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Okukpe Et Al: The Rise Of The Sons Of Belial

Talking about corruption in Nigeria has become like talking about reconstruction of Lagos-Ore expressway, repairing the Port Harcourt – Enugu NNPC damaged pipeline or the politics of Russia vs. Georgia.

Talking about corruption in Nigeria has become like talking about reconstruction of Lagos-Ore expressway, repairing the Port Harcourt – Enugu NNPC damaged pipeline or the politics of Russia vs. Georgia.

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However, the awe and horror of the dimension of the ‘new-corruption’ in the country is the emanation of the children of the high and mighty who have broken the records of their fathers to ascend to the utopian heights of ‘who can beat me in this game’.

More laughable is the guerrilla appointment of Dr Doyin Okukpe, the infamous mouthpieces of former Nigerian President Mr Olusegun Obasanjo who only in February 7 of this year, still relishing in the euphoria of his factional appointment as the dwarf ‘’Leader’’ of PDP in Ogun State shot that Mr Obasanjo erred in leading the Ogun PDP. This character of a man was on May 3 posted on YouTube, for reasons unclear to me till today, postulating that Pastor Tunde Bakare (PTB) cannot and shall not critique the management of Nigeria resources.

Still recovering from the Halloween of this man’s appointment, today 2nd August, just few days after receiving his appointment letter as the ‘’attack dog’’ of the Nigeria federal government, he couldn’t wait any longer to take his seat, he took over the job of Okonjo-Iwuala by attempting to educate Nigerians that the nation is and will be broke if it has to appropriate the budget as stipulated in the 2012 Appropriation Bill and that if it insists, it either seeks loan of N1t or collapse the economy. Okukpe has assumed full responsibility of a colossus spokesman for Nigeria. Not taking the liberty to ‘educate’ the people how far the looted $6.8b would go to fix the anticipated deficit pinches me to believe that indeed the first son of Belial is in the loose!
Taking a lead from the biblical Sons of Belial, the sons of the Known in Nigeria, seemingly led by Okukpe, having taken the mantle from their parents are running to finish a race only to be described as utter disregard and pump of pomposity to the beating of chest that nothing will happen. I am frightened and my bones seem to shake as the cloud of 1983 gathers. If you don’t believe me what could you make of a pathetic attitude of the First Family dancing ‘’jankara’’ music in Ojuelegba from the drums of the mad man in Yaba/Oyigbo? Do we talk about the madness of ghost-worker appointment, the Malabu N155b allegation, the great oil subsidy cover-up or the shameless fight over Abuja land by Mrs Jonathan and Mrs Yaradua?

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The rumours and incidences of sons of Nigerian families spearheading fraud syndication and manipulation of the wealth of the nation have always been around but have gotten to its threshold in the last weeks as the faces and names of the accused oil subsidy thieves began to emerge in the media. Bamanga Tukur and his son; Ahmed Ali, his wife and son and others; families conniving to reap where they never sowed
The biblical Belial is not far from what our eyes are seeing today in Nigeria. Young men taking lead in the mindless stealing, diversion and destruction of the national wealth and honour is not only irritating but cancerous in the conscience of the remaining good people of Nigeria. I took a brief glance at the resume of Bamanga Tukur in my quest to know why his own son could slip into the gutters of what he is presently and I must say I took very bitter exception in this man son’s case. The young man may be innocent, but to what extent can he be innocent if more than two committees have consistently confirmed that he is a thief. His father would be said to have witnessed and participated in the glorious and failed ages of Nigeria having started in the national service as early as 1959 but now what?

The act is as unthinkable as satanic and deserving of the penalties that are commensurate to it. I may be tempted to say that these lads fit very well in their father’s shoes. Squandering $6.8b is not a joke and jokes are resolved through bitter joke. What Okukpe will say will be interesting to know. The recent comment of

Davis Mark about online media is evident that Okukpe’s services are long overdue, but we are on standby.

Saharareporters, Pointblanknews and others are available. We shall see who blinks first. The die is cast.
There is no way and it’s utterly impossible that this federal rouge regime would go without a deep scratch on its body together with the agents that vamp on the souls of the people of this nation. It has gone beyond sentiment and wishful thinking and to think that this federal government will not implode is a joke because like in 1966, 1976, 1983, 1984 even 1997 the joke is fully ripe and must wither.  

Suddenly their fathers are insisting that their children are men-enough to talk and take care of themselves. History has it that Ahmed Ali left little to be desired as the national chairman of the ruling peoples democratic party (PDP) and Bamanga Tukur may not be far from same, so it won’t come as a surprising-paradox if they made it clear that their hands are clean but that of their sons are dirty. If Mrs Miriam Ali (Ahmed Ali’s wife) could shamelessly accept to bail her alleged rogue son and accomplice from Sierra Leon then the viper has dinned with the rabbit!.

These sons, trained with stolen wealth and continuing in the iniquities of their fathers have come home to roast; the Saraki;s are still fresh in memories (though Bukola Saraki may be in penance when he moved at the floor of the Senate that fuel subsidy be probed). Until the cutlass and axe of revenge is offered these people, it may never be peace for the peaceful.

Theologically, the mind of God is not known (Rom 11: 34) but the will of God is known to man (Rom 8: 27). God’s will is that men should worship him absolutely and that the wicked, witches and men of dark souls should perish in all their manifestations. So, what is the outcry if calls are made that Nigeria economic witches should perish? Who should care how they perish except their concubines and mistresses?

If it’s true Christians in Nigeria are 60% of the population, it should mean that of the 160m people 100m are Christians. My survey says that 1% of Nigerian Christians are Pastors, Reverends or whichever name they choose to be called. That means that 1m Nigerians are mounting the pulpit at one time or the other to preach in churches or other places. Why won’t this One Million rattle this federal government of vampires? The same should be said of the Imams and other Islamic leaders/preachers. When everybody is complaining nobody is complaining.

Out of the blues the duo of Babangida and Obasanjo are raising their voices ahead of the preachers insisting that something should be done before insecurity consumes Nigeria. Ribadu says he needs one week to fish-out the subsidy rogues and many more surprises. It is also proper that the two generals are asked to return their alleged loots before security will improve.

To a great extent I agree with the fellow because the crux of the insecurity roots in social injustice; not in religion or tribe. I can’t understand why and it beats every sense of common gravitational physics that there would be no pipe borne water in Yenogoa, Lokoja or Onitsha with rivers round-about them,. Why must ‘pure water’ sell highest in Yenogoa, Onitsha, Benue and Lokoja than in Awka and Ayangba? Maybe the river-line Governors will have answers.

In the foregoing, it is really prayer-able and desirable that change must happen in Nigeria, but waiting for 2013 or 2015 does not make sense anymore as the earlier the better. It is therefore of little-mind to think that this change has nothing to do with Men of God. Lack of theo-contextual analysis is holding down the steam in the hearts of our people.

Why should one feel dirty if he involves in politics as a Man of God but feels holy even when he is deceiving and manipulating his congregation to offer tithes and offering with the last kobo in their hands? I am repeating again that the Bible in its entirety never prohibits Preachers from being partisan -politically. I reminded my Bible College Professor that so long we live in a social world the social guide (constitution) will always be used to rule the world; so the earlier Nigerian Christians get grasp of this strange reality the better.

Now that Nigeria is amending her constitution, has the 1% sacrificed one Sunday Service to reason with their congregation what this exercise holds for them? Is it not supposed that the so-called CAN, PFN etc gather their flocks and educate them about the exercise?

Murmuring in the cloak room is not permissible in a social jungle. The Christians of conscience must rise and be part of the 5th amendment! Has the 1m educated their people to register and vote or be voted? We all glue to CNN when Republicans claim the US Evangelicals and Democrats run to the Non-Evangelicals and Pagans. Here we are, 100 of 160 million, yet we cannot change a bad guy for a good guy. I remember when the Christians cried ‘bring-him-and-hang-him’ when Buharis was reported to have asked Muslims to vote for a Muslim. Why grumble? The man understood that one solution to Nigeria’s many woes will always be religious amendment and realignment. The diversity is obvious.

Still in theological exegeses, the spiritual anatomy of man says that the heart is the battle field of life; to purify the body and soul and ignore the heart will not bring good in a man. Being ready to rule Nigeria is more than kneeling on the altar to be prayed for by revered Men of God. The anointing of the head with oil will not change the heart until the mind accepts the Spirit of Change. I now speak as a Christian- only the Holy Spirit can change the heart when we yield; kneeling down on the pulpit (kneeling-anointing) can never do it.

So, if the sons of Belial are feeding the ‘Kneeling-Anointed’ how can the sons of Belial be rooted out? I still remember when Mr Jonathan was kneeling at the Redeemed Church Camp and prayed for by the General Overseer and the entire 2m congregants stretching their hands towards him, we thought that indeed ‘’fresh air’’ has come to Nigeria. In the contrary filthy air has overtaken the common man with news of strange appointments in Bayelsa to mammoth fraud in Abuja. In fact records are showing that Nigeria has never had it like this in politically motivated fraud and senseless wastage of life on the bad roads and bombings.

It is an open knowledge that the present Nigeria’s disaster is as seriously inclined with some Nigerian Men-of-Preaching (Pastors, Reverends, Imams, Bishops or any name they may be called) as in the ranting of Dr Doyin Okukpe and confusion of Dr Reuben Abatti. Though I don’t blame Reuben as it is impossible to market rotten product but I am afraid the assurance by Babangida is a deceit if what we see today is not stopped forthwith. If the bare hands could not kill the elephant, the hands with barrels could be of help.

Contributed By
Rev Ayobanna Ikeanumba Theo.D Is a Researcher with Africa Debate Institute
Johannesburg, South Africa
Email: [email protected]

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