EVIL ON THE PROWL

Religion plays and continues to play a major role in building the moral fiber of citizens in nations where the fear of God is the genesis of wisdom. In fact, where deviations from the accepted norms are evident, respected and sincere religious leaders act as the moral conscience of society.

These boldly speak out by admonishing citizens and rebuking vices, reminding the people of the need for moral rectitude, compassion and the transitory nature of our existence. More often, they are deemed to be true servants of the Creator as the expression of His Will in all facets of our fleeting existence dominates their entire vocation.

No country in history ever achieved greatness without an atom of stability, high morals and discipline. Nations which assimilated these qualities are replete in the archives of humanity. The Egyptian, Greco-Roman, Indo-Chinese and currently the Western civilizations have all made remarkable strides in making the world a better one.

Nigeria's status in the comity of nations is not a matter of contention. Her damned rich geography is an oxymoron when viewed within the radar of human development. The quantum of houses of worship that deck all available space is a wonder to behold, visible with minarets that blare Arabic from loud speakers calling the faithful to worship to the myriads of Christian churches of jumbled denominations.

Only the blind in spirit cannot but draw a conclusion that the flamboyant preachers and churches attracting significant follower-ship in our country today have lost the leverage to be voices of truth and moral redemption. The exemplar-role foisted on them to guide the nation in the urgent task of moral rejuvenation, a sine qua non to politico-economic progress, seems to have been discarded as the nation is mired in incessant criminality, ritualistic horrors and warped political leadership.

PARADOX:CHURCH AND THE WORLD

A reflection on celibacy

The Church and the World are two different entities. One founded by God and the other created by Him. The Church founded by God still belongs to Him while the World has long abandoned its Creator. "In the beginning was the Word: the Word was with God and the Word was God. The Word was in the World, the World was made through Him, but the World did not know Him. He came to His own, but His own did not receive Him" (Jn 1: 1, 10-11).

While the Church is in the World, She is not of the World. "I have given them Your word and the World hates them, because they are not of the World, just as I am not of the World", said Jesus to His Father about His Disciples - the Church - if you like (Jn 17: 14).

The Church is the Light of the World and not the contrary, as some are making it to look today. "You are the light of the World", Jesus said to His Disciples (Mt 5: 14). Being the light of the World, it is only the Church that can enlighten the World. But unfortunately, the World prefers darkness to light. "…the Light came into the World, but men prefer darkness to Light, because their actions were evil" (Jn 3: 19). Worst still, the World claims to be in better light than Light Herself.

If the Church is the light of the World, the World's ideologies, therefore, must not be placed over and above the Church's ideologies as many are suggesting today. Let us analyse some of these issues they are advocating for. They are advocating that priests should marry maybe owing to many sex scandal allegations levied on some priests, arguing that this would help to check the situation, adding that it is no sin that priests should marry anyway. The issue here is not whether it is a sin or not priests getting married.

The fact is that the advantage of priestly celibacy outweighs its disadvantage. Let us be realistic. Permitting priests to marry will distract them from their primary function of serving the people of God. How many women for example will allow their priests husbands in this age to attend sick-calls at midnights? How many will assume at least the grater part of the family responsibilities just to allow them perform their services to the people of God? Let us recall what St. Paul said to the people of Corinth on this issue: "I would want you to be free of worries. He, who has no spouse, thinks of the things of the Lord and how to please the Lord.
He, who has a spouse, thinks of the things of the world and how to please his spouse, and remains divided. I say this for your own good, not to set a trap; simply for you to do what is noble and to be able to remain with the Lord without distraction. Therefore, he, who marries, does well; and he, who does not marry does better still" (1Cor. 7: 32-33, 35, 38).

On anther note, nothing shows for sure that the "accused priests", if allowed to marry will remain faithful to their marriage vows if they have not been faithful to their vow of celibacy. Therefore, the proponents of this theory can not prove that withdrawing the law of priestly celibacy will solve the problem of sex scandal accusations on some priests. Priestly Act is a Sacred Act. Being a Sacred Act, it demands a high level of concentration and sanctity. Some Religions, including African Traditional Religion for example, insists that their priests abstain from sexual relations before performing any sacred act. To maintain this, they have to keep away from women for some period of time. Even Moses told the people of Israel to abstain from sexual relations for three days before their meeting with God: "be prepared for next tomorrow, and do not have relations with your women" (Ex. 19: 15).

This being the case, a priest has to keep away from his wife perpetually because he performs a sacred act everyday. And how many women can support that? The Devil knows that priests achieve a lot through their vow of celibacy; therefore, he is fighting tooth and nail to get it destroyed. Celibate priests are treasures to the church therefore celibacy should be uphold

ONCE BEATEN,TWICE SHY.

LEADERSHIP BY JIHAD AND TERRORISM

The popular adage says that any bird that is dancing along the road definitely have something beating drums to its rythem in the forest. This is indeed the case with our northern muslim leaders. For these blood-thirsty self made Muslim leaders to rise up with impunity with a threat of jihad against the federal government of Nigeria shows that they have international collaborators who are looking for a slight opportunity to wreck havoc in Nigeria as a means of achieving their age long desire to Islamize Nigeria, especially when they recently had similar meeting in Saudi Arabia, however this should serve as a wakeup call to Aradua’s new administration to be more vigilante and device a means of taming these agents of darkness before things fall apart, AS ONCE BEATEN, TWICE SHY.


To be sure, Leadership in all its ramifications is a virtue, a gift from God and not what a person or group of individuals can arrogate unto themselves. Just like every other thing in the world that have good or bad; positive or negative etc, there are good leaders and bad leaders. A good leader have such attributes like; honesty, transparency, vissionery, peace-loving, humane and above all God-fearing. While the bad leaders are the direct opposite, they are selfish, arrogant, vindictive and inhumane. They are blind to the realities of time and stubbornly insensitive to the plight of the led, hence whenever the blind is leading the blind, their ultimate destination remains the abyss. The Northern Muslim leaders fall under this later category.

This in no doubt is a smack on the face of this current administration and an insult to the generality of the peace loving Nigerians. With grave concern however we view such reckless and unguarded utterances coming from reputable people like the Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Maccido and the Muslim Ulammas as a deliberate attempt to derail from the part of good reasoning,neighbourliness and the sustainance of the spirit of one Nigeria which our heroes past gave their life for.

It is pertinent however to remind President Ya Radua that this threat of jihad against this administration amounts to coup plot and should not be swept under the carpet as an empty threat. As my people always say that any thought that led to a man commiting suicide did not come in a day, it is indeed a product of many days if not years of contemplation, this therefore calls for a swift action on the part of the federal government to arrest and prosecute all those signatory to that threat for treason,no matter their social status as no boby is above the law if this government must be taken serious. These people should be seen and treated as potential terrorists, since they chose to be enemies of peace and freedom.

NIGERIA:CRY MY BELOVED COUNTRY

There are certain events in the life of a country through which certain impression could be formed. I am of the opinion that one does not necessarily have to live in Nigeria before knowing that the combinations of decency and decorum have taken flees off the country

From all indications, corruption appears not to be a crime in Nigeria; it has become part of the nation's identity. The only time corruption becomes illegal is if the accused is a foreigner. As far as Nigeria is concerned, looting of treasury remains a legitimate conduct that showcase a true Nigerian. It is the demonstrations of this national ideology (tragedy) that we have been witnessing in corrupt practices. What most Nigerians do not realise is that rich and wealthy people are not ordinary Nigerians. Apart from being a member of the inner caucus that directs the affairs of the country, he is still influential and powerful irrespective of the fact that he is out of government.

Nigeria is a unique country of man-know-man where "long-leg" and influence of money determines the outcome of everything. In addition to this, there are certain levels you attain in that country which automatically confer on you everlasting immunity against any hassles of life.

The new government of Yara duà talked about fighting corruption yet no serious policy has being made Unfortunately, only a few months into the renewed war on corruption, it seems as though the tempo has stalled. The zeal with which Nigeria's president began the fight seems to be fading to vanishing points. These days, Nigerians hear more talk about the war than real action. The usual dilly dallying and palpable somnolence that has characterized this presidency, with respect to matters of import to Nigerians, seems to have set in again. Some of the people accused of corruption have not even been formerly charged in a court of law, let alone convicted. Infact, even those that were fired from office are still walking the streets as if firing was enough for the egregious offences they committed.

WHAT ARE WE CATHOLICS DOING...?

Nigeria is at cross roads. For the past twenty years, the country is at standstill. Virtually, there is no development in all sectors. Education is in shambles, health services is non-existent, corruption is at the highest ebb. There are no good leaders to shepherding Africa's most populous nation to the Promised Land. It is no overstatement that Nigeria scores zero in all the indices to measuring the growth of a nation.

Nigerian leaders have been bereft of ideas that can transform the potentials of the nation to greatness. Added to the myriad of problems confronting Nigeria is the highest unemployment rate among the youth. With the country boasting of over fifty universities and colleges, it is easy to say that thousands of graduates are coming out of the schools every year. The only prospect of job for fresh graduates is his participation in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).Needless to say that Nigerian youth face bleak future.

With no network of influential Nigerians, it is almost impossible for an average job seeker in the country to think of a shot at job interviews. Merit has been sacrificed on the altar of favoritism and who you know.

The ensued frustrations from the country's problems and joblessness among the youths necessitate the desire of Nigerians to seek greener pastures overseas. Whether it is a wise decision for Nigerians to seek greener pastures overseas is another discussion for another day. Perhaps, some unemployed youths and particularly the government can take cues from it to the betterment of Nigerians. One fact that I can not stress enough for the unemployed Nigerians is that there is no country in the world that has 100 percent employment rate. And this includes the so-called dream country-United states of America. This can be underscored by how President Bush was pounded heavily by Democratic challenger, John Kerry over US's less than six percent unemployment rate during the 2004 presidential campaign.

The point I am trying to convey to the unemployed Nigerian graduates is that there is no way the government can guarantee them jobs. Rather, they have to be innovative and adaptable. An unemployed graduate should not be rigid that he would only pursue jobs in the field he has degree in. Nigerian workers should be able to transfer some of their personal interests, traits and set skills into ideas of generating income.

This is no gainsaying, American with degree in Architecture and who could break into the profession would be proud to take a job as landscaper. A journalist with investigative and writing skills would not think twice to take up a security or policing jobs. This is because investigating and report writing skills are some of the skills needed to be a successful security officer. This is the stark reality in all these developed countries and considerable number of Nigerians living there are quick to adjusting to the situation.

I believe cultural factor is one of the reasons that unemployment rate in Nigeria is so high. Nigerians tend to berate those who work in less fashionable jobs. This culture must change. We must cultivate the culture of the fact that there is dignity in labor. And whether, somebody with a degree works as a janitor or as a bus driver, the bottom-line is that he can generate income that makes him self sustainable. Since the government has failed in her civic duties, the church remains the last hope, I mean the hope of a hopless nation. Church organisation can help to educate the masses on how to be self reliant and even creat some self empowerment projects at both the local, regional and national level to aliviate the suffering masess.

UN JUST COMPULSORY LEAVE

The compulsory study-leave for Nuhu Ribadu, the Chairman of Economic and Financial Crime Commission, at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), in Kuru, near Jos, Plateau State has generated more debate, public outcry, both domestically and internationally, more than Al Gore's Global Warming. That is the extent of support the public has for the fight against corruption in Nigeria. Corruption that has shortened the progressive hands of the most blessed country in the entire universe, even better than the United States of America. Nigeria has not experienced any regular natural disaster except the war of unity. Nigeria is blessed with abundant human and yet untapped 90% of its natural resources, still battling with man-made problems.

Nigeria psyche has been patterned alongside the Military mentality that messed up the psychosomatic of most Nigerians. In the exodus of the Military from governance, the challenge has being to readjusting peoples' mindset. My readers should come with me the fight against some corrupt, inept, egocentric, voracious, callous Nigerian leaders. They are a disgrace to humanity.

In all honesty the decision to send Ribadu on course, either for one year or nine months, as of today January 2008, is untimely and a wrong policy by the new Inspector General of Police. It does not look good to the entire world and on the seriousness of the administration to fight corruption in Nigeria.

Nuhu Ribadu has been howling about the thieving Governors that used the State funds for personal matters; the funds that ought to have been used for the development of their respective States. While in office they hid under the Nigerian Constitutional immunity clause. Unfortunately the arrest of some 'Big Fish' among the ex-Governors, at the expiration of their immunity blew uneasiness to the 'powers that be'. James Ibori who has been running away from the dragnets of EFCC was finally caught.

The justifications for the Compulsory One-Year Study Leave for the immortal of corruption, the Chairman of EFCC, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, are numerous. One of such is for possible promotion to the Police Inspector General as a regulation of his Police primary responsibilities. So what! How many AIGs would be made IG, if Mike Okiro leaves today? Is Okiro going to vacate the position when Nuhu returns from Kuru? Okiro who got his position against the most qualified officer in the rank of the Police Department. Or is Nuhu the ONLY qualified person to be IG. Why tampering with Nuhu who is doing well in his assignment. The excuse of him being appointed an IG should not hold water.

The only language Okiro understands, being from an old school, is android. The man whom I thought would fall out from his 'wheel chair' and not survive the assignment for his 'brittle posture' at his appointment. Today, (January 2008), his shining face could be a looking mirror for the female members of the Police Force for their makeup. Okiro is now walking and even running as fast as he could. He should take it easy so that his 'illness' would not be reversed to a non-compromising situation to enable him complete his journey.

The fight against corruption is for every Nigerian. Nigerians should be brought in line with what EFCC or ICPC is all about. There is the need for a serious enlightenment program for the entire country. Every single home in Nigeria should fight corruption, not just Nuhu Ribadu. We should deviate away from the emotional stretch Nigerians attach to individuals at the helms of the government.