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Doyin Okupe, Goodluck Jonathan’s media adviser likened himself to Elijah; Major-General Chris Olukolade, the Army spokesman says the Grace of God is sufficient for him even though he is not a politician but an untainted military professional; Pastor Bosun Emmanuel says, among other things, that Goodluck Jonathan is on a prophetic destiny journey. All of these were against the backdrop of gains made by Boko Haram; having upped the ante in the course of military engagement, where, instead of the guerrilla hit and run, it now holds territory, either temporarily or permanently. Meanwhile, the president himself is keeping his cards close to his chest.
Doyin Okupe can be excused as he has a public relations job to do, even if it means taking all of us for a ride; Major-General Chris Olukolade may also be excused in the sense that his public relations job is completely tied to his military duties which may hamper his outings. However, Pastor Bosun Emmanuel cannot be excused, for not only is he free from the encumbrances of the other two, he had gone ahead to promote his views, asking especially Yoruba Christians to evangelize in order to raise disciples to fight the Islamic fundamentalist menace. That all of these people are Yoruba, and professing Christ, is not a coincidence.

According to Pastor Bosun Emmanuel, Nigeria is at war, and the winner of that war would be the portion that is able to neutralize Yorubaland, as if Yorubaland itself has no stake in not only ensuring that the land does not become a war theater, but also win the war on our terms; especially when all the war-mongers are at each others’ throat. These Yoruba, who also profess Christ, already assumed Yorubaland is the prize since we are now supposed to be onlookers whose influence is irrelevant and useful only as an addendum to the others. They are thus one leg of the attempt at neutralizing Yorubaland; the other leg being the “north” however defined. There is no need to waste time on this “north” as it has never hidden its conception of the Nigerian post-colonial State. It is a given. The problem with these people is their pitching their tent with Goodluck Jonathan, both for professional(Okupe/Olukolade) as well as religious(Bosun Emmanuel) reasons.
Hence, when Pastor Bosun Emmanuel gave his talk, centered on the dangers from Islamic fundamentalism for Yorubaland, he did not, at any time, during his message, mention Yoruba existentialism which was responsible for the tolerance of different religious beliefs in the land; rather, his emphasis was on the Christian/Muslim divide anchored on an agenda in pursuit of capturing Yorubaland as the main theater of war for the eventual take-over of Nigeria.
Yes, Nigeria is in a state of war, the question being, what war? For the solution to a problem lies in its precise definition, which Pastor Bosun Emmanuel sees as a lack of knowledge as stated in the Book of Hosea. Hence, he sought to take us through his understanding by cautioning us against Islamic fundamentalism as the major issue confronting us, outside the context of Yoruba existentialism which can only lead to its negation and thus work in favor of any enemy, which may not necessarily be from the Islamists.
When Boko Haram’s terrorism is situated within an Islamic fundamentalism, we often forget that Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army, claiming to be Christians, employ tactics no different from Boko Haram’s; just as the Algerian Islamists did when its electoral victory was annulled by the Algerian military in 1990; including child kidnapping, child soldiers, rape, murders etc. Similarly, in the 80s, General Ephraim Rios Mont of Guatemala embarked on state-sponsored terrorism against the citizens of Guatemala, saying it was being done “in the name of God”. And of course the IRA employed similar tactics in its terrorism days.
Terrorism, in all of its manifestation, therefore is a military tool aimed at the particular objective of denying legitimacy to a Government by creating fear among the populace rendering the government powerless as a protector. Whether the perpetrators resort to any form of religion is immaterial even though it helps to make headline news stories and create an emotion-laden response in the citizenry which will also fuel negation of governmental legitimacy.
To combat terrorism therefore, is to take a critical look at the basis of government’s legitimacy upon which it will draw its strength, if it is really legitimate; otherwise, the result would be what we have now where it appears the terrorist are having a field day. The major test of Goodluck Jonathan’s legitimacy came when Residents/citizens of the North East, where Boko Haram is now occupying territories asked to be armed, in order to fight Boko Haram with the government doing nothing about it, shows the fears of the government itself in its own legitimacy, especially when this demand is coming from a Region intent on getting back presidential power; which would fuel some political calculations bordering on territorial control of Nigeria.
This would thus enable Pastor Bosun Emmanuel to say “God does not want Nigeria to break”, which may be a reason for the denial of the right of the citizens being armed and coopted into the war. Since we know that God’s word is sure and He honors His word; Genesis 10 made references as to how the sons of Noah and survivors of the flood were described as being “separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations ”(note that it says “their” Nations)—all the way to God’s promise to Abraham as to making him “A” father of many nations— also note: it did not say “the” father but “A” father of many Nations. So all of these imply an understanding of “their nations” as being specific Language, lands, families etc that characterized them.
Nations have generally been described as “a large aggregate of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular country or territory” while its sovereignty is identified by its form of political State, which can come into being through various means, including conquest, enslavement, voluntary or forced union and which directly affects the composition of itself as a Nation-State whose authority is manifested also in various forms— from authoritarianism to democracy and all in between.
Abraham had a particular role in the existence of the Jews as a Nation—as he was called out to be such A father— which means all of the Nations are also entitled to such benefits especially when God has revealed Himself to gentiles, too. So, there is a correlation between the general meaning and what is recorded in the Bible. But where the problem lie, today, is that we have substituted the “Nation-State” for Nation. A Nation-State is simply the ability of any group of people inside or outside the Nation to impose its authority on the nation. As when Rome imposed its authority on the Jews, making them Roman Citizens but still retaining their Jewish identities characterized by their language/culture/faith etc.as can be seen when Paul was arrested and told the centurion that he was a Roman Citizen. So, through his trials, he identified himself as a citizen of Rome but of a Jewish Nation. And we see that the Roman rulers were interested in pleasing the Jews but were handicapped by their own laws or else, the Jews would have wasted no time in killing Paul, based on their own understanding of their own laws.
Furthermore, when it is written that the Nation/People of Israel were carried away into captivity—this was physical; but being in captivity is not limited to physical dislocation, as we found when Jerusalem was occupied by the Romans; that the Jewish Nation, the children of Israel were held captive even in their own land and capital city. It is therefore possible for a people to remain in their God-given land and still be held captive by forces beyond their control.
And this was what happened in Africa, where not only were Nations/Peoples split up into different countries even while still retaining their God-given lands, but even those who found themselves within the same country were and are subjected to some form of captivity because they are under the control of those whom they had no control over or any influence upon.
In this sense, our notion or understanding of Nation becomes corrupted because we have deviated away from God’s definition and we are only trying to “manage” our captivity, which for Yorubaland, is characterized by attempts at “mainstreaming” instead of flowing into the liberation of God’s grace as a Nation in and of itself. (to be continued)
Leye Ige

This is fear tactics with a coating of religion to make it appealing. Please dear Nigerian Christians, remember God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and sound mind - 2 Timothy 1:7. Use your minds and be wise. Pastor Emmanuel Bosun sounds more like a politician than a pastor urging us to vote in Goodluck just because he is a Christian. He doesn't want us to think but use our sentiments instead. He paints APC as a Muslim party which will islamize Nigeria if voted into power. Far more Muslim presidents have ruled this country than Christians, why didn't they islamize the country? We all know that Islamists like Al-Shabab, Al-Qaeda and ISIS operate in countries with weakened leadership or failed states. Goodluck is not a strong leader, his careless handling of terrorism in our country has made it stronger.

There have always been Islamist riots in Nigeria, but all of them are usually crushed within a month and their leaders killed, by Muslim presidents. Think of Maitatine, Zango Kataf, etc. If a Muslim becomes president, do you think he will automatically allow Islamists to take over Nigeria? Don't you see that more Muslims have been killed by Boko Haram than Christians? There is palpable fear in the North and it affects everyone. No one is safe. Boko Haram kills Muslims who refuse to accept their violent ideology, just like ISIS. What we need in this country is a president who is committed to protecting lives. A strong and fearless leader whose passion for the country makes him intolerant of corruption, and religious bigotry.

I am not asking you to vote any particular person, I just want you to use your minds and think properly before voting in the next president. Don't be deceived by pastors and 'Men of God'. They are human and make mistakes too. Don't be deceived by claims of visions and prophecies, we all know how some of them lie in the name of God. Did Rev. Chris Okotie not tell us that God would make him Nigeria's president? Where is he today?
Don't let anyone deceive you with fear, God is not a God of fear, but of power, love and SOUND MIND - 2Timothy 1:7