by Adaobi Okwy

I was at the Sunday school Bible some time ago where
we were talking about faith, trusting God, having no
doubts…you know, going the whole nine yards with
God. It was flowing until… “do not worry about the
economy. Don’t listen to them…God is the one in
charge of our tomorrow…”. I held on. Waiting for the
open session where I can tell everyone that Christian
or not, we should care and care very much, about our
economy. We should care because whereas America’s
inflation is at 1.5/2% and China’s is at 2%, Nigeria is at
10.8%. I wanted to tell the church that this means that
the naira loses its value every year and even if we all
were to be savers and had a million naira each in the
bank, every year, its value reduces by 10% and so in
five years, we would have a five hundred thousand
naira equivalent or less, even though our account still
reads one million naira. And this should not just make
the church care, but be angry even!
I held on. Waiting for the open session…

Then the “case study” which the church would use to
open the floor: a certain righteous man who works at
the Nigeria’s Customs and who never took a bribe all
his life inspected a container and discovered that
some illegal items (unlisted on the invoice), were
included in the container. The righteous man seized
the container. The owner called on him and asked him
to accept a 2.7 million naira bribe and release the
container but the righteous man refused. A week later,
the son of the righteous man took ill and was
hospitalized and for him to be treated, the doctors
needed 1.7 million naira. Seemingly locked in a
hopeless situation, what would the righteous man do?

Beating me to speak first, an elegant ‘mother’ of the
church took the floor and vibrantly encouraged all
Christians that this was where their faith in God was
been tested and that the righteous man was not to
cave in and accept the 2.7 million bribe but to hold on
to God who will provide (as he has always done) for
the righteous man and his family. And if God did not
provide the money and instead wanted to take the
child…then who were we to refuse? God giveth and He
taketh!

My God, the elegant ‘mother’ was on a roll. This was
my chance. I reached for the microphone but then,
the coordinator apologized that we only had time for
that one comment and that “our mother in the Lord
has said it all”. I was flabbergasted.
Said it all? How? What exactly did she say?
In their book, “Decisive” Chip and Dan Heath” made an
even more elegant argument that we should beware
of either/or solutions. I am not a parent yet but, I do
not think that all my options are stuck between taking
the bribe and waiting on a possible(or not) answer
from God. Let us back up a bit…

What items are illegal in the container? Guns? Drugs?
Expired food? Or items for home use that the
importer just added into his container? If I determine
that nothing in the container harms Nigeria, I would
let the container in but must insist that the man run it
through my superiors. I take no joy in the knowledge
that millions worth of items would be destroyed…no,
this is not true…. I take no joy in the knowledge that
millions worth of items would be looted by customs
officials just because the man did not include laptops
in the invoice.
Beyond the importer, what about the righteous man
taking a loan? Mortgaging his land, car…even his life to
save his son?!

The Holy Book says that we perish because of our lack
of knowledge and I believe this to be true in every
way. If God does not want us interested in OUR
economy, why did Jesus pay tax?
If God wanted that child to just die because it was
either between His providence and the importer, what
does that make him? Our temptation?

A certain ignorance permeates the church and we
should be wary of this. We should care what happens
in our economy and our society and our lives. We
shouldn’t fold our hands and wait on God. Faith
without works is dead. Work, care and leave the ones
you cannot do to God. This is LIGHT!

ynaija.com/adaobiokwy-church-certain-ignorance-y-superblogger/

No single comment. Very senseless topic. U was in the church on a Sunday. What's our fuckeeng biz with that? Poverty-stricken Popper. Dry lizard

jascon1:
No single comment. Very senseless topic. U was in the church on a Sunday. What's our fuckeeng biz with that? Poverty-stricken Popper. Dry lizard

You are nothing more than a f00l and a raving lunatic. Its such a pity

coollabman:


You are nothing more than a f00l and a raving lunatic. Its such a pity

see how pathetic Ur sentences are. Am so sorry that u r now losing it. Put yrseld back together. Abi Ebola don chop inside Ur liver?

jascon1:
see how pathetic Ur sentences are. Am so sorry that u r now losing it. Put yrseld back together. Abi Ebola don chop inside Ur liver?

*sighs* I'll look for a way to help you with your lunacy. I feel so bad that you're like this, raving and ranting online. Smh

coollabman:


*sighs* I'll look for a way to help you with your lunacy. I feel so bad that you're like this, raving and ranting online. Smh

I go frustrate Ur life for nairaland till u go pack from Ketu go Ur village. U way still day squat for ketu. If to say no be online forum be this u for no smell the gate where ppl day talk self. I'll c u in naija. E go be like surprise. Ur details are coming in for me

So you christians just open a thread and start insulting each other.. ok good contunu

jascon1:
I go frustrate Ur life for nairaland till u go pack from Ketu go Ur village. U way still day squat for ketu. If to say no be online forum be this u for no smell the gate where ppl day talk self. I'll c u in naija. E go be like surprise. Ur details are coming in for me

Lol! you be real empty barrel! So you have time to go through my posts and topics on nairaland looking for info that you can use in scoring cheap points? It seems you're jobless and idle. I wasn't wrong calling you a lunatic. All the noise you're making here exposes your inadequacies as a man in real life. If you wanna try me on for size then better be ready. I just dey play with you since, if I deploy my online resources against you, matk my words you'll regret it. F00l

johnydon22:
So you christians just open a thread and start insulting each other.. ok good contunu

Yet its one holy spirit that is directing them.

coollabman:


Lol! you be real empty barrel! So you have time to go through my posts and topics on nairaland looking for info that you can use in scoring cheap points? It seems you're jobless and idle. I wasn't wrong calling you a lunatic. All the noise you're making here exposes your inadequacies as a man in real life. If you wanna try me on for size then better be ready. I just dey play with you since, if I deploy my online resources against you, matk my words you'll regret it. F00l

hmm I just day laff...u go fear when I go show myself to u. Am making Money as I rant with u. To beging with the MB for Ur old blankberry storm go soon finish. Tolotolo

Yo show u how much influence n superiority I have in Ur entire premature life, u no c say 2 new guys don post for your useless thread all cos of me. If not u r a non entity. A Minute peess of sheet

jascon1:
Yo show u how much influence n superiority I have in Ur entire premature life, u no c say 2 new guys don post for your useless thread all cos of me. If not u r a non entity. A Minute peess of sheet

You still they rant online? God have mercy on you!

coollabman:


You still they rant online? God have mercy on you!

I don shine Ur head well well. Next time u go no how to open Ur rotten teeth

jascon1:
I don shine Ur head well well. Next time u go no how to open Ur rotten teeth

I just dey close from work and you still dey here dey idle away your time. I can't be here exchanging words with a character like you when there are more important things to do. Get a life if you don't have one (its obvious you don't)

coollabman:


I just dey close from work and you still dey here dey idle away your time. I can't be here exchanging words with a character like you when there are more important things to do. Get a life if you don't have one (its obvious you don't)

mumu shut up. Which work? NYSC Na work? U have less than 4 months to vacate that teacher chair. My hourly wage is Ur full month salary.

jascon1:
mumu shut up. Which work? NYSC Na work? U have less than 4 months to vacate that teacher chair. My hourly wage is Ur full month salary.

*sighs* at least I'm busy and you're visibly not doing anything constructive with your time.

By the way, I still dey wait for the thing wey you talk say go happen.

jascon1:
mumu shut up. Which work? NYSC Na work? U have less than 4 months to vacate that teacher chair. My hourly wage is Ur full month salary.

jascon1:
i have three older brothers. the first is 38, the
second is 35 and the third is 32 and i am the
youngest at 27. my uncle was never married and
has no kids. he is older then my father though. i also
have cousins who are also single. they say they are
senior bachelors for me. life has taken em too
far.they are in their 40ies. people have talked till
they ran outa saliva. but my brother at 32 has
been married for seven years and has just 2
kids. the other 2 of em say that marriage is
expensive in nigeria. though, the first was in a
relationhip in which he was jilted by this imo state
girl, who almost recked his pocket. after investing in
her so much. they need a girl that can support the
family.they want to make money to care for their
family [if they have]. and the money they have been
making since decades have not yet bought a house.
at 27, i am scared and i feel like getting married. i
dnt want to live a life where i would date my ex-
girlfriends daughter. i want a family and kids.
sometimes i wonder if this is a cause on us or what.
is it just mentality or spiritual? well, just incase
there are some women out there who are single
and working. they need comfortable n tough
women. pls let me no so i can link you up. i no deep
down in them that they want to get married and
have a family but they simply fear financial trauma
from the wedding costs to babies and family
matters. but they are nice. well, if there are single
ladies who are working and comfortable . pls reply
to jimmydanno@yahoo.com. i will link y'all up. and
who knows, everything is in the link.



shebi you remember this topic wey you post for here. Cursed f00l from a family of lazy men. na the link be this: www.nairaland.com/536772/think-gained-something-all

coollabman:


*sighs* at least I'm busy and you're visibly not doing anything constructive with your time.

By the way, I still dey wait for the thing wey you talk say go happen.

I no say better fear don grip Ur body. Small boi. U no get mind u go day talk anyhow. By now u go don call Ur mama make Dem go borrow money to buy mat way Dem go take bury u. Ekpa.

jascon1:
I no say better fear don grip Ur body. Small boi. U no get mind u go day talk anyhow. By now u go don call Ur mama make Dem go borrow money to buy mat way Dem go take bury u. Ekpa.

Impotent buffoon!

Mumu so u think say I go post my real family story make u read? Read am bellefull make u die. Tolotolo...

coollabman:


jascon1:
i have three older brothers. the first is 38, the
second is 35 and the third is 32 and i am the
youngest at 27. my uncle was never married and
has no kids. he is older then my father though. i also
have cousins who are also single. they say they are
senior bachelors for me. life has taken em too
far.they are in their 40ies. people have talked till
they ran outa saliva. but my brother at 32 has
been married for seven years and has just 2
kids. the other 2 of em say that marriage is
expensive in nigeria. though, the first was in a
relationhip in which he was jilted by this imo state
girl, who almost recked his pocket. after investing in
her so much. they need a girl that can support the
family.they want to make money to care for their
family [if they have]. and the money they have been
making since decades have not yet bought a house.
at 27, i am scared and i feel like getting married. i
dnt want to live a life where i would date my ex-
girlfriends daughter. i want a family and kids.
sometimes i wonder if this is a cause on us or what.
is it just mentality or spiritual? well, just incase
there are some women out there who are single
and working. they need comfortable n tough
women. pls let me no so i can link you up. i no deep
down in them that they want to get married and
have a family but they simply fear financial trauma
from the wedding costs to babies and family
matters. but they are nice. well, if there are single
ladies who are working and comfortable . pls reply
to jimmydanno@yahoo.com. i will link y'all up. and
who knows, everything is in the link.



shebi you remember this topic wey you post for here. Cursed f00l from a family of lazy men. na the link be this: www.nairaland.com/536772/think-gained-something-all

jascon1:
Mumu so u think say I go post my real family story make u read? Read am bellefull make u die. Tolotolo...

Why you delete am? na true jor, because if person no quote I for no see the nonsense wey you write. Pathetic! Smh see the kind family wey you come from. Such a pity

coollabman:


Why you delete am? na true jor, because if person no quote I for no see the nonsense wey you write. Pathetic! Smh see the kind family wey you come from. Such a pity

mallam Ur sense day reverberate per second. Poverty Na go kill Ur shoes

coollabman:


Why you delete am? na true jor, because if person no quote I for no see the nonsense wey you write. Pathetic! Smh see the kind family wey you come from. Such a pity

mallam Ur sense day reverberate per second. Poverty Na go kill Ur shoes for trekking