My calling as a priest does not allow me to aspire for political office or belong to a political party. I am not supposed to show support to any political party but I am expected to be a light to the world. I am expected to be the salt of the earth. Priests, Pastors Bishops and General Overseers are expected to help guide the conscience of the people so that those who rule and those being ruled will be able to conduct themselves in manners that will be to the common good of all. Before I go ahead to say what I would do if I find myself in the shoe of a political office aspirant, especially a situation where I will have to vie for a gubernatorial, presidential or senatorial seat, let me candidly say, talk is cheap. It is easier said than done. But a man who wants to make a mark in service should nevertheless listen to wise counsel. It is not really easy to listen to or accept wise counsel. The Bible also makes it clear how tasking it is to act based on counsel by saying, “Though good advice lies deep within the heart, a person with understanding will draw it out.”( Prov 20:5).
If I were an aspirant to a political office I will not only memorize Psalm 62:11 which says, “God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: Power, O God, belongs to you.” I will also not just use it as a political slogan to make myself look like a Bible believing politician; I will hold it in high esteem and strongly cling to it. The reason why I said I will hold this Word of God in high esteem is because I know one very good relation of mine who is an expert in giving wise counsel. Her counsel if adhered to, will work for a person seeking success. Unfortunately for her, she keeps going contrary to the counsel that she gives effortlessly. Sometimes I begin to wonder why this relation of mine cannot make use of the wisdom she has. During the era of Shehu Shagari, Nnamdi Azikiwe and Obafemi Awolowo, politicians campaigned, promising to build schools, roads, provide rural electricity and water. These were the major content of their campaign promises. In our days rather, we hear of vague slogans and promises that reflect war of ego and supremacy. Politicians have invented political slogans that sound boisterous but vague and lacking value. We now hear of “Do or die affair” and “Political Tsunami.”
If I were a political aspirant, I would not speak of how I am going to unseat the incumbent but what I have to offer the electorates. I will not tell the incumbent that he should begin to pack his belonging from the government house, or Aso Rock. I will not boast even while the primary has not been conducted that I will be at the coveted seat come 2015. The reason why I will not do this is because as a good Bible student, there is one obscure scripture that I have decided to make prominent and that scripture says, “A warrior putting on his sword for battle should not boast like a warrior who has already won.” (1 Kings 20:11). In fact because of how dear this scripture is to me, I have it also in another translation “The man who puts on his armor should not brag. It’s the man who lives to take it off who has the right to brag.'” (NCV). How can I be boasting that I will occupy Aso Rock so emphatically comer 2015, when the statutory party primary has not even been conducted? Does it mean that I am saying it is going to be a do or die affair? Am I saying that the electorates are dumb and that they have no option but to choose me? Am I saying the electorates do not matter because the election has already been tilted or rigged in advance to my favour? Am I saying that I have prepared my foot soldiers to grab ballot boxes on election day or have I created many voter cards and thumb prints so that the vote casting will be done in my parlour while the electorates wait outside in admiration for me to announce the result? If I were a political aspirant I will speak with confidence and depth of knowledge of how I will achieve social and economic prosperity for the people. I will avoid empty sloganeering and go for showcasing a realizable blue print and road map. I will not speak of what I will do but what I have done in the past, how I did it and how I will replicate it when I get to political office.
If I were an aspirant to a political office I will tie these scriptures on my door so that I will not faint when it is clear that I lost the election: “The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.” (Prov 21:3). “The Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.” (Dan 4:25-26). I will not also maliciously slander my opponents and demonize them even when it is clear to my conscience that I am also a cultist like others. I will not fabricate stories of how my opponents are lesbians and homosexuals even when it is clear to me that even though I may not be these, but members of my campaign team do practice these abominable practices to even help fortify our ranks. I will reduce boasting because two things await a political contest: victory or failure! I will also remind myself of this Psalm: “Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, him will I put to silence; whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, him will I not endure.” (Ps 101:5 NIV).
If I were an aspirant to a political office, I will make my humble self to realize that despite the fact that politicians go into politics to fatten their pockets, I will have to also fatten the pockets of the electorates to make my fattened pocket secure. I will also boldly remind myself with a large bill board pinned to my bedroom and parlour door saying, “Chop alone, die alone.” I will also ask those who sing Bongo music to create a tune with this lyric in typical Uratta dialect: “Onye nani ya riri agwo, ya gworo ya n’afo! Otu anya ejela ahunna ego oha-na-eze, nihi na, otu onu ekweshihuu iri ego. Ihe ekworo hima gomment awuhuu maka ile -a umu gi na nwanyi gi, owu maka nde agu n’agu kwe gi nuru nmiri tobi iko!” (He who eats a whole snake alone will have the entire snake coiled in his belly. Public funds are not supposed to be appropriated privately, because it is for the common good of all. Governance is not a call to build a family empire, but for you to spread the common wealth so that those who have not, will allow you to sleep with your two eyes closed.
If I were an aspirant to a political office, I will not sponsor terror to make it look as if the incumbent is the evil. I will not behave like an emperor who is needed by the people to desperately save them from captivity; rather I will behave like a servant leader worthy of being entrusted the common wealth of the people, not for unnecessary foreign trips but for furthering peace.
