WHOSE SIDE IS GOD IN NEGRIA’S 2015 ELECTION?

This question may be subject to an elaborate analysis by pundits especially our spiritual leaders. It may not be that difficult if you ask my honest opinion, however, why it seems the position of God cannot be clearly identified in this 2015 election leaves us to ponder and reflect on who God will favor at the end of the day. We are a people of diversity, rich cultural differences, religiously influential, housing a bundle of talents and technocrats from every region of the country and blessed with several natural resources. 

Then, you will ask again why our people are so poor and backward?  Does our love for God have anything to do with our state of the nation? Have we naturally relinquished our capacity to think and embraced docility without having to probe our situations and belief system? I guess you may be seeking answers to these questions just as I am reflecting on them.

Our nation will rank among the most religious country in the world and by this implication we are supposed to be among the most prosperous nation in the world. Surprisingly, only a few knows what it means to be prosperous in a country with over 170 million populations.  What then is our story that we are among the most poor, corrupt, backward and developing irrespective of our affluence; human and natural resources. It is very worrisome that some of us have totally lost our sense of basic reasoning and direction and left everything for God to resolve; down to fixing our breakfast and dinner. 

My knowledge of the scriptures is admittedly very limited, none of the two most referred holy books can I confidently quote but one thing I know for a fact is that the grace of God has been sufficiently provided from time immemorial and man is expected to tap from this sufficient grace for daily exploit. Today the world can boast of several advancement both technologically and otherwise, these growth and development I bet was not a product of wishful thinking, neither was it one of those miracles that God was expected to perform. Rather, it is a product of profound determined people, system and government.

The current state of our dear country Nigeria has left many with a sorry taste. What one is quick to hear today in many sections is that God will help us, let’s pray harder; take it to God in prayer, God knows best, God will do it in his own time or these are the signs of end time. My question again, is God biased? Does it truly mean that we haven’t pray enough or God dislike black people or partial towards them? Other parts of the world especially those whose regions were our religion was imported are doing marvelously well even though they are not without challenges but one cannot likened their problems to be the basics needs of life; like;  health, justice, security, shelter and food. Does this have any thing to do with the color of our skin, the continent we are in or was it just God’s design? But it is baffling that when our people travel abroad they do so well.

However, the time to be waiting on God in my opinion has passed, we suffered the colonial era, we waited on God he set us free, we fought the civil war he made us free, we went through military reign he took us through the burden and delivered us to a democratic government that has existed for 16 years now, yet, we are not any better. Now, I am compelled to reflect on the word ‘THE APPOINTED TIME’. May be this is the time (2015 election) we are set to earn from our long-suffering and regain our sense of nationhood, brotherliness and be the giant of Africa we used to be known if we make effort to change, or better still stick to the present government and continue to hope that the best will come out of it or preferably, take it to God in prayers.

I think God has never failed to answer our prayers even during those Ramadan and the Lenten period supplications. It is only that we have failed to see the signs of God’s benevolence and redeem ourselves permanently from the strong hold of mental slavery. We all need to collectively rise up to the challenge and do what is expected of us and prove to God once and for all that we are grateful and that we haven’t taken his grace for granted. What do you expect of a father who has seen you through school, gave you the best you expect in life, shelter you and steadily provide for you to be the best but you just chose to be a burden without having to be productive and put your hard earn knowledge to use. I guess he may be frustrated and just allow you to wander till you meet your end. Haste we must find a sense of reasoning and stop bothering God with prayer request of already answers prayers.

2015 is here, the signs are clear and we are at liberty to make good use of our senses and for once be grateful to God that we have an opportunity to make a decision which comes to us once in four years. At this time I want to quote Mr. president to re-echo my point, and he said: ''the choice before Nigerians in the coming election is simple: A choice between going forward or going backward; between freedom and repression; between a record of visible achievements and beneficial reforms and desperate power-seekers with empty promises''.

Coincidentally, the two main aspirants for the 2015 presidential election have had the opportunity to govern this country at a particular point in time though with a much different duration and government type and now Nigerians have the opportunity to evaluate the two candidate on the following:

1.      Who among the two candidates do you think will take us forward or backward judging by their track records while in office?

2.      Among the two candidate who will guarantee freedom to Nigerians or repression to citizens?

3.      Among the two, who has impacted Nigeria the most looking at their records of visible achievements and beneficial reforms while in office, viz a viz the duration of their tenure?

4.      Who do you believe shoulder empty promises among the two?

5.      Is it wise to try a new hand or it is better to continue the way we are now?

6.      Finally, is any one desperate to seek power or desperate to retain power?

The answers to these questions are before us and we are at liberty to make those choices regardless of the amount of inducement that may come in the guise of stomach infrastructure. The choice is there for us to either take it God in prayers or go to God in thanksgiving for the abundant of grace and know how.