LET me open this piece with an open confession to you my readers who collectively constitute my priest, the Reverend Father, to whom I confess my transgressions, my sins, from time to time. Perhaps I should phrase my remark regarding my transgressions and sins and their confessions to my Reverend Father in the past tense since I gave up the act of confession ages ago, I being now an inactive Catholic – or what my immediate family members wish to refer to as a fringe or borderline Catholic. Of course, some of my friends tend to put it somewhat in a different manner or perspective. They call me a rebellious Catholic since I go now very, very occasionally to mass – and only on special ceremonious times – and since, too, my views on many religious matters go against the grain despite my unflinching belief in God, religion, the existence of Heaven and Hell, and the place of the Son of God also known to us as Jesus Christ in the life and consciousness of every believer. I don’t know if they are right or wrong in their manner of perception of me. Yet I need to aver thus: the happenings, for a very lengthy time now, in our country have traumatized many of us, and when yours sincerely in particular tried to understand the respective roles of our men and women of God who are of different denominations in the scheme of things, he felt the bitter and biting pain of betrayal in the name of religion and of Christ. Of course, he has been told numberless times that religion and salvation are personal. He stuck on to this gospel and decided to pursue his unorthodox inclination regardless of the popular view and decided to serve God the way he thought and believed best for his temperament and well being.

And the current times don’t help matters, the current times that have seen uncountable pastors and Reverend gentlemen and ladies sell their conscience and morality to poor politics and philistine lucre.

What is the point of this enterprise? What is the point of this act? What is the point of this piece? I am not in a blissful mood as I wish to accuse myself and members of this generation of not doing enough to save our humanism from the threat of the forces ranged against it. We know that the current decisioners of our affairs are already at the dead end of their tyrannical lordship of us all. We know that they are clinging to power beyond their villainous times. We know that they are doing extra time beyond their allotted spiritual distance and frame. In other words, we know, to quote Primate Olabayo, that “they are already gone” since they can no longer operate beyond their negative spiritual level. Yet we must be dispirited and still know profound despair. We must still lament the loss of reason and learning that is turning everyone of us of severe sensibility into a lone wolf in a country and society once-upon-a-time positively known and admired for practicable communality and communitarianism. The antidote to the terribly, horrible political ideologies and cultural rottenness and economic decay which are erasing and eradicating much of our values and learning is nearby beckoning to us, but how much loss and pain we would have known before we embrace it? Is ASUU listening to me?

A few days ago, a caller from Yenagoa in Bayelsa State wanted to know from me why I was maintaining an usually unique silence at what was going on in Bayelsa as per the Jonathan-Sylva nonsensical tug-of-war? When I inquired from him what was my own concern in a meaningless tug-of-war between two brothers in a family called People’s Democratic Party?, his flattering response was that no columnist could be more objective, more constructive, more truthful, more profound, more selfless, more erudite and more courageous in his assessment of the battle and war of wits and blatant and brazen strength going on in his State than yours, very yours sincerely. Furthermore, he added that even if the effort of yours very affectionately amounted to nothing, after all said and done, posterity will know that In and Out did not keep quiet when the real burning of Nigeria started from the State of President Jonathan and Governor Sylva. He added finally that Jehu, the soon to appear messiah, will recognize and acknowledge me as a logarithm of patriotism and peace in Nigeria. What a way to flatter a columnist!

I pondered his request for some time, and requested him to call back in twenty minutes’ time if I did not call him back within that time-frame. Of course, he did call me back when some engagement was working on my mind in its state of despair and dispiritedness. I merely asked him a question, which I must repeat in the open here and now: where now are the gullible intellectuals even from Bayelsa who admired Lord Jonathan and embraced him? Forget the answer I got, O dear, dear readers! But let me ask further: who is the good governor in Nigeria today? Who is the good governor in Nigeria within and outside the PDP family today? Who is the governor we truly can embrace today as the true model of governance, or true hero of the people, the true hero who is never tempted away from goodness to the people by the illusions of power? Who is that governor in Nigeria today who is not vindictive, who is not nepotistic, who is not causing us this or that pain, who is not causing us this or that despair, who is not expert at the game of favouritism? Who is that governor who Jehu will beckon to as the positively best of them all when he mounts the saddle in Nigeria’s new cycle of revolutionary federalism? Who is that governor indeed who is not a pincher of the public purse, and whom Jehu shall pat on the back for admirable performance?

In any case, all the political decisioners who have betrayed the people and assaulted their sensibilities shall soon enjoy Jehu and his force of creativity, as we say adios to our despairing times. In the name of the Father, of the Son and of the holy Ghost… may we now embrace Nigeria’s “true binding force of creativity.” By the way, is Primate Theophilus Olabayo reading this? I can see you blowing the trumpet of the beckoning…

But are we done? Not at all. Adios, Waziri formerly of EFCC. Lucky you are for now that you got away in one piece. But are you truly lucky yet? No, no, no – until he who is coming to cleanse for good these unclean times gives you a clean bill. Prepare and prepare your sheet of explanation in readiness for your argument of exoneration – if ever exoneration shall visit you…

And the burning and burning in Yobe and Jos and elsewhere? Oh Oh Oh!!! We say it again as we have said countless times previously: there shall be no end to them until the emergence of Jehu…

In the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Ghost… may these hard times and those who have been inspiring them meet their spiritual doom now and now and now.

So mote it be.

PS: Next week we will begin our often times postponed Nigeria’s assignment with Destiny. Please don’t miss it. It’s a must read.

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