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TRAGEDY: ANOTHER HARVEST OF STELLA ODUAHS

Some days ago, the Pastor of the Friends of God Fellowship, the sponsors and administrators of These Lies Must Stop was scheduled to be the guest at a phone-in program on bribery and corruption on FM99.3 Nigeria Info. Unfortunately, he missed the program because he had to travel out of Lagos. He sent in an apology and a prepared text. The text included the five recommendations earlier posted on this Page on 14 October; “Bribery and Corruption: Five Things Each of Us Should Do”. The program engaged a very active audience and the phone lines were very busy.

The responses to the first recommendation is the object of this post: “Make a firm commitment never to pay or take a bribe again, regardless of the consequence. Paul endured two years in jail rather than pay a bribe. Acts 24:24-27. Put plainly, a commitment to totally shun paying and taking bribes will come at a great cost, and God expects us to bear the cost.” Sadly, although several people called in, all the callers except for 2 or 3 were reluctant or unable to make this commitment. They either saw it as impossible or too difficult. This is the tragedy we are in.

The Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah is currently caught in the despicable purchase of two armoured vehicles for N225m. In a country where more than 50% live on less than N6,000 per month, this purchase is vulgar and reckless. Worse still investigations indicate that the costs were over 100% inflated, with our Minister’s cars costing more than those of the British Prime Minister, the Pope and the American President!!!

But there is an even bigger problem. While we all condemn this reckless and corrupt impunity, and very rightly so, how come we are unwilling to change at our own level. This is the Stella Oduah in almost every Nigerian. Most sadly, this includes Christians, pastors and those of other faiths. Very sad. In Nigeria, most of us practice corruption to the full limit of the opportunity available to us; either stealing pens and corporate stationery; colonizing corporate parking lots and charging for it; falsifying age to qualify for employment; tampering with petrol gauge to sell people short; or stealing billions from corporate and national treasuries. As Tim Newman wrote “Outright theft is rife: from a pen lying on a desk, to billions from the state coffers. Dishonesty is rife: from the state governors to the street urchin, lying to enrich yourself is the norm. You name the scam, it is being done in Nigeria... As I said before, you’ll find such practices everywhere, but to nowhere near the extent found in Nigeria.”

Pastors cannot pretend to be doing God's will if they continue to remain silent on corruption, an evil that qualifies as the sin of Nigeria just as immorality and homosexuality qualified Sodom. Which church does Ms. Oduah attend? What is the position of her pastor and church in the face of these sad revelations? How come bribery and corruption is everywhere but hardly mentioned on the pulpit? How much of Sunday's tithes and offerings represent laundering of corrupt proceeds?

Consequently, this matter of bribery and corruption calls for repentance and change on a national scale, starting from you and I, from the Messenger to the Managing Director; from the Security Guard to the Chief Executive Officer. Each of us needs to determine to be the starting point for the change by vowing never again to pay or take a bribe, no matter the cost. Let us start. Don’t wait for the next man. Be No 1. May God help us as we choose to please God in Jesus name, Amen.

IF HABITUAL GIVING AND TAKING OF BRIBES WILL DISQUALIFY FROM MAKING HEAVEN, WILL YOU MAKE IT? Isn’t it tragic that we may spend years hopping from one church program to another only to end up in hell because we are unwilling to pay the price, make the commitment and shun evil, including paying and taking bribes.

Ps 101:2a, 3, 4, 6-8: 2 I will try to walk a blameless path,..3 Help me to refuse the low and vulgar things; help me to abhor all crooked deals of every kind, to have no part in them. 4 I will reject all selfishness and stay away from every evil. 6 I will make the godly of the land my heroes and invite them to my home. Only those who are truly good shall be my servants. 7 But I will not allow those who deceive and lie to stay in my house. 8 My daily task will be to ferret out criminals and free the city of God from their grip. Living Bible

Are you on the Lord’s side? Are you prepared to take a bold stand for the Lord? Are you willing to go all the way to say NO to bribery and corruption? Will you join the INTEGRITY NETWORK to stop the lies? Type yes if you are bold and ready.