President Goodluck Jonathan, the President of Nigeria – as the world’s most populous black nation today celebrates her 51st independence anniversary, says the future is bright and assures that the many challenges facing the nation will be eventually overcome.
The President, who gave the assurance in a televised address declared that his administration would spare no effort in tackling crime and building peace and likens the blockers of great nationhood to Goliaths and Pharaohs that will just not fade off as easily as many Nigerians will wish.
Many citizens observe that things are far from perfect and strain their imagination to observe or appreciate the new dawn that is breaking as an environment of improved governance and accountability, economic and fiscal discipline, a more professional and committed leadership team is slowly but surely emerging to transition an impatient citizenry with huge but yet to be realised potential.
Joseph Chamberlain once said “Great men are like mountains; we do not appreciate their magnitude while we are still close to them “even as Jonathan insists that there is much to celebrate declaring… “We must also take pride in our scientists. This week, Nigeria released 8 new high yielding cocoa varieties. This will help to transform cocoa production, across the 14 cocoa producing states in the nation,” he added.
The Bible records that the emergence of Jesus Christ and dawning of God’s very greatest revolution was received with even far less appreciation.
Luke 9 [9] And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him.
Every new dawn comes with three vital elements. First, the element of Herod … the Goliaths, Jezebels and Pharaohs that represent spiritual battles that must be won to permit waning of powerful influences. Elijah and Elisha combined to anoint and empower Jehu to destroy the apparently invincible influence of Baal by a massacre of Ahab, Jezebel, seventy sons and many evil priests. It seems every great civilisation has had its political and socioeconomic revolutions – be it the Industrial Revolution in Britain, the storming of the Bastille, 14 July 1789 during the French Revolution or George Washington, leading the American Revolution. The element of Herod is neutralised or vanquished.
The second element of new greatness is successful Transition. John the Baptist represented the transition that must identify, introduce and make way for Christ although he was not the Lamb of God, only a friend of the heavenly bridegroom. Transition elements must be tough, determined, selfless, impatient and perhaps even bold and courageous to be sacrificed as divine decoys to permit the concealed and fledgling revolution to eventually mature. Herod, after beheading John the Baptist, was surprised that someone even greater than John could be alive and thriving. Even Christ needed this element to prepare the way for Him. John the Baptist – the transition who prepared the way was perhaps disappointed, offended and beheaded, Herod was unable to stop Christ … and the new revolution that is Christianity still breaks out.
The third element is the New Dawn, the desire of all. I envision a new dawn breaking in a nation challenged with fighting many battles never been fought for fairness, justice, economic growth and new order of truth. New dawns do not just happen … For illustration, the American Revolution was the result of a series of new social, political, and intellectual transformations in early American society and government, collectively referred to as the American Enlightenment. Americans rejected the oligarchies common in aristocratic Europe at the time, championing instead the development of new enlightened paradigms of fairness.
Remember Nigeria in your prayers as she goes through unique transitions. Indeed Goliaths and Pharaoh will not be permitted to stop her …
I Kings 3 [25] And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. [26] Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it.
Then she hears the voice again as her Redeemer looked at her..I Kings 3[27] Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.
In Nigeria, the question that seems prevalent among many is if the President – not seen for over a month – is alive … as rumours of comatose hospitalisation spread and many go on a protest march requesting for clarity on where the leader is and how he stands on the many issues. Debates on the situation continue in the political arena and some simply resign to the suspense. A few await his arrival…
