Mr President, How Was Jerusalem?

02 Nov 2013


The Pendulum By Dele Momodu, Email: Dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com


Our dear President, please allow me to personally welcome you back from Jerusalem, a place regarded as heaven on earth by Christians. I’m certainly persuaded that, like me, you must have fantasised a lot about that monumental city while growing up as a Sunday school pupil in your church. I still vividly recollect that the place was made popular by the triumphant entry of our Lord Jesus Christ. I used to picture in my mind the kind of tumultuous and overzealously religious crowd that must have welcomed the very young Jesus who performed so many spectacular miracles, the sort we’ve never seen again. But despite the big reception he got, Jesus did not indulge those who had turned the temple into a market place. He chased them out because, according to him, they had turned it into a den of thieves, just like some politicians have turned Nigeria into a colony of armed robbers at this moment. This is one lesson I hope you brought back on this trip.

I’ve never been to Jerusalem, or anywhere near Israel for that matter, but your visit has generated enough hoopla and substantial attention that I can’t wait to board the next plane ASAP to go on my own pilgrimage. Such is the awesome influence of a President, more so that of Africa’s most populous nation.

Sir, you cannot blame them for this cynical attitude. Most Nigerians today are generally stressed and would pounce on anyone for sweet revenge. They have largely traced their misery to the lack of good governance. While they might not be able to hold you personally responsible for these woes, they think you’ve have not shown sufficient capacity and determination to lead us out of the doldrums and the suffocating quagmire we’ve buried ourselves in. It is that lack of trust that has permeated all the negative attacks that you tend to get with regularity these days. Going to Israel at this time was therefore seen as another wasteful jamboree of no useful gain other than a photo opportunity to distract the people from the many terrible problems confronting them.

Since you’re not likely to be properly and truthfully briefed by your friends and aides about the real reactions of the people, please let me volunteer to tell you a bit of it. The picture that generated the most hits on the social media was the one where you were being prayed for in what seemed to be a marathon supernatural session. Many wondered why the same faces they were familiar with back home were the same people laying hands on you in far-away Israel. What happened to Israeli priests, the original custodians of the Christian Faith? Was this an attestation to the fact that our land has become too desecrated by evil and wickedness that it would be too difficult, if not impossible, for prayers to be answered? They wondered why none of the many holy lands that dot the landscape of Nigeria could not be used for this spiritual exercise.

While that debate raged on the clincher was the picture of the Governors who accompanied you and the expression of piety on their faces as they prayed right in front of cameras. The most famous question on Twitter at that time was if the Governors would be able to convince God that 16 is now higher than 19 in Nigeria, a veiled indictment of their role in claiming a victory in an election that was lost before God and man. Most of the commentators believe no man can seek and find the favour of God until he’s willing and ready to change his ungodly way. Their position is simply that God is omnivident and cannot be deceived by dramatic acts of atonement when in reality nothing will change and things might even get worse.

One other question that featured prominently was if you will seize the opportunity of this spiritual excursion to reconcile with all your enemies as directed in the scriptures where you are expected to forgive seventy times seven times. Your fellow citizens were also concerned and visibly agitated by the unprecedented prodigality going on at all levels of government in Nigeria. No amount is too big to be wasted on frivolous projects by those entrusted with our common wealth. Our people are wondering if your trip to Israel would open up your eyes to the abysmal suffering of Nigerians in the midst of plenty and open up your heart to their bitter wailing and tears. They were praying that the teachings of Jesus Christ and his humble disposition would rub off on you as you visit historic sites in Israel.

On a very serious note, Nigerians expect to see some visible changes in your style of governance henceforth. It would be nice and rewarding if you can rededicate your life to serving Nigeria with all your faith and strength and no longer by mere words. To achieve this would require painful sacrifice and on the part of your family, friends and associates. You’re the barometer by which most of our leaders measure and copy bad or good manners. No nation is led by a multitude. A nation is controlled by one great or useless shepherd. If you are frugal, most of your operatives would notice and struggle to follow your template. But if you’re profligate, it is natural for everyone to adopt a reckless disposition to power and the finances that go with it. Power is often abused in a state of lawlessness. There is no country in the world that would have frittered away trillions of Naira on a phantom subsidy and life would still go on as normal. Such possibilities send wrong signals to sensible people that it does not pay to be reasonable in a place where warlords control all the perks.

It would also be nice to see how you will handle the matter of your second term ambition. Will you leave it entirely in the hands of God who has brought you this far without ever lifting a finger or transfer the project into the hands of infidels who would do anything and everything to attain and retain power. If you ask my free opinion, I will suggest you follow your original pattern where good things drop on your laps without ever fighting like most of your peers. The God who has brought you into this stupendous achievement will never abandon you in the lions’ den, if you abide by his injunctions. But if you decide to continue with the business as usual inclination, you will fail woefully like most of your predecessors.

Nigerians are not asking you to raise Lazarus from the dead but they expect you to uplift them from abject poverty and horrible ignorance that has encircled our national life. They are requesting and expecting you to deliver on some of your campaign promises if not all. We are tired of promises that would never fly because a few people with access to power have cornered what belongs to all.
I will suggest again, with all due respect, that you urgently embark on cost-cutting moves. The world will applaud you when you show that you’re not in power for your personal aggrandisement but to diligently serve man and God. The country has already provided maximum comfort for you and your team; you need not go overboard by frittering our resources away as if money is going out of vogue. What is written all over your government and supporters today is an attitude of it-is-our-turn-to-share-the-national-cake-and-God-forbid-anyone-trying-to-stop-us-from-eating-it-well-or-even-totally-afterall-the-oil-is-ours! That is so sad.

You promised last year to reduce how you used to travel before the fuel subsidy crisis but your trips have actually increased as if with a vengeance. No leader is ever respected when he hardly sits at home to mind the business for which he was elected. It is a sign of lack of seriousness to gallivant about while leaving behind our magnitude of gargantuan problems. No sincere leader who cares for his people would feel comfortable to go on a binge while university students have not attended schools in over four months and those on campus are being slaughtered like rams by Boko Haram.

It is to our eternal shame that we seem to be seeking relevance abroad when our home is sinking deeper and deeper into the cesspit of irrelevance and shame. I therefore plead with you sir to put on the toga of love for Nigeria above the convenience of escaping to countries that have taken the pains to develop their environment. Most Nigerians who migrated abroad would prefer to live at home if ours was relatively conducive. Please, let your aides check for you how many leaders travel the way you do and you will be shocked at the results.

You must have read of a man called Chairman Mao of China. He went through so much deprivation to set his country on the path of greatness that it has attained today. Every nation on earth is looking towards China today but we all conveniently forgot the incredible discipline that made the miracle possible. The same can be said of India. The country bears a lot of resemblance to Nigeria and we’ve had many generations of close interactions. But India has become a major power by investing in intellectual pursuits while we are killing the brains of our naturally-gifted youths. Indeed, we now run to India for most of our medical needs and challenges. That is a pity!

Let me give a few more examples. Brazil was once declared bankrupt before our very eyes. The same Brazil has emerged from its seemingly fatal economic woes to become one of the most ambitious industrialised nations in the world. Even if the country has its own contractions and upheavals, it has certainly started its powerful journey towards recovery. It is not funny that we are not able to produce and provide the basic needs of our own people.

I was glad when I saw you on television the other day talking about how Lee Kuan Yew was able to turn Singapore from a Third world to a First world country. Lee’s background is very similar to yours.
He was not born with a silver-spoon and had to struggle most of his life. This ostensibly toughened, prepared and propelled him for the role he later played in transforming the lives of his country. Nobody would remember him today if he used his power to acquire billions of dollars.

He would have been just one of the billionaires. He’s remembered, and celebrated globally, for his epic struggle to make what seemed impossible possible. I would want you to actually read about this great leader rather than be presumed to be regurgitating a prepared script and see if you can borrow some tips from his personal character, vision and actions.

My last example will come from Rwanda. You must have read about the genocide which ravaged that country in 1994 when the Hutus massacred the Tutsis and the world was aghast with the horrific pictures of dead bodies that floated everywhere. The story is different today. Rwanda is blessed with visionary leadership, just like Ghana was rescued from the brink by Jerry Rawlings. It should give you hope that if you play less politics and concentrate on things of substance you may still be able to wipe out the tears and hopelessness of Nigerians.

You will never achieve anything tangible if you carry on with your psychedelic and feel-good approach to Nigeria. Our problems have reached a stage where the musical chairs of periodic elections may never work again. The only way to avert the death of our hard-won democracy is for all of us to change how we do things from the top to the bottom. You must lead the way for that to ever happen, Sir.
I fervently pray that now that you’ve gone to Jerusalem and back, you will see the light and become born again!
You are always in our thoughts and prayers.
Source : http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/Mr-President,-How-Was-Jerusalem/163249/#.UnTfw37pSRs.twitter

It is a cheap way of gaining popularity when u pick on a weaker opponent

We knw Jonathan no fit, why challenge him to a duel?

All of u, ur intention no go follow o. God don burn ur cable because jonathan no go commit suicide for u o

^^^hahahaha. Space booked. I dey come make I tell my boys for kirikiri say Aunty Stella dey come join dem soon.

The president should read this write-up without sentiments. It is an honest advise from the wrong quarters.


Bob Dee is the 'wrong quarters' cos his Ovation photo-magazine helped in fuelling corruption with the way he celebrated corrupt persons and their loot. Corrupt persons wanted to outdo one another on the pages of Ovation. It became a case of "My loot is bigger than yours"

He was bamboozled right, left and center on twitter cos of this article.

It wasn't funny at all some days ago.

utumunta: The president should read this write-up without sentiments. It is an honest advise from the wrong quarters.


Bob Dee is the 'wrong quarters' cos his Ovation photo-magazine helped in fuelling corruption with the way he celebrated corrupt persons and their loot. Corrupt persons wanted to outdo one another on the pages of Ovation. It became a case of "My loot is bigger than yours"

You are point blank right, bros.

omg

Chai! Talk of constructive criticisms!!!


I really support that Pesident Jonathan get to read this, sincerely, he can get some tips that can be of help to his admnistration and his person there.




However, one question to Dele Momodu, would he have done those things he wrote up there if he's opportuned to be a president? Or he is just stylishly blasting the president as it is common with our politicians in opponent parties?



Either way, we should just remember that there is a higher supreme being who knows our real intention.


May God help us all.

As much as everybody knows Jonathan is no better than Barney and friends, Dele Momodu should STFU and phuck himself.
The self-serving hypocrite should spare us his whining before he gets b-itch slapped.
When he was covering the weddings of Abacha and Babangida's children, did he think he was acquiring the right to construtively criticize anybody?
Because he cannot be privy to the social circuit of the Barney Jonathan government, we should suddenly believe that he has transformed into some kind of Che Guevara or something like that?
Abeg his hypocrisy is nauseating at best.
Save your letter for yourself. He who goes to equity must do so with clean hands.

StarBoard: As much as everybody knows Jonathan is no better than Barney and friends, Dele Momodu should STFU and phuck himself.
The self-serving hypocrite should spare us his whining before he gets b-itch slapped.
When he was covering the weddings of Abacha and Babangida's children, did he think he was acquiring the right to construtively criticize anybody?
Because he cannot be privy to the social circuit of the Barney Jonathan government, we should suddenly believe that he has transformed into some kind of Che Guevara or something like that?
Abeg his hypocrisy is nauseating at best.
Save your letter for yourself. He who goes to equity must do so with clean hands.

Not saying that he's better or he has right to criticise anyone but
that he covered Abacha and Babangida's children's wedding party, IMO, is his business line, if president Jonathan also invite him to cover a party for him or any of his children, he will gladly do it for him now, based on business agreement and not political.

My opinion anyway.

I am waiting for Abati to write a counter to this. I won't be surprised if some people start claiming this was written to further perfect the job to remove Stella Oduah.

Smh, gej for go mecca,,, y israel!

Awesome write up but why will some people dismiss him because of his line of business? Were you expecting him to snap beggars on the street of Ilorin and put them on the cover of "The Ovation". To think that his magazine made politicians corrupt by trying to outshine one another is just naive.

StarBoard: As much as everybody knows Jonathan is no better than Barney and friends, Dele Momodu should STFU and phuck himself.
The self-serving hypocrite should spare us his whining before he gets b-itch slapped.
When he was covering the weddings of Abacha and Babangida's children, did he think he was acquiring the right to construtively criticize anybody?
Because he cannot be privy to the social circuit of the Barney Jonathan government, we should suddenly believe that he has transformed into some kind of Che Guevara or something like that?
Abeg his hypocrisy is nauseating at best.
Save your letter for yourself. He who goes to equity must do so with clean hands.

Ppl,business. Is nt always done dt way. Dele is a business man who wnts to b successful in business like evryoda persons.same goes to dangote,he's nt a politician bt benefits frm the policies dese polical leaders make to foster his business. They ar only paying 4 good services given to dem by Dele,he dint dip his hands into dia pocket and its nt dt he was given a contract and he dint finish it or do a sub-standard job.
On d oda hand,am nt sayin Dele is a saint.

To d subject matter now,I liked d place Dele reminded GEJ of how only God has helped him thus far without his own personal effect. Dts supposed to. B something GEJ shld ruminate criously upon.

What is written all over your government and supporters today is an attitude of it-is-our-turn-to-share-the-national-cake-and-God-forbid-anyone-trying-to-stop-us-from-eating-it-well-or-even-totally-afterall-the-oil-is-ours!

The above has been the unspoken speech coming from the Ebele led government from day 1
I wish he could repent and get to real work but he has this approach

psychedelic and feel-good approach to Nigeria.

to governance
Nigeria has been blessed with the scum of the Earth as leaders but Ebele tops the chart for ineptitude.

GEJ didn't give a jack !! He won't respond to anything that doesn't have 2015 on it!

GEJ doesn't give a jack !! He won't respond to anything that doesn't have 2015 on it!

Articul8:

Ppl,business. Is nt always done dt way. Dele is a business man who wnts to b successful in business like evryoda persons.same goes to dangote,he's nt a politician bt benefits frm the policies dese polical leaders make to foster his business. They ar only paying 4 good services given to dem by Dele,he dint dip his hands into dia pocket and its nt dt he was given a contract and he dint finish it or do a sub-standard job.
On d oda hand,am nt sayin Dele is a saint.

exactly my point.
Thanks for more clarification.
Business is different from politics, IMO.
Let's not mix apple with orange.

If GEJ saw this piece,he would not read beyond the first paragraph before losing interest but Abati go help am read and fire back sha.


Up Fresh Jerusalem Air till 2019