Representatives; a UK Member of Parliament earn £64,766 (N14, 896,180)

In other words, a Federal Legislator in Nigeria is paid more than double what a Member of British Parliament earns per annum.

Senate President David Mark alone takes N250 million quarterly or N83.33 million per month. Senate Deputy President Ike Ekweremadu gets N150 million per quarter or N50 million a month.

Mark and Ekweremadu earns in 4 months, six times what the UK Prime Minister earns in a year. David Cameron goes home with £190,000 per anum (N43, 700,000)

In a newspaper news article entitled ‘An Assembly for looting’ written by Musikilu Mojeed with Elor Nkereuwem, the authors rightly claimed that each of the 360 members of the House of Representatives were getting N35 million in cash money in quarterly allocation while each of the 109 Senators pockets N48 million each. These allocations have however been slashed by 20% to N27 million ($180,000) and N38 million ($253,333) respectively due to the 20% reduction requested by the late president.

If Nigeria had a properly functioning Judiciary they would not be smiling in this photo. If we had a truly FEDERAL government they would not have seen the money to ‘chop’ in the first place. And if we do not convene a Sovereign National Conference this will happen again.

PDP Chairman In Trouble Over Son’s Involvement In Subsidy Fraud

The new National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Bamanga Tukur, may soon become the former chairman of the party following the embarrassing involvement of his son, Mahmud in the oil subsidy scandal.

Indications to effect emerged in Abuja today when the members of the National Working Committee of the party met at the party secretariat in the city.

A source told SaharaReporters that members of the NWC were of the view that the President may soon ask Tukur to vacate his position on account of his son’s involvement in the oil subsidy mess.  He is listed among the first suspects to be arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

We also learned that Tukur’s aides have already been asked by members of the NWC to steer clear of both the party’s National Secretariat and its Presidential Campaign office, popularly called “Legacy House”.

One of the key decisions of today’s NWC meeting, which lasted for five and half years, was that Alhaji Tukur be shielded from the press tomorrow when the party plans to speak on the move by the House of Representatives to impeach President Goodluck Jonathan.

Worried that Tukur may be roughed-up by the journalists at the event with questions about corruption and his son, the NWC decided that his deputy, Dr. Sam Jaja, should handle the sensitive assignment.

Earlier, the NWC asked Tukur’s former aide, Alhaji Habu Fari, to resign his position following a media war in which he had engaged with the party’s National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.  The NWC blamed Fari, accusing him of rudeness.

Perhaps as another sign of Tukur’s fading popularity within the top levels of the PDP, the NWC also told that he would be the one to pay Fari and the other aides from his personal purse since he recruited them himself.

Besides, all of those aides had earlier been told to report at Tukur’s own campaign office, located in the Central Area of Abuja. Many of them, we were informed, resigned their appointment in anger.

Earlier today, Jonathan’s government showed it was rattled by the threat of the House of Representatives to impeach him for poor implementation of the 2011 budget.  Following the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, took the place of Information Minister Labaran Maku to plead with the Representatives that the government was doing its best.

“I think the point is that Mr. President is determined to implement this budget as fully as possible and therefore we will be moving towards the figure of as full implementation as we can by the end of the year because the budget was made for the whole year,” she told State House correspondents.

REASON WHY SSS INVITED PASTOR TUNDE BAKARE

How To Change Government Peacefully And Make Society Better – Pastor Tunde Bakare

Fellow citizens of our great country, household faithful at The Latter Rain Assembly, Gentlemen of the Press, and every other person present, welcome to this special occasion. At the beginning of this month, during the Father’s Day celebration, an invitation was extended to every concerned citizen of our nation to attend this special lecture – our humble contribution towards nation building. We would like to place on the register our gratitude to God and our profound appreciation for the leadership and members of The Latter Rain Assembly for the provision of this auditorium. After all, in matters of public enlightenment, the church should be in the forefront of such efforts, going by the definitive proclamation of Jesus concerning the church.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-16 (NKJV):
14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
In addition, for those befuddled in their minds about our role in this process, let me again rely on the words of Prophet Malachi written exclusively to those in priestly garments who have forgotten their God-ordained role in matters of nation building:
Malachi 2:1-9 (NKJV):
1“And now, O priests, this commandment is for you. 2 If you will not hear, and if you will not take it to heart, to give glory to My name,” says the LORD of hosts, “I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have cursed them already, because you do not take it to heart. 3 “Behold, I will rebuke your descendants and spread refuse on your faces, the refuse of your solemn feasts; and one will take you away with it. 4 Then you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, that My covenant with Levi may continue,” says the LORD of hosts. 5 “My covenant was with him, one of life and peace, and I gave them to him that he might fear Me; so he feared Me and was reverent before My name. 6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and injustice was not found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and equity, and turned many away from iniquity. 7 “For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, and people should seek the law from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. 8 But you have departed from the way; you have caused many to stumble at the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” says the LORD of hosts. 9 “Therefore I also have made you contemptible and base before all the people, because you have not kept My ways but have shown partiality in the law.”
For those questioning our intentions and the use of this platform to disseminate truths that will unblock the minds of our citizens and set them free from limiting thoughts that produce self-defeat, there you have it in black and white in the Holy Writ:
Malachi 2:7 (NKJV):
“For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, and people should seek the law from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.”
Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, saints and strangers, do I then have your permission this morning to perform this noble role of a messenger to a nation on the road to perdition and self-annihilation?
Having given me an overwhelming yes, please permit me to quickly add that, beyond the church being a lighthouse to a dark world, and beyond the role of the priest as a messenger whose lips should keep knowledge and from whose mouth the people should seek the law, there is an additional burden of the watchman and his message that is totally lost on the prosperity merchants and their crowd. Please turn your Bibles with me to the Book of Ezekiel the Prophet, chapter 33:1-20:
1 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman, 3 when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, 4 then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.’ 7 “So you, son of man: I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore you shall hear a word from My mouth and warn them for Me. 8 When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you shall surely die!’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 9 Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul. 10 “Therefore you, O son of man, say to the house of Israel: ‘Thus you say, “If our transgressions and our sins lie upon us, and we pine away in them, how can we then live?”’ 11 Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’ 12 “Therefore you, O son of man, say to the children of your people: ‘The righteousness of the righteous man shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression; as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall because of it in the day that he turns from his wickedness; nor shall the righteous be able to live because of his righteousness in the day that he sins.’ 13 When I say to the righteous that he shall surely live, but he trusts in his own righteousness and commits iniquity, none of his righteous works shall be remembered; but because of the iniquity that he has committed, he shall die. 14 Again, when I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ if he turns from his sin and does what is lawful and right, 15 if the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has stolen, and walks in the statutes of life without committing iniquity, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 16 None of his sins which he has committed shall be remembered against him; he has done what is lawful and right; he shall surely live. 17 “Yet the children of your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ But it is their way which is not fair! 18 When the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he shall die because of it. 19 But when the wicked turns from his wickedness and does what is lawful and right, he shall live because of it. 20 Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ O house of Israel, I will judge every one of you according to his own ways.”
I invited all and sundry here this morning because I can see the sword already upon this land – shall I then blow the trumpet? Not to do so would be a disservice to my nation and outright disobedience to God – a luxury I cannot afford. Therefore, lend me your ears.
For the sake of clarity and to keep within the boundary of the subject of our contemplation this morning – ‘How to Change Government Peacefully and Make Society Better’ – I have arranged this lecture under four major headings:
1. WHO TRULY RULES IN THE AFFAIRS OF MEN?
2. THE PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT IN A NATION
3. HOW TO CHANGE GOVERNMENT IN A PEACEFUL MANNER
4. THE WAY FORWARD
I will take the headings one by one.
HEADING 1: WHO TRULY RULES IN THE AFFAIRS OF MEN?
Today, it is common practice among pseudo-intellectuals worldwide to mock biblical teachings on God, Satan and demons. But to those who are wise and discerning, it is clear that behind the socio-political and economic evils of our time lie supernatural powers.
It is true that God Almighty is “the blessed and only Potentate [Sovereign], the King of kings and Lord of lords” (I Timothy 6:13-16). It is also true that honour and everlasting power belong to God. Nonetheless, in the wisdom of God who rules in the affairs of men, He allows or permits the lowest of men to occupy apex power positions in order that the living may know and hopefully learn.
The New Testament’s perspective on the grip of evil over our socio-political and economic systems comes from the Old Testament prophet, Daniel. Daniel was a young man when Babylonians invaded his city Jerusalem, destroyed it, brutally massacred his people and carried their royalty into slavery in Babylon. Later, they returned to destroy God’s temple and placed God’s sacred vessels in the temple of their god.
This humiliating horror raised disturbing theological questions: Who really rules in the affairs of this world? Who is in control of history – at least at this moment? Why are the kingdoms of this world at times so cruel, brutal, exploitative and oppressive? From the Book of Daniel come three clear answers that can help us navigate our own murky political waters and deliver our nation from imminent bankruptcy and balkanization:
1. GOD IS THE SUPREME POTENTATE:
Daniel 2:20-22 (NKJV) -
20 Daniel answered and said “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. 21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. 22 He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him.
2. GOD, THE SUPREME POTENTATE RULES IN THE KINGDOM OF MEN AND GIVES IT TO WHOMEVER HE WILL AND SETS OVER IT THE LOWEST OF MEN:
Daniel 4:13-18 (NKJV) -
13 “I saw in the visions of my head while on my bed, and there was a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven. 14 He cried aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts get out from under it, and the birds from its branches. 15 Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field. Let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts on the grass of the earth. 16 Let his heart be changed from that of a man, let him be given the heart of a beast, and let seven times pass over him. 17 ‘This decision is by the decree of the watchers, and the sentence by the word of the holy ones, in order that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men.’ 18 “This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare its interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation; but you are able, for the Spirit of the Holy God is in you.”
3. WHENEVER THE LOWEST OF MEN OCCUPY APEX POWER POSITIONS, IN THEIR NAIVETY, THEY YIELD TO DEMONIC POWERS WHO THEN RULE THROUGH THEM:
As Daniel humbled himself, fasted and prayed for understanding, he was given a glimpse of the supernatural realm. He saw clearly that behind the socio-political and economic evils of his time lay supernatural powers.
For example, in Daniel chapter 2, King Nebuchadnezzar dreamt about a statue made of gold, silver, bronze and iron, each representing four successive empires: Babylonian (gold), Medo-Persian (silver), Greek (bronze) and Roman (iron). After their rule, a mere stone – the kingdom of God – brought all the evil kingdoms of this world to an end.
Curiously, in chapter 7, we read that Daniel, a captive turned learned governor and president, humbled himself in fasting and prayer, seeking to understand where history was going and God’s role in its unravelling. He was given the vision of the same four kingdoms Nebuchadnezzar had seen earlier, except that Daniel saw them not as a dazzling statue of precious metals but as beasts that devoured: the lion (Babylonian), the bear (Medo-Persian), and the leopard (Greek), and the “fourth beast [was] dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong”. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left (Daniel 7:7). This fourth beast was Daniel’s vision of the Roman Empire.
Ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, the kingdoms of this world were and are beastly, because behind them were and are evil supernatural forces. This understanding of evil as something more than natural, human or socio-political did not begin with Daniel. Israel’s first king became evil, despotic and murderous, and the Bible explains that God’s Spirit had left him and an evil spirit began to torment him (I Samuel 16:14-23).
Likewise, in the Book of Judges, socio-political evils are seen as a direct result of spiritual evil, specifically the operation of the spirit of ill will sent by God when Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men to kill all the seventy (70) sons of Gideon so that he could become king.
Judges 9:22-23
22 After Abimelech had reigned over Israel three years, 23 God sent a spirit of ill will between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech…
Each of the above mentioned biblical texts and a plethora of others affirm that God remains Sovereign over His creation even when He allows evil spirits or devils to hold sway. Apostle Paul explains in Romans 1:18-32 that God gives whole cultures over to evil when humans choose to suppress truth with wickedness. This is where we are in Nigeria today. To the discerning, the nation has been thrown to the dogs of pervasive corruption and disruptive, perennial insecurity. The question begging for an answer is: Who will deliver us from this self-induced chaotic disorder?
HEADING 2: THE PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT
The purpose of any meaningful government is the welfare and security of the people. In our clime, neither welfare nor security of the lives and property of our people seems to matter anymore. Our malady is not new. History holds records of nations who were bled to death by their rulers and tells how such leaders were ultimately dealt with when the oppressed could no longer bear the heavy weight of their oppressive and insensitive leadership. Biblical history also alludes to this. While the people kept suffering in the midst of plenty in the days of King Solomon, who used his wisdom to satisfy his unquenchable thirst and hunger for material acquisition and outlandish women of all shapes and shades, a day came in the life of the nation when the people kicked and shouted, “We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents, O Israel!” (I Kings 12:16). The rebellion did not only stand, God also rubberstamped it and said “this thing is from me”(I Kings 12:24) — it was orchestrated by the GREAT ORGANIZED DESIGNER (GOD).
It is unfortunate that our people are crying today for change, but they are expecting the change to either fall from the sky or come from sources that cannot produce it. It is simple logic that when a corrupt leader is in office, he corrupts those he leads. This is true of a family, true of a church, and true of a nation. A corrupt father will ultimately corrupt his family as he cannot distinguish between his wife and his son’s wife. A corrupt pastor will corrupt, influence, affect and infect his church as he prioritizes outreaches, programmes and projects executed with filthy lucre flowing from the perverse and the corrupt above the spiritual welfare of the congregants. And a corrupt elected official will infect his nation with corruption. I cannot but borrow a leaf from the profound lecture delivered by Prof. Niyi Osundare recently on the state of the nation titled: ‘Why We No Longer Blush: Corruption as Grand Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’. He said, and I quote:
“Watch out, Nigeria: a new Jonathan seems to be emerging, one who confuses cockiness with confidence, tactlessness with toughness, strong-manship with statesmanship.”
President Jonathan’s combination of naivety and amorality is as profound as it is injurious to the health of this country. Can a corruption-compliant ruler really lead a corruption-free country? If change – positive change – will ever come to our clime, it will not be engineered by those who are benefitting without conscience from the present cesspool of corrosive corruption. It will and can only come from a new breed without greed and a radical opposition to corruption. True, genuine change can only come from those not infected by the present corruption malaise; it can only come from positive agents of social change who are totally sold out to public good.
HEADING 3: HOW TO CHANGE GOVERNMENT IN A PEACEFUL MANNER
Every time I have considered this subject, only one thing flows from me towards President Goodluck Jonathan – genuine pity. Anyone who has had the privilege of sitting with Mr. President, as I sometimes have, will feel the same for this simple soul who has become a victim of circumstances generated and orchestrated by his bramble predecessor, who, in his bid to be king of all trees, used his position to force on the nation the sick, the weak, and the ill-equipped in an attempt to dominate the polity and maintain his larger than life status out of office (Judges 9:8-15). So, it did not come as a surprise to me at all when, two days ago, the minority leader of the House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila cited Section 143 of the 1999 Constitution, saying that any action of the President defined as “gross misconduct” by the National Assembly was “sufficient grounds to initiate impeachment proceedings against him.” Let me quote verbatim from Friday July 20, 2012’s Punch [‘Budget: Lawmakers threaten to impeach President’] to buttress my point:
Gbajabiamila had proposed the amendment to a motion before the House on the poor implementation of the 2012 budget.
“If by September 18, the budget performance has not improved to 100%, we shall begin to invoke and draw up articles of impeachment against Mr. President”, he said.
Members shouted aloud “yes”, “yes”, “yes” and clapped for the minority leader as Gbajabiamila made the proposal.
He accused the executive of allegedly breaching the Appropriation Act, 2012 by engaging in “selective implementation” of the budget.
Gbajabiamila added, “What we have in our hands today is a budget of abracadabra; a budget of voodoo economy.
“I like Mr. President, he is a fine gentleman, but I like my people, the Nigerian people more.”
Indeed, Mr. President may be a fine gentleman thrust into a position of leadership by circumstances beyond his control who is now facing a barrage of problems he is incapable of solving. He deserves our sympathy, our prayers, and whatever else we can honourably and legally do to make sure he gets back to his home-base safely.
Perhaps a few suggestions may change the course of our rapid descent into the abyss, since free, fair and credible election is presently alien to our polity. In all honesty, I perceive very strongly that our next general election will be better, though it may come earlier than expected.
Now, a few suggestions:
1. First and foremost, THE UNQUESTIONABLE GOD FACTOR: From both biblical and human history, sometimes – if not at all times – God moves behind the scenes in unimaginable ways and fosters changes that are beyond human comprehension – especially when all hope is lost. Indeed, God changes the times and the seasons, He removes kings and raises up kings (Daniel 2:21 & 22).
The same God who raised David the shepherd boy from the sheepfold and made him king over Israel, and deposed the insane King Saul, still does what pleases Him in the nations of the earth. Oftentimes, when citizens are pushed to the wall and rulers boastfully think they are irremovable due to their political sagacity and ‘matter of cash’ policy, a Jehu type of prophetic revolution is in the making. Other times, God replaces the mighty and the powerful with their own appointed palace administrators. One biblical example is sufficient for our time and our clime.
Hear the declarations of God as recorded in Isaiah 22:15-25 (NKJV):
15 Thus says the Lord God of hosts: “Go, proceed to this steward, to Shebna, who is over the house, and say: 16 ‘What have you here, and whom have you here, that you have hewn a sepulcher here, as he who hews himself a sepulcher on high, who carves a tomb for himself in a rock? 17 Indeed, the Lord will throw you away violently, O mighty man, and will surely seize you. 18 He will surely turn violently and toss you like a ball into a large country; there you shall die, and there your glorious chariots shall be the shame of your master’s house. 19 So I will drive you out of your office, and from your position will pull you down. 20 ‘Then it shall be in that day, that I will call My servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah; 21 I will clothe him with your robe and strengthen him with your belt; I will commit your responsibility into his hand. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. 22 The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; so he shall open, and no one shall shut; and he shall shut, and no one shall open. 23 I will fasten him as a peg in a secure place, and he will become a glorious throne to his father’s house. 24 ‘They will hang on him all the glory of his father’s house, the offspring and the posterity, all vessels of small quantity, from the cups to all the pitchers. 25 In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘the peg that is fastened in the secure place will be removed and be cut down and fall, and the burden that was on it will be cut off; for the Lord has spoken.’”
By the way, Eliakim the son of Hilkiah was a palace administrator lifted by God to the status of a king. God placed upon his shoulders the very keys of David to open and shut as he willed (Isaiah 36:3; NKJV). With God all things are possible — so he who has ears to hear, let him hear.
2. RESIGNATION: Even for a seasoned, well-cooked and well-equipped UK prime minister like Margaret Thatcher, the Iron Lady, the moment the people rose against her policy, she did the honourable and noble thing – she resigned and returned to the parliament before retiring from politics. Resignation is not a sign of weakness – it is a sign of patriotic truthfulness. It is giving opportunity to those who can do a better job in the interest of the nation to carry on with nation-building where the exiting leader stops.
3. IMPEACHMENT: This can only be carried out by the National Assembly and the process has begun. It may be aborted, or it may be carried to its logical conclusion. Either way, it is a worse option and carries a load of shame with it compared to resignation. Come to think of it, Mr. President should not wait for the conclusions in the court of law and the court of public opinion for the rape and atrocities committed against the Appropriation Act 2011 in respect of the subsidy scandal (a ghost that still haunts his administration and will not rest in peace until the truth is made known and justice is served). The admission of extra-budgetary spending of over N2 trillion without appropriation is another impeachable time bomb that can explode anytime. It would be a total disgrace if resignation comes after that explosion as was the case for Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal.
At this juncture, I cannot but wonder what is going on in the minds of those who falsely accused us of crying for regime change in January during the fuel hike crisis. It is the House of Assembly that is now championing same with overwhelming shouts of “yes”, “yes”, and “yes” from the floor members. History truly is lived forward but is written in retrospect. Today’s headlines and history’s judgement are rarely the same. Those who are too attentive to today’s headlines will most certainly not do the hard work of securing a positive verdict from history. Whether or not the President resigns or allows himself to be impeached is his call. In the words of Lord Chesterfield:
“A weak mind is like a microscope which magnifies trifling things but cannot receive great ones.”
If I were Mr. President – unfortunately, I am not, and I do not envy his tottering position, but if I were he – I would give no thought to what the world might say of me, or the drum the hangers-on and political jobbers benefitting from the present chaotic disorder might be beating. I would not “give a damn” if I could only transmit to posterity the reputation of an honest man thrust into the boxing ring to fight enemies I am ill-equipped to fight, and I would therefore resign before I receive a death blow.
4. THE PEOPLE’S REVOLT: I seriously wish and fervently pray that it will not get to the stage of a people’s revolt before positive changes begin to happen in the north and south of Nigeria. Without a doubt, if corruption remains king, violence its deputy, and insecurity the treasurer of the ill-fated status quo Federal Republic of Nigeria, we might as well write the gravestone epitaph today:
“Here lie the remains of a potentially great country whose ruin came because leadership did not give a damn; her filthiness was in her garments, her collapse was awesome, because she did not consider her destiny.”
HEADING 4: THE WAY FORWARD
Without a doubt, the catalogue of scandalous mismanagement of national resources, the unbridled stealing of public funds, and the bewildering exposure of the level of corruption in almost every arm of government as well as governmental agencies and parastatals, call for a change of guards – more so when the president has openly admitted that the security situation in the country has changed his pre-election agenda. And in spite of the president’s promises to deal with insecurity head-on, this government appears helpless because it cannot see the linkage between corruption and violence.
During the fuel hike protests in January this year, neither the threats to our lives nor the tanks that were rolled out brazenly to suppress genuine agitation against oppression, were scary to me. Rather, it was the bold placard held up in Abuja and Ojota Freedom Park by people unknown to me. The placard contained this startling message: “ONE DAY THE POOR WILL HAVE NOTHING LEFT TO EAT BUT THE RICH”; that was very scary to me, “because no nation, no matter how enlightened, can endure criminal violence. If we cannot control it, we are admitting to the world and to ourselves that our laws are no more than a facade that crumbles when the winds of crisis rise.” (Alan Bible)
For that not to happen is the reason for this message. This is no time for false accusations and counter accusations. Mr. President may be doing his best but the impact is not felt anywhere except in the bank accounts of oil vultures, his corrupt political allies and corporate cowboys. We have a patriotic duty to educate our people and we will continue to do that until light replaces the darkness in foggy minds, since education is considered a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army. In the words of Henry Peter Brougham:
“Education makes people easy to lead, but difficult to drive, easy to govern, but impossible to enslave.”
If this message does that, our expectations would have been fully satisfied.
The starting point of any great enterprise is reality. If we are all ruthlessly and brutally honest about our inventory as a nation, Nigeria requires better handling than we are presently experiencing.
May the good Lord in His infinite mercies look down upon our affliction as a people, burst the gloomy cloud of despair over our nation, and raise for us visionary leaders imbued with wisdom, integrity, justice, courage, temperance and fortitude; leaders who we can trust and who can inspire confidence in our people for the rebuilding of our nation. Let me end this message by quoting Joseph Addison:
“There is no greater sign of a general decay of virtue in a nation than a want of zeal in its inhabitants for the good of their country.”
May the zeal of God consume us as a people for the good of our country.
Thank you so much for your attentive ears. And may the good Lord heal, save, and make Nigeria great in our lifetime.
Once again, thank you all.
Dr. ‘Tunde Bakare
Serving Overseer,
The Latter Rain Assembly
Being text of speech delivered at the Latter Rain Assembly on Sunday, July 22 2012, as a contribution to public enlightenment on the state of the nation