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10 November 2010 By Muhammad Ajah
In as much as every human
being – Christian, Muslim or free thinker – has been
granted the freedom to operate according to his heart
desire, the position of the former president, Chief
Matthew Olusegun Obasanjo
on religion is confusing and to an extent quite
pathetic. This is because he has been pretentious in
religious affairs.
It is believed that when a
man had seen death at his doorstep and miraculously
the death is taken away, he could claim anything and
preach the love of God and humanity. Obasanjo saw
death and has cause to preach the gospel that the
grave beckoned on him in vain at that time. If truth
can be passionately proclaimed in this encapsulated
episode, there are certain conditions which would make
a man prefer death to life. This cannot be far from
the case relating to Obasanjo's life in the Yola
prison. And I wish the man can always reflect on the
realities he met while behind the bars.
I recently received via
email a photo of Obasanjo when he was serving the life
term imprisonment for an alleged coup plot. I need not
describe the terrible sight. But if building a church
to propagate Christianity was the greatest way to
gratify God for His mercy, and it is meant to preach
peach, humanity and harmony as Christ admonished his
followers, our eyes are yet open.
Of course, it is hard for a
man who sees death not to repent. If it is assured
that you will die tomorrow, you will spend the whole
day repenting and preaching to people around you to
see life as a shadow signifying nothing. You will even
give to charity all your possessions in an attempt to
please God and gain His pardon for all your
shortcomings in the past. Obasanjo, events seem to
reveal became an evangelist during and after the Yola
prison experience.
Three years behind bars
(1995-1998) is a harrowing experience for one who
lived in abundance and had attained affluence while in
office as a
Head of State.
How life uplifts and belittles! According to the now
renowned evangelist, Obasanjo received divine messages
while in prison. First, he was assured that he would
not die. And he still lives! Secondly, he was assured
that another Nigerian leader will free him. And
thirdly, he vowed that if the two came to pass, he
would strengthen his faith and show unprecedented
affection for his acclaimed religion.
Obasanjo can only be
disinterestedly described as a prophet going by the
concept of some denominations of
Christendom; a soothsayer by the pagan
language; a pathological liar by the freethinkers; and
a mullah following the belief of certain sects in
Islam. With all these attributes, he has,
unfortunately, continued to tell Nigerians their fate,
prescribe routine medication for their several
complicated illnesses, decide who gets what amongst
all groups of the nation – religious, ethnic,
political, economic and others, till he is overpowered
by the God who has kept him alive and made him
comfortable on the corridors of power.
It is not sure if he was
equally revealed to while in prison that he would
become a
president of
Nigeria. According to
him, the pressure to become the president of Nigeria
in 1999 took him years back from realizing his dream.
What dream did he have for
Nigeria while at the corridor of death? What
has he succeeded in achieving from the dream as
president in eight years, or say twelve years i.e.
when we add up his tenure and 2007-2011?
How laudable that at the
time when hope was nearly lost, the former president
converted an armed robbery kingpin, Baba Ali to a
born-again Christian who eventually became a pastor.
How laudable the then repentant armed robber was sent
to a bible school to acquire the
teaching of Christ in an effort to
preach humanity and love among Nigerians. And how
laudable he has accomplished his heart desires since
he came out from prison straight to Aso Rock Villa.
The bitter truth is that
Obasanjo possesses the penchant of hatred for Islam
and Muslims. All what he could offer to Muslims were
merely out of pretence and not love. Were there no
Muslim prisoners in the prison? How many of them did
he empower or sent to Islamic schools for reformation
after he became the president who represented all
segments of the Nigerian society?
He empowered Christian
minorities in the north even as he still does, knowing
fully well that political and economic empowerment of
the minorities are the duo weapons to destabilize
full power control
of the majority in the area. This is the problem the
north contends with today. How many members of the
Muslim minorities in the South-East and South-South
did he empower?
However, Obasanjo belongs
to no religion but claims the identity of all
religions. He should not be allowed to keep to power
through Jonathan, so that the fresh air we all need to
survive will not be seized one day. Building a church
for God is a common phenomenon which many heathens
have done. But on what moral grounds should a man who
challenges God Himself have to propagate God's words.
More are yet to be revealed about what Obasanjo wants
for Nigeria, with its multi-religious, multi-cultural
and multi-political compositions.
Muhammad Ajah is
a writer, author, advocate of humanity and good
governance based in Abuja.
E-mail
mobahawwah@yahoo.co.uk |
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