One of the catastrophes that has found its way into this part of the world is “Ignorance”, caused by factors such as; poor personal reading culture, lack of attention to details, lack of interest in finding out facts objectively, lack of quest for knowledge and understanding aided by Nigeria’s socio-economic problem, with everyone’s goal being possessing the legal tender. Everybody wants news fast, pick the headline and be on the go.
It will however be unfair to put everyone in the aforementioned category, as there are readers, whose brain prowess has given a place of honour and leadership among us. The challenge now is the culture of relying solely on what others say in Nigeria, without finding out how genuine it is.
Unfortunately, this lacuna has been abused by speakers, clerics or trainers, who understands the power they wield on their followers, to direct their minds to whatever direction they like. This has further bred the sayings; “our leader or Cleric said this or that…” Followers tend to believe the cleric more and easily, with many seeing them being incapable of misleading them, so they just embrace whatever the cleric says without proper background checks and be defending their leaders blindly even when they are wrong.
The term “Conspiracy Theory” is not strange in our world today. Conspiracy theory according to Britannica English, is an attempt to explain harmful or tragic events as the result of the actions of a small, powerful group. Such explanations reject the accepted narrative surrounding those events; indeed, the official version may be seen as further proof of the conspiracy.
This theory has found its way on the pulpits, with some public speakers and cleric misinforming their members with the wrong, unconfirmed information they heard, saw or read. Such misinformation is given confidently when they don’t really understand what they’re saying objectively and are now being biased and emotional just to win others into their judgement.
Being a Christian, the bible in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 said; we should “proof (test, find out) all things and hold on to that which is good”.
You can definitely see some men of God guilty of misleading with this bible passage.
I’m never of the opinion that men of God should not speak about matters of public interest. Being a cleric should not deprive you of your freedom of expression, at least you’re citizen of a particular country.
Nevertheless, for the sake of members who see everything said by clerics as from God, such men of God while speaking should distinguish between their personal opinions and a divinely sent message. Apostle Paul in the bible showed an example in (1 Corinthians 7:6-10).
For instance, there were different noises raised about COVID-19 and a short while ago, it was the US Presidential election. While I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion, it is befitting as a believer to get their facts correctly and judge without fear or bias.
There were some divisions based on the preference of who should be the next US President. Many Christian Nigerians canvassed for Donald Trump, praying for him and some even marching for him with his pictures placed in some churches. Such perceived him to be a Christian or a Pro-Christianity President. Their reasons are that he took Israel’s capital from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. These people rejoiced that he was fighting the Islamic structures in the Middle East, they thought with this, Christianity will take over the globe. And lastly, is the abolition of abortion and LGBT (Lesbianism, Gay, Bisexuality and Transgender), which is in line with the bible.
However, all these three reasons don’t qualify you to be a Christian as a person. God can use anybody to fulfil his prophesy. And again, God didn’t send you to hate anybody on his behalf for a reason or the other. Thirdly, there has been a turning by the Trump administration, as there are openly self declared LGBT persons in his cabinet and his party. Trump appointed Richard Grenell, who was previously the US Ambassador to Germany, as the Acting Director of National Intelligence in February 2020. Once you’re a public figure, you belong to everybody not a section of people, yours is to just act right for integrity purpose.The evidence of Christianity is in their fruits, which includes your personal character. Anyone who attends church without character is just a camouflage.
Running up to the November 3rd, 2020 election, some Nigerians demonized the current President-elect, Biden, because he was Obama’s Vice. They might be right but let’s not be too hasty to judge, let him have his tenure and let posterity judge him. Some Prophecies went forth that hit the rock badly. I’m yet to understand why some ministers just want to talk on behalf of God when He doesn’t send them. This attitude has made the church an object of mockery. Now the word prophecy is now termed “predictions”, placed on the same level with gambling.
It is my opinion that, the Donald Trump administration has tried its best and the Americans have spoken, even though he shot himself on the foot.
Some of the Trump administration’s successes include;
1. ECONOMIC GROWTH: being a business person, the US economy saw some hands of improvement, which resulted in the reduction of the unemployment rate until the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, there was a tax cut for individuals and companies.
2. Trump has not started a war unlike some administrations before him, who laid foundations for escalated wars.
While on the other side;
1. RACISM & WHITE SUPREMACISTS: this obviously increased in the US, as President Trump’s body language and attitude shows him as an unrepentant Anti-black and Anti-Islam. Under his administration there were more cases than the previous administrations, these supremacist attack blacks with dogs, bullets and even a police officer killed a black man earlier this year.
2. Trump is against the liberal immigration policies: US has been known to be Liberalists in all areas, but Trump being a populist came into office in 2016 blaming the US woes on immigrants trooping into the US. He sought building a wall at some point and also came up with policies that hinders free movement of people into the US.
According to a Nigerian writer, Yomi Kazeem (2020), the US had about 34,000 drop in the number of visitors from Nigeria, representing 21% in 2019, compared to the increase in the number of persons travelling between 2011-2015 (when the number of Nigerians in the US had reportedly doubled in the past decade). 2019 was the highest drop since the plateau started in 2016.
Also, there was a proposed change to student visa rule, which will only allow these students to be issued 2 years visas, even when their degree programs will take longer than 2 years, such are to apply for extension at least extra cost and no guarantee they will be granted. Suspension of visa interview waiver for Nigerians as well as the ban on issuing immigrant visas to Nigerians.
Nigeria with many other nations have been victimized here.
3. TRADE WAR: this trade in the actual sense was to protect the interest of the USA, but it backfired as many businesses were affected and hence the global economy. Farmers in the USA faced losses because China imposed restrictions on its imports from the USA.
4. FADED GLOBAL IMAGE: due to some unpresidential attitudes, in speech and conduct of Mr Trump, his country lost some global respect, as it might interest you to know that the era of globalization, where the US was the only leader calling the shot has faded off, there are nations standing up to America today in competition and China is already in the heart of Africa, more nations are reportedly succeeding in developing nuclear weapons, a deterrent tool, North Korea is an example, despite all the back and forth of Trump, an economically undeveloped North Korea has kept the US away from its matter by Kim Jong Un’s resistance.
These and many other reasons emanating from some irrational decisions have added to the problem Trump had in the November 3 poll, where many blacks voted reportedly against him. This is not to say Biden is a saint however, but we’ll see and be dissecting whatever he does from January 20, 2021.
Moving forward,let it be clear to religious bigots, that the international system operates on self-interest and the protection of national interest. No nation is coming to fight for your development, you’re the one who should seek solutions within by harnessing your strength to lift yourself, stop expecting a foreigner to save you Nigerians and Africa in general!
Those you’re calling to help you are also looking for how to get themselves better by feeding on what you have and think is not enough.
I’ll also submit that, Nigerians should learn to educate your mind by seeking to read or listen to understand, have an open mind, get a balanced information before you come up with your own judgement. Stop the habit of waiting for others to read and pour into your hearings. This loss of interest in finding the facts and knowledge lies partially in the poor economic state of the country where the major thing is survival, as well as the laziness and careless attitude of the people.
This has resulted in the easy permeation of fake news in the country, which needs to addressed by proper education of the people and making them comfortable, because an hungry man can never think straight. Unfortunately, instead of the government to tackle fake news, it is busy chasing social media regulation with the motive of silencing the people’s voice. When the government itself generates indirectly fake news in a way by its continuous insincerity and heaps of lies enough to build a cocoa pyramid.
I’ll advise the government should create an enabling environment for good living and encourage the reading culture in students right from school that when they leave school, the culture will still be there.
Readers are leaders only when they practice what is read. Reading will always make you discover and build your confidence to share wisdom where needed not speaking out of ignorance and just following public opinion. Therefore, the government should create ways of the promotion of research works by spending and implementing the possible solutions presented, as this will encourage fact finding research work and will make our education sector relevant in our nation building process.
I once heard at a time some section of persons saying “Amen” vehemently after the Pastor said; America has made a mistake by voting out Trump and they will soon cry. And I wondered how the Americans’ cry will turn to benefits for Nigeria that lacks direction in the world. The people you’re talking about have a system that works, you’re sitted in Nigeria taking herbs for another man’s ailment. US citizens has decided what they want, let’s deal with our issues and leave them with their decision.
Furthermore, the body of Christ should do away with the fearful concerns of antichrist happening now. There are things you have no power over. We’re already in the last day, the prophecy has been made and it is bound to be fulfilled, you can’t stop it. Many are afraid because their stand with God is questionable. Focus on building a good relationship with God to secure yourself a place in eternity, rather than being fearful of events in the world. The bible said, perilous time will come and that there will be gross darkness, we are already in that era.
In conclusion, our clerics also be conscious of the information they give to their flocks, remember God said you’ll give account for all words said, don’t because of making people cheer you up, spread misleading information. Find out what is good, which includes the truth and hold on to it (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
Oluwatobi Adeleke, a journalist and public affairs analyst writes from Kaduna
