If we worked on the assumption that what is accepted as true is really true, then there would be little hope for advance. – Wright Brothers.
THE 1999 Nigerian constitution as amended recognises, Christianity, Islam, as key religions, while declaring, that we shall remain a secular state, and guaranteeing freedom of worship. In order words, religion should not be a factor in State matters, but the same constitution mentions the word ‘Sharia’ over seventeen times, and the word ‘Christianity’ not more than three tree times, showing us where the tilt lies, but that is a matter for another time.
religions
Religion however plays key roles in the affairs of Nigerians, so much so, that our so called secularity is only a matter of constitutional semantics. We have three main religions namely, Christianity, with the Holy Bible as our manual, Islam with the Holy Quran as manual, and the Traditional Idol worship, where culture and tradition provides the manuals.
Each religion has strong and powerful followership of people in authority, workers and entrepreneurs of diverse natures and means. Many Christians, and Muslims, support their faithlessness with traditional Idol and fetish practices, providing the source of the many challenges, such as the corruption and compromise we have in Nigerian society today.
For example, true and committed Christians and Muslims, cannot become cultists as we have in the South of Nigeria, and terrorists as we have in the North, although I am yet to be convinced that there is no link between Islam and violence judging from developments all over the new world.
Since most Nigerians including our leaders are either Christians, Muslims, or Idol worshipers, it follows that the deterioration in the morals of our society flows from the quality of messages that roll out of our churches, mosques, and shrines.
The Church is struggling with coping with preaching the messages of the basic moral values of society, and while standing in the place of holiness, righteousness, obedience and love of God and man, the pull and attractions from the sinful freedom of the world is so high that their messages have changed to that of prosperity – wealth without hard work and integrity.They work smart, while the true Christians work hard. They must make money at all cost.
The genuine investor is their target and victim, and once they are put in charge of any aspect of business, they steal the owners blind, run the place down, damage machines in the factories in order to earn salaries without adequate work, and some even arrange to rob or kill the business owner. Employ them as drivers, they pilfer on fuel and repairs money, while the petrol tanker drivers would sell the content and set the vehicle ablaze.
Along the roads across the nation, you find villages and settlements where tanker drivers spend the night and time selling products meant for gas stations somewhere. The investor dares not touch them, because they are anointed members of one form of truckers’ association or the other, and they would mobilise support, and embarrass the government with strike actions, etc.
Corruption and wickedness have mounted on their wings, run so high and deep, having permeated into every fabric of the society. This has made job creation very difficult, because in addition to the high business costs due to poor infrastructure and power supply, employees, will make the owner lose money, run him into colossal debts, if put in-charge.
To these people, a retiree who starts a business or any form of manufacturing, has ‘chopped government money’, and as employees they must collect their portions by all means. They exploit all investors, including diaspora citizens desiring to come home, and set up one form of business or the other. All you hear are mostly tales of woes of how they trusted one relation, friend or another, put them in-charge, and in no time, the business crumbled, because they ran it down. The Nigerian business environment has become hostile, rough, and harsh for the average entrepreneur, in spite of the huge potentials supported by our large and growing demand for things due to increasing population.
The banks have not helped any matters, lending is scarce, and at high rates.The banks drive for deposits, where they have not encouraged any businesses to grow, while paying majorly lip service to developing the real sectors of agriculture, manufacturing, and housing. The result include that doing business in Nigeria become a dog-eat-dog, survival of the fittest affair. When you listen to testimonies during worships in churches, and Mosques you realise the level we have sunk and why the messages from altars must change.
We expect the government to create jobs in isolation of a deep seated work and moral ethics. We call for change, pointing accusing fingers at others, while we are rotten in ourselves with all manner of corruption, and wickedness. We may instigate our selective probes as we please, our findings will show that all the culprits are either, Christians, Muslims, or Idol worshipers, members of the three main religions in Nigeria.
The only way our nation will change for real, is for the messages from the altars of Churches and Mosques to change drastically. As for shrines, one cannot follow their messages, because they serve the devil, the father of all lies, a master whose assignment is to steal, kill and destroy.It is from them that the pollution in our nation has come, and is thriving so much, because the first two have succumbed to compromise.
The Church of Christ in Nigeria, must therefore rise with boldness, to preach a new message of Holiness, righteousness, obedience to and fear of God, Love for one another, and the salvation of souls. Prosperity is good, but it must only come from a purpose driven life of Vision, Mission, hard work, humility and integrity. The message must culminate in seeking the kingdom of God, and its righteousness first, for His blessings to flow, and not the other way round. May the ways of the church in Nigeria, become pleasing to our Lord Jesus Christ.
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