"Somebody shout hallelujah! ",urged the preacher on a christian TV station.
A wednesday afternoon,the heat blazing despite the rolling ceiling fan ,TV remote hanging lazily in my hands as I lay on a couch,there was nothing else to do and no adults around to keep me on my feet running errands. I was extremely bored and was flicking through the channels,hoping to see something of Interest when I came across a Christian TV station,the large congregation instantly catching my attention. It was almost like the multitude of people one would find in a world cup final game. I could see the expressions on some faces, excitement mixed with hope,arms high up in the air as if to grab at some invincible hands and then.....it hit me!!
Why are the streets empty on Sundays?, the answer is pretty much obvious,why are the streets filled with people in the evenings?...., services have been concluded all over churches. 50% of Nigerians are in church on Sundays seemingly lifting up holy hands to their creator, churches filled up to the brim,echoes of " amens" and "hallelujahs" reverberating through the air,offerings and tithes offered,a very religious nation you must confess...........BUT!
Yes BUT,the word that usually comes after the accolades, the calm before the deep plunge,but despite the seemingly "spirituality" of Nigerians,the ugly headed monster of godlessness remains a dominant theme in Nigeria, ironic right? And so it creates grounds for questions, if most of the population one finds at church services are truly Nigerians, then where do the majority of the people engaged in the social vices come from?,you might say the non Christians right?, well you're privy to your own opinion folks.
Being a Nigerian has now a days become the slightest excuse for every misdemeanor.
I was In a taxi the other day and the driver repeatedly beat traffic lights,the driver then responds in answer to my look....."bros na naija we dey o,abi u be foreigner? ". Again I was in another taxi and were at a place where we had to cross an intersection,despite the speeding oncoming traffic, the driver still drove across admist blaring horns and curses from other drivers,when I chided him on not waiting for the cars to pass, he replied "you don't treat Nigerians gently,Nigerians need iron hands" and then something caught my eyes, a church sticker bearing a bible verse on the dash board.
It has become so piteous to the extent that the word corruption has become almost synonymous with Nigeria despite Nigeria being a very "religious" country. Ask Samuel Eto'o and he'll tell you of his experiences at a jewelry shop,I'm sure many others have suffered similar discrimination because of the acts of other Nigerians and don't you dare blame them(its the bitter truth).
Then it occurred to the me that being "religious" wasn't all, and then I thought to me myself,if only we'll practice Christianity bearing eternity in mind and not just for the excitement of church services,bearing in mind that our sole purpose was to please our creator and not just attending suya nights, bearing in mind that we are to live like Christ and not just coming to church to show off the latest fashion and brand of cars,then maybe,just maybe, a Nigerian some where could travel abroad without being subjected to long and embarrassing examination, or even buy something with a credit card abroad without the sales person having to crosscheck to make sure its not stolen and most important of all,walk with our heads held high,with puffed out chest,proud of being called Nigerians.
Saturday, 21 March 2015
Memoirs
God help us
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