Nigeria will rise again!

Matthew 28:6, “He is not here; He is risen as He said.”

Mathew 28:18, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”

The greatest shock of the devil was that Jesus resurrected. He resurrected to the glory of God. The devil thought he had Him but he was mistaken. The angel announced proudly, ‘He is not here; He is risen as He said.’ (Matthew 28:6). The stone could not prevent The Rock of Ages from coming out triumphantly. The soldiers on guard could not prevent the Commander of the host of heaven from coming out. The decree of Pilate could not prevent the King of kings from coming out. There is nothing the enemy has that can stop you from rising to your throne. You are unstoppable!

THIS singular event sealed the devil’s defeat and man’s redemption for ever! Satan has not and will never recover from this defeat. Man is back to his position of authority and dominion through Christ. When Jesus rose from the dead he said to his disciples in one of the post resurrection appearances that all power has been given to him in heaven and in earth (Matthew 28:18).

Man is back in control and no longer subject to the devil. We are finally delivered from the authority of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of God’s dear Son I am a Catholic priest. The commodity that I market is hope, and hope is never in recession” Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah.

These are indeed very distressing and trying times for Nigerians. We have found ourselves as a people stranded on the highways with seemingly no help in sight. Our political choices in the kind of leadership we have foisted on ourselves have not paid off. On the contrary, we are inundated on a daily basis with harrowing tales of murder and bloodshed, with our leaders doing practically nothing to halt the tide. The level of unemployment continues to soar, as young people, ravaged by the epidemic of hopelessness and helplessness in the face of an expired political leadership bereft of vision, are giving themselves willingly to slavery by risking death through the Mediterranean just to get to Europe. The recent return of hundreds of stranded young Nigerians from Libya attempting to reach Europe through the high sea is a testament to how low Nigeria has sunk as a nation. This is certainly not the vision of the founding fathers of our nation, and I am sure that they will all be cringing in their graves about what we have made of the hopes, aspirations and dreams that gave birth to modern Nigeria.

I have followed the concerns of young Nigerians on social media as far as the happenings in our nation are concerned. The feeling of betrayal on the part of our leaders is all too palpable, so is the level of angst among the young generation. Many young people want a nation that gives hope and inspires (Colossians 1:13).

Four major reasons Jesus went to the cross Bible reading: Isaiah 53:1-12 Isaiah 53:4-6, “[4] Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. [5] But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. [6] All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

1. To pay the penalty for our sins and give us eternal life: the gift of righteousness. Isaiah 53:5 says, “[5] But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him…” 2Corinthians 5:21, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” This is life: the life of God. 1John 5:12, “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”

2. To break the curse of poverty and restore the blessing of Abraham unto the believer. Galatians 3:13-14, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: [14] That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; greatness; they want to live in Nigeria and realise their potentials. They do not want to spend their lives in exile trying to make a living. But it seems that the more they try to make a living in Nigeria, they more they are frustrated by the skewed and suffocating political system that is wired to destroy dreams and burn out vision. We are surely not going to change Nigeria by simply sitting in the comfort of our rooms and churning out insults against those who rule us and against one another. Young people defending politicians who have colluded to squander our commonwealth and those who are manifestly against the corrupt political system are those to whom the future of Nigeria belongs. The upper stratum of Nigeria’s political elite is fading out. What we will do when leadership falls upon us is yet to be seen in the attitude of young people towards leadership and public service.

We need new ideas in politics as well as a new kind of politics. It is these new ideas that will inspire the new kind of politics that we desperately need. As 2019 draws near, we have a duty to collectively interrogate all those who put themselves forward for political leadership. By now we should all be tired of wolves that come to us in sheep’s clothing asking to be voted into power. What we need are men and women who embody the right kind of values that are central to nation building. We all know what these values are. Other nations in Africa and elsewhere have done it. There is nothing that says that Nigerians cannot do it. Nigeria can be great (again!). Leadership is not rocket science. We have the intellectual, political and economic resources to pull that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” The curse of poverty represented by the thorns was broken when Jesus was worn the crown of thorns. You are meant to now inherit the blessing of Abraham (Galatians 3:29). What made Abraham rich is now in your life. Poverty is illegal in your life! Do what Abraham did and you will enjoy everything Abraham enjoyed!

3. To take away our diseases. “…with his stripes we are healed.” Matthew 8:17, “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.”

4. To deliver us from death and hell. Sin made mankind a slave of the devil heading for hell but we are delivered through the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. Colossians 1:13, “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.” We have been delivered; hallelujah! We are no longer slaves to serve Satan. He has lost his jurisdiction and power over us! Anyone who is not born again remains a slave of the devil and will certainly end up in hell. Our response 1. Believe and give our lives to Him. John 1:12, “But as many as received him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”

2. Serve Him all the days of our lives. God did not save you to serve this country out of the graveyard of despair and catastrophe. We cannot afford to wait for too long. Nigerians are dying on a daily basis. If human life means anything to us, our first concern should be to restore dignity to a battered nation and its battered people. This is the most important value we all have lost in the maze of politics bereft of morality. The first task of a new kind of politics is to give Nigerians dignity and make Nigerian lives matter. Once this is established, every other thing can follow. Once we reclaim our lost dignity, we can start to ask for bread, not as beggars in need of charity and philanthropy, but as citizens demanding their just rights to survive and to thrive in their own country.

In this Season of Easter, God comes once again with the assurance that Good Friday does not have the last word. Death and destruction may seem triumphant, but that seeming triumph is only short-lived. Good Friday will always give way to Easter Sunday. In the context of current happenings in our nation, the resonance of this Easter message of hope makes a lot of difference. Easter means never giving up! It means that we realise that nation building is a painful process that requires a lot of sacrifice, commitment, and dedication. This sense of sacrifice is clearly visible in the life of Jesus Christ whose passion, death, and resurrection has won redemption for the whole of humanity. Looking up to Jesus, Nigerian Christians and indeed all citizens have to imbibe those values that make for justice, reconciliation and peace - the fruits of Christ’s redeeming sacrifice. Connected to this, is the realisation that Christians have an important role to play in nation building. If we you. He saved you to serve Him. 1Thessalonians 1:9 says, “…we turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” We are saved to serve God. It’s not enough for Christ to be your Saviour, He must be your Lord. Servants obey their masters. Malachi 1:6, “A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?”

3. Do everything in our power to bring others to Christ with the help of the Holy Spirit. We are saved to help save others; we are reconciled to reconcile others to Christ. 2Corinthians 5:18-19, “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; [19] To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.” Every true child of God wins souls. It is a command to be carried out if the death of Jesus Christ is not to be in vain.

Statistics has shown that only a very small number of people don’t want children. Everyone truly born again will desire, pray and work to get others born again.

This is the main thing that triggers heaven’s attention and the are able to mobilise and harness the intellectual, moral, ethical, cultural, and spiritual resources of our faith, we can turn around the fortunes of this country. Jesus Christ who died and rose to life holds the answer to all our national predicaments. If we turn to him for inspiration, we will find the support we need to start the tortuous journey from Calvary to Emmaus.

But there is also an important message for our leaders, perhaps a warning. The warning is that they stop deceiving themselves by thinking that they are working for the people and conscientiously begin to do what is right and just in God’s sight. The vast majority of Nigerians know that our politicians are in power for their own selfish interests. Very few of them embody the patriotic spirit that leaders who put their nation and its citizens over and above petty considerations live by. The corruption in government is all too evident for the blind to see. In the last couple of days, I have been working on an essay that requires me to read Frantz Fanon’s seminal book, The Wretched of the Earth. I feel Fanon’s prescient lamentation about corruption in much of postcolonial Africa at the time he published his book in 1961, shortly before his death. Writing about the situation in under-developed countries, Fanon says: “Some [politicians] have a double source of income and demonstrate that they are specialised in opportunism. Privileges multiply and corruption triumphs, while morality declines. Today the vultures are too numerous and too voracious in proportion to the lean spoils of the national wealth.” Going further, he says that “scandals are numerous, ministers grow rich, their wives doll themselves up, the members of parliament feather their nests and there is not a soul down to the simple policeman or the customs outpouring of heaven’s wealth into a person’s life. Don’t expect heaven to keep funding you on earth when you’re not helping to build the Kingdom of God numerically.

We have countless opportunities each day we interact with people to preach Jesus. Even one of the thieves crucified with Jesus preached Jesus to the other thief. He knew Jesus was a just man and defended Him. He also accepted he was a sinner.

We hear people say the wrong things about God and the church each day and we say nothing. We hear people complain about their situation yet we don’t present Christ the solution. We see people hurting every day and we don’t show them kindness. We see people confused about their spirituality yet we do not direct them to church. We see people who were once committed drifting away yet we do not care to bring them back.

God is counting on you to spread the good news.

The best tribute we can pay to Christ is to continue with the reconciliation work He came to do and gave His life for.

May this Easter bring you deliverance, healing, unimaginable wealth and prosperity, in Jesus name!

Happy Easter! officer who does not join in the great procession of corruption.”

If I did not mention the book and the time it was written, you would think that the writer is describing Nigeria as it is so today. Fanon quotes a Christian newspaper, The African Weekly published in Brazzaville Congo in the heydays of independence, which addresses the princes of the regime in these words: “You who are in good positions, you and your wives, today you enjoy many comforts; perhaps a good education, a fine house, good contacts and many missions on which you are delegated which open new horizons to you. But all your wealth forms a hard shell which prevents your seeing the poverty that surrounds you. Take care.” Fanon says that what The African Weekly wanted to point out to the starvers of the Congolese people is that “God will punish their conduct.” It continues: “If there is no room in your heart for consideration towards those who are beneath you, there will be no room for you in God’s house.” These observations say a lot about politics but also about the character of the men who masquerade as leaders of their people. Privileges often bind and blind! Our God is merciful; he has room for everyone. But he also wants those he has placed in positions of leadership to create room for everyone. Those who refuse to create room for everyone, particularly Nigerian politicians, should know this: God is watching you! Amidst the challenges facing us today as Nigerians, we cannot afford to lose hope; we cannot afford to allow our lives look like Good Friday without Easter Sunday. I am an incurable optimist; I believe in Nigeria and I believe that Nigeria will rise again! Happy Easter.

Ojeifo is a priest of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja.