RETURN OF THE MACK

Have you heard of it before?
You probably have. It was a very popular song that came out in the early 90’s sang by Mack Morrison.

This is not really about the content of the song but the title. It makes it sound as if Mack had been out of circulation for a very long time and is now back.
Guess who our Mack is here in Nigeria? The man called Bode George.
For the purpose of this write-up, let me just remind you that BG was charged along some 5 other guys for conspiring to inflate the contract price for the rehabilitation of Kalmar Container Handler from 215,555.52 Euro to 269,965.71 Euro and also the contract awarded to Dateks Ltd for the replacement and installation of six 11KVA High Tension Panels with accessories at Sub-station C, Tin Can Island Port, Lagos, from 310,500.40 Euro to 345,925.00 Euro.
Take care of the mathematics and see just a little of what people pocket in the name of holding offices. They got a 2 year jail term after that. No doubt.

How does that sound to you? For me, it is enormous and in any sane gathering of homo sapiens where moral values are not up for sale, anyone coming from such a background should either be in the corners of the bedroom, begging for forgiveness or still, in front of the pulpit asking to be delivered from the blood of the innocent and wrath of God.

Chief Bode did that and now people are making noise, why?

I have an answer; because we are sane people and we understand that it doesn’t end at going to the church but what exactly was the message from the church and what the possible impact could be.

Before you read too far, if you are this person that has the hyper-craze for religious sentiments, don’t read any further; for the content of these piece, there would be neither apologies nor regrets.

I have not being a fan of Pastors in Nigeria. It has nothing to do with being a Muslim because I have compared notes with Christians and I have come to see we share the same opinion on the conduct and utterances of these celebrated men of God as they claim.

The church has no reasons to discriminate. In fact, if I were to be plain, the church is meant for the sinners so that they may make contact with God and have a change of heart. That is the essence of Jesus coming to this ‘sinful’ world to die on the cross of Calvary; a journey made to redeem the lost sheep. These are the lessons preached from the pulpit and I am going to leave it at that.

As against what I have witnessed at similar gatherings, I would have to respect the sermon of the cleric at the thanksgiving of BG. Whatever the PDP has decided to make of it and in fact, the chief image maker of the MEND, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, is a mere reflection of the kind of future we are getting prepared for. It's a lot convenient for GEJ to send representatives to celebrate BG, a convict but not convocations where he is a Visitor by Law!

Many Pastors and indeed, General overseers should learn from Venerable Tayo Aduloju who gave a clear, plain and direct message to Bode. Nothing else should come after that kind of sermon beyond GO AND SIN NO MORE.
Click here for excerpt of the sermon from Tribune
I don’t have facts as to whether or not BG came out openly to give his life to Christ after the sermon. I however have this feeling that he didn’t. The message has been passed and there is evidence of that.

Religious leaders by now should understand that they have a role too sacred to play that does not leave room for them to frolic with criminals, murderers and political warlord as a measurement of their relevance. It serves no purpose to lay hands on a President without telling him to be Godly in his ways and step up his responsibilities to the people as bestowed upon him by his office.

The blood of Jesus is not meant to be something people can be made to feel they can afford to buy some quantity and rub it over their bodies after committing heinous crimes. Let the messages from the pulpit be clear, firm and basic. The spade has no reason to carry a different name if the person in question is a big man.

I don’t buy the blackmail of God would do it that has pervaded the mentality of the average Nigerian man without making conscious efforts to get things done properly.

Most men of God from all divides and faiths spend more time emphasising wealth than addressing the decay in our societies. While the government have successfully grounded to public schools to make their private counterparts thrive, churches and mosques have joined the race to rake in as much money as they can, not minding whether or not the same people who pay tithes and zakat as mentioned in the scriptures can afford to bring their wards to that school. So what is left for us as a people? Where do we turn to for direction?

My message is simple, until we begin to reason as a people and not let the religious leaders who are making efforts to assume the position of deputies to GOD Almighty who needs none and none would ever be, enslave our thoughts and commercialise our fear of God, we are in trouble.

Unless other men of God begin to thread the steps of Aduloju, saying the truth whether or not it is palatable, we are in trouble.

Unless people turn to God truly for repentance and that is seen of them as genuine, we are in trouble.

Unless we understand that we owe it to ourselves as a people not to celebrate decay, eulogise thieves, and consciously set a regrettable example for the younger generations, we are in trouble.

Bode, you have been told, go and sin no more. Now tell, how do you intend to win the Lagos state for PDP as an ambassador of Christ that you have been admonished to be?

Time will tell.

Welcome back, BG, the latest Christ Ambassador.