Monday, March 22, 2010

FRUITS OF NIGERIA’S JUBILEE IN CRITICAL FLOWERING STAGE

Roughly a third into the year of Jubilee, Nigeria effected a change in Commander in Chief of her armed forces, as Dr Goodluck Jonathan addressed the nation in that capacity on Tuesday 9th February. In the strange ways only the LORD is capable of working out, this momentous event happened peacefully with neither the death or demotion of President Yar Adua, nor a military putsch!

Only the LORD knows what the future holds, but it would seem the major breakthrough Nigeria needs to actualize her Jubilee has already occurred, for the first public action of the new Commander in Chief, was the removal of the erstwhile ‘troubler of Israel’, in the Justice Ministry! Somehow, despite obvious excesses by this minister, and public outcries against him, President Yar Adua seemed unable to do anything with the attorney general that had obviously been imposed on his administration. All that is now irreversible history as Nigeria roars ahead into her glorious destiny this year of Jubilee!

Even before his investiture with full presidential powers, Goodluck Jonathan had promised that criminals involved in the re-engineered Jos genocide will certainly be brought to justice, according to the law of the land. Ironically, a group of Nigerians interpreted that pronouncement as unprecedented threat and vowed, publicly, that even if for that reason alone, they would not allow the man of destiny into the presidential office. Apparently they did not know Who really is at work in the affairs of Nigeria, or what time it is!

And even, if Jonathan wanted to back out of his promise to deal with the Jos issue firmly and squarely no matter who is involved, a desperate card played by these fundamental clogs in the wheel of Nigeria’s progress, is leaving the acting President with little choice other than to act firm and fair. That is the massacre with impunity of hundreds of Christian villagers on the Jos plateau again in the morning of Sunday 7th March. There is understandable outrage and call for action from all over the world. As at press time, the seemingly untouchable National Security Adviser had lost his position while the Army headquarters is under an unprecedented probe!

All these developments are highly significant, and discerning Christians can understand that the fruits of Nigeria Jubilee are indeed being formed, albeit in troublous processes.

We urge Nigerian Christians to follow-up on the LORD’s dealing with watchfulness, determination, righteous living and prayers. To bring forth fruits all the way unto maturity, “honest and good heart” must be combined with patience (see Luke 8:14-15).

Visible success, among other parameters, would require that the current moves of exposing the masterminds and issues behind the Jos crises be brought to its logical conclusion and firmly dealt with according to the nation’s constitution; and that the electoral reforms be implemented in time for the coming elections. According to Pastor Sunday Adelaja, who God used mightily in the Orange Revolution that turned Ukraine around for Christ, “the redemption of a country depends on the position of the Church.” (see also the Exhortation column on page 8 for more counsel from Pastor Adelaja – the Nigerian-born “Moses” of Ukraine!)

No comments: