BUHARI, KING UZZIAH'S DEATH
AND
THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE JEWS

By Thomas Thomas

"When King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted on the throne... "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! I am a man of unclean lips, and live among a people of unclean lips...."
- PROPHET ISAIAH (Isaiah 6 vs 1 - 14)

Let me start by apologizing unreservedly to my fellow Nigerians whom I have unintentionally misinformed between 2012 and a couple of hours ago because of a King Uzziah incarnate called President Mohammadu Buhari. I am truly sorry.

While a lot of Nigerians would readily accept my apology, some would find it very difficult to come to terms with my U-turn - But such is life! Something must force a man to recant his earlier stance for the sake of posterity and humanity. Just like Prophet Isaiah, I am not ashamed to cry out that because of Buhari I was a man of "unclean lips". Yes, a man of unclean lips because all what I said and held to be true about Buhari have turned out to be wonky and idiotic, just because I was carried away by those old stories of Buhari I read in books, and by those I heard him and his apostles said in the build up to 2015 and 2019 elections.

Prophet Isaiah was a major prophet in Judah during the reign of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. Just like I am a writer from the days of the Late Umaru Yar'Adua, Jonathan and Buhari. Note too that a prophet and a journalist share things in common: both of them are (must be) inspired; both of them write; both of them prognosticate, and both of them talk about rulers and their governments. Just like there are journalists who are (easily) influenced by kings, rulers or politicians, there are prophets who are influenced by kings, politicians, etc. Prophet Isaiah, then a young prophet, was pocketed by King Uzziah. He was pampered, and was influenced to utter prophecies which were not in tandem with the mind of God. He lived in the King's Palace, and saw the King, not just as his benefactor and saviour, but as a friend in whom he addressed all his prophecies, songs and poetry. For instance, his prophecies in Isaiah 5 was addressed to King Uzziah, his friend.

Therefore, when King Uzziah died, Isaiah was consecrated, and lo, he saw God for the first time "seated upon the throne with His angels". Haba! So, Isaiah could not see God before the demise of his " hero"? Of course, he did not and couldn't have because of his "unclean lips". He realized the supremacy of God when the man who used to pay him, clothed him, fed him and pampered him died. So, when his EXPECTATIONS were no longer met, he returned to God, cried and begged for His forgiveness and dropped all forms of sycophancy (unclean lips). The Bible says "then one of the angels (Seraphim) flew to him (Isaiah) with a live coal in his hand which he had taken with tongs from the altar (which Isaiah made). With the tongs the angel touched Isaiah's lips and said your sins have been forgiven" (Isaiah 6 vs .

Buhari is the King Uzziah in this piece, I am Prophet Isaiah. Now the question is: IS BUHARI, THE KING UZZIAH DEAD? No, but yes. No, he is still alive, but in terms of discharging his responsibilities, he has long gone! Then, how am I Prophet Isaiah? I am Isaiah because I refused to read God's handwriting on the wall, rather I allowed myself to be carried away by sponsored write-ups in the media, and voluntarily misinformed my people about Buhari. I caused the people to believe so much in Buhari and expected him to lead Nigeria to a land filled with milk and honey. I caused the people to dream tall dreams and to think that when Buhari comes he would bring succour, stampede poverty, annihilate religious and ethnocentric bigotry, stampede corruption and jailed corrupt politicians who are the problems of this country. I made the people to believe that with Buhari, Boko Haram would be a thing of the past; that nepotism would no longer rear its ugly head, etc.

But the coming on board of Buhari is a disaster. I did not realize this until he surrounds himself, of late, with corrupt men - men who, in better climes, should rather be stoned. HOW DOES BUHARI INTEND TO USE DIRT TO SWEEP DIRT? What Mr. President has done by appointing known "criminals" into positions of authority is akin to handing a broom to a heap of refuse to sweep itself! He claims to fight corruption, but keeps appointing "bloody criminals" into strategic positions in his lame and useless government. MORE IRONICAL IS THE FACT THAT THOSE THAT APC WAS FORMED TO FIGHT OUT OF THE SYSTEM BECAUSE OF THEIR CORRUPT DISPOSITIONS ARE THE ONES BUHARI FINDS WORTHY OF APPOINTMENTS TO THE DETRIMENT OF THOSE WHO LABOURED WITH HIM.

The people's expectations of Buhari have a semblance of the Jews' expectations of Jesus. Remember, the Jews, just like Nigerians, had been in bondage for so long and needed a messiah who would take them out of that bondage. Upon hearing that a Messiah was born in Bethlehem, there was joy and expectations. Instead of their Messiah to wage a war against their oppressors, He talked about celestial things, and did nothing even when the last prophet (John the Baptist) that announced His coming was about to be killed, and actually was killed. That was one of the reasons they conspired against the Messiah and even preferred a thief (Barnabas) to Him. Little did I know Nigerians were right when they were ATIKULATING.

Just like Isaiah, I have realized my mistakes because King Uzziah is dead. As soon as Isaiah was cleansed of all his impurities, the Bible says he began to hear directly from God: "WHOM SHALL I SEND?" And he answered and said "HERE AM I, SEND ME!" Here am I, my people, party or no party, send me.

Send you?
To where?

You that have just disparaged someone else's personae by judging through your one man perspective!

Yes send you.
Send you to your clan as head, maybe.