This is another of the days when I have to start the column with gratitude to readers following the reactions received last week from different parts of the country, across the North and the South. My first expression of appreciation goes to Imo State – born Mrs. Ngozi Nkiruka Chukwuka, a Deputy Director, National Youth Service Corps Scheme (081-7131-4907), who phoned on Wednesday and commended the far – reaching and extraordinary research I do on the subjects I write on week – after – week. And who prayed that God will continue to bless me for the exceptional enlightenment I give to people on secular, religious and spiritual issues.
I was also delighted to hear her say that I am one of her five favourite newspaper columnists in Nigeria, along with Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, who writes in the Saturday Sun and Steve Nwosu, who, like me, features in the Daily Sun on Wednesday. And the duo of Dele Sobowale and Dr. Femi Aribisala who are Sunday Vanguard columnists. She admires our columns because of our frankness, objectivity, patriotism and the uncommon information in our articles. Mrs. Chukwuka, who herself is a prolific writer and author, recently published an 80 page booklet with the title: “INNOCENT NIGERIANS,” that is worthy of being read by anyone out for virtuous living to be a good patriot and to qualify for the Kingdom of God in the hereafter.
Next for acknowledgement is Alhaji Abdulkadir of Yola, Adamawa State (080-6035-4098), who was hurt that he did not get the column of penultimate Wednesday to read online, and took the steps which led to its return on the internet last week. It surely takes a reader who adores and is highly devoted to a column to act the way he did and I am grateful to him for his steadfast interest in my PABULUM since inception ten years ago.
The last but not the least for my thanks is the person who sent this text message through 080 – 3546 – 4236: “Your writings are quite encouraging and educative. The one on Professor Anele’s faux pas on Bible authors (7) is quite enriching.”
I return to the Obasanjo – Jonathan story with the sins the two erstwhile presidents jointly committed during the 2011 presidential poll and the infraction exclusive to the latter. In June 2010, I wrote a two – part piece with the caption: Jonathan think twice, wait for 2015, in which I advised him not to contest the election in 2011. That since Obasanjo who used the southern opportunity under the zoning policy of the Peoples Democratic Party spent eight years in office it was incumbent that the North too should have the presidency for two terms running from 2007 – 2015. And that since the rotation of the presidency between the North and South was introduced in December 2002 for fairness, justice and peace in their party, that it would be a sin for him to seek re-election in 2011 as it would be against God’s injunction in Numbers 30:1 – 15 and elsewhere in the Bible. That people must keep to the vows they make to Him and the promise and agreement they have with fellow human beings.
I drew the attention of President Jonathan to the warning of Prophet Joshua to the Israelites in the Book of Joshua Chapter 9 verses 1 – 21 that the Heavenly Father would punish them if they attacked the Gibeonites against the agreement their leaders reached with them. And Nehemiah, the Governor of Judah, saying the same thing in Nehemiah 5:1 – 13 to the Israelites he made to forgive their debtors, when he warned them that the Lord will deal with them severely if they went back on their benevolent concession to demand the money owed to them.
As Joshua and Nehemiah warned, I let President Jonathan know that the Ancient of Days actually caused the family of King Saul to be punished because during his reign (1030 – 1010B.C) he attacked the Gibeonites contrary to the agreement the leaders of Israel had with them in Joshua 9:1 – 21. For this reason, the Sovereign Lord made six of the seven male descendants of the monarch to be handed over to the Gibeonites who hanged them (2 Samuel 21: 1 – 14).
Finally, I let President Jonathan know that Almighty God also caused the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by Chief Moshood Abiola to be annulled by General Ibrahim Babangida. And that this was because he reneged on his promise to reward adequately and not later than June 14, the 41 clerics the Lord raised to fast for 41 days for him to win the election. He sent his thanksgiving offering to them on June 15, a day beyond the deadline given to him and gave them the paltry sum of fifty thousand naira, which came down to one thousand, two hundred naira per person.
To be believed, I revealed that the Lord on Saturday, September 24, 1994 told Abiola’s physician, Dr. Ore Falomo and me that He was responsible for the cancellation of the election results. It was to make President Jonathan contact the medical practitioner for verification of my statement to know if it was true or not. But instead of doing this, he rather chose to ignore me. With the three or more very close relatives he and his wife lost during his five year – long presidency (May 6, 2010 – May 28, 2015), who included his younger brother in his 40s and his mother – in – law, I hope the former president will take my current counseling seriously.
For continuation next week
Professor Anele’s faux pas on bible authors (8)
I now come to the person who penned Jude, the second to the last of the 27 Books in the New Testament which ends with Revelation written by Apostle John. In Chapter 1 verse one of Jude, the author introduced himself as Jude, the brother of James. But it is not clear if he was referring to James, the half – sibling of Jesus or one of his two disciples called James. That is Apostle James, the son of Zebedee and Apostle James, the son of Alphaeus (Matthew 10: 1 – 4).
The information available on the author of the Book is that the sibling Jude was referring to was likely to be James, the brother of Jesus and that humility and reverence to Christ the Messiah was why he did not add his name to that of James. But I doubt this inference because Jude is not among the names of the siblings of Jesus in Matthew 13:53 – 56. Those mentioned there are James, Joseph, Simon and Judas.
To be continued next week.