ENUGU STATE IS IN THE HANDS OF GOD: SLOGAN OR IDEOLOGY?

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ENUGU STATE IS IN THE HANDS OF GOD: SLOGAN OR IDEOLOGY? THE MUSINGS OF A POLITICAL ANALYST

WRITTEN BY HERBERT C. NNADI (IGEDEnwaAFRIKA)

Lives in Enugu (+2348035082936)

INTRODUCTION

For why people go into politics, I find as apropos the insight from Chinua Achebe in his evergreen blistering salvo against leadership in Nigeria under the title “The Trouble With Nigeria”: “Why do people go into politics if not for service?” – a retort by Aminu Kano. On this, he chose Aminu Kano as an example of what all politicians should aspire, since the foregoing quote was drawn from the last Television interview that Aminu Kano granted. Aminu Kano was so unassuming! The Nigerian Constitution – the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended - also specified the goal of every of government: “The security and the welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government – Sec. 13(b)”. From these two related citations, the bottom line of politics is known: “the welfare of the people” – and this should be total and comprehensive.

Enugu State was carved out from Anambra State, and came into existence on 27 August, 1991 during the Babangida administration. Enugu prior to its emergence as a State had served and still does, as the capital of the South Eastern region of Nigeria. Over the years, it has not had it bad in terms of good administration when compared with other states in the geo-political zone, even though, Anambra State has cleared outpaced her within the recent past. Previous administrations and the current one had/has unique slogans that identified their styles of leadership. Between 1999 and 2007 when Chimaroke Nnamani held sway, the slogans in operation were “Ebe-Ano” in the main, and “To God be the Glory” as the adjunct. “Ebe-Ano” literally translates to “Something in vogue”. With all fairness, the administration created huge human capital, and established basic infrastructure that set the State on the path of human and economic development. It was assumed that all fashionable things done by the administration, were all to the glory of God. However, it was so difficult relating the cold-blooded massacre of some adorers at the Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria led by its spiritual director, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka as having anything to do with the glorification of God. The moral deficits of cronyism and blatant malfeasance that characterized the administration leave much to be desired when we invoke the slogan “To God be the Glory”. Till date, anti-graft agencies are still after the man at the helm of affairs then for sundry cases of corruption and expropriation of public funds.

Sullivan administration came into effect from 2007 and terminated in 2015. The media shy Governor during the inaugural ceremony disembarked the “Ebe-Ano” slogan from the official administrative vehicle and all associated songs and musicals, and was not identified with any slogan, except the ones forced on him by a great army of praise-singers, from whom we got “Iheanacho” – drawn from his Igbo name, and then “Sullivan is in-charge” – used during the ensuing strained relationship between him and the Deputy Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Distinguished Senator, Ike Ekweremmadu that arose from the political struggle over who should return as the Senator that will represent Enugu West at the upper chamber of the National Assembly. Despite his influence as the one who was in-charge, he was well trumped by the DSP on the account of valuable experience.

The current administration run by His Excellency Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Ifeanyi Lawrence Ugwuanyi threw up “Enugu State is in the hands of God” as the popular refrain both in speech and in print. From the foregoing, it is clear that no administration in Enugu State since the dawn of the Fourth Republic has failed to adopt a label of leadership. Knowing that the one forged by the Chimaroke Nnamani administration to a large extent implicated God as majority of the collateral activities of the administration were a dupe of divine approbation, I will hazard the implication of allowing Enugu State to be in the hands of God as claimed by the current administration in Enugu State. Is “Enugu State is in the hands of God” a slogan or an ideology? In either of the cases, enough implication is contained thereof that could yield value judgment.

MATTERS ARISING

What is a slogan, and what is an ideology? Sparing all technicalities, we shall adopt the ordinary dictionary meanings of the two terms. On one hand, slogan refers to a short and striking or memorable phrase used in advertising, and on the other hand, an ideology is a system of ideas and ideals, especially one which forms the basis of economic or political theory or policy. Slogan thrives within the context of public relations campaign, while ideology has a deeper and explicit system of thought. If “Enugu State is in the hands of God” would thrive as a slogan, its goal will be to attract mass appeal, and will likely succeed in swaying public opinion especially in our clime where anything attributed to God is not likely to receive any rational censure. However, if the phrasal refrain is elevated to the status of an ideology, it would require grave ratiocination from its author – Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and the end-user – the Government and the people of Enugu State. I feel I can reason out a model out of the concept.

From the inaugural speech (his charter with the people of Enugu State) of the Governor, no one was in doubt that in the concept is seen the underlying principle of the current administration of Enugu State. By implication, God is involved in all the activities of the State. So, for me “Enugu State is in the hands of God is beyond a slogan; it is an ideology”. In his charter with the people of Enugu State, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi invoked God as the principal ruler, under whose guidance he administers the commonwealth of Enugu State for the good of the citizenry and edification of the State, and the glorification of God as its destination. On this, what comes to mind is the admonition from 1 Corinthians 10:31 “. . . whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God”. To have decided to hand over Enugu State to God, which is likened to what the United States of America (USA) espouses via her motto: “In God we Trust”, it must be seen as a commendable act from the Governor.

What are the implications of making God the enthroned principal ruler in the affairs of a State, say Enugu State, as the current government of the State is wont to say? In the first place, it is implied that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi remains a divine vessel for the reign of God in Enugu State. I hope the Governor knows that God is a consuming fire (cf, Hebrews 12: 29), and would not tolerate His name being uttered in vain (cf Exodus 20: 7). The name of God or “Yahweh” is a holy name, and only the High Priests of the Old Testament biblical history were allowed to utter the name sparingly. Before the addition of the Hebrew vowels to YHVH by the Masoretes, the four letters representing the name of God is known as Tetragrammaton, which no other person than the High Priest was permitted to mention. I do not feel that the Governor is not aware of the holiness attributed to God, for while he read his inaugural address, he acknowledged the pre-eminence of God thus: “The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and the awesome God of David”. The God under whose majesty Enugu State is run is the God of the Hebrew patriarchs. By extension He is the God of David, the upright King of Israel to whom God referred as the man after His own heart (cf. 1 Samuel 13: 14), for he did what was right before God. Based on the Governor’s family history, he is the son of David Ugwuanyi (for his earthly father received the name David at birth). Such connection is enough to say that the Governor knows the God he is talking about.

This God did not fail to abandon Israel when it sinned. The glory of God departed Israel when the sons of Eli committed despicable sins against God leading to the ark of God being carted away. The wife of Phinehas named her child Ichabod (cf. 1 Samuel 4: 21) to mark such era of disaster in the history of Israel. When Saul cavorted vainly against God, the spirit of the Lord deserted him, while evil spirit took hold of him. When Asa as the King of Judah entered into an unholy treaty with Egypt, God denounced him thus: “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war – 2 Chronicles 16: 9”. The foregoing remains the universal verdict against anyone that would use the name of God only as a mere slogan.

I always pray that Governor Ugwuanyi lives always under the enlightened understanding of the full implications of the pact he has entered with God as he administers Enugu State. This should be the prayer of everyone that loves the Governor and not the spasmodic declarations of pretentious adulation of many a praise-singer, whom I assess to be mouthing pious irrelevancies – apology to Martin Luther King Jnr. In reality, because I won’t doubt the intentions of the Governor for his choice, Enugu State is in the hands of God. As a result, God has His eyes on anything that is done in Enugu State. He oversees all the activities in all the MDAs in Enugu State.

The logical consequence of the pact is that anything evil done in Enugu State has far reaching repercussions. From my observation, the Governor has been up and doing. For me, he is a workaholic. He is empathetic. He reaches out at times to the poor. To ensure he does not suffer from the sin of any of his collaborators, he must always ensure that all political appointees perform their duties with reverence to the name of God that Enugu State upholds. The government must ensure that she is not guilty of rapaciousness as some communities allege, whose lands have been grabbed and parceled out without compensation. The Lord warns: “thou shall not covet anything that is thy neighbour’s – Exodus 20:17”. In the use of his immediate and reserved powers under the Land Use Act, the Governor must ensure that fairness and equity are not choked up.

The Lord is always there for the dregs of the earth, and must always stand for them. The other day, commercial bus drivers embarked on demonstration against the high-handedness of the Ministry of Transport and her agents. I feel that any member of the Cabinet, or the EXCO found wanting in any way must be thrown out, for until the bad tooth is pulled out, the mouth must continue to chew with caution. We recall that the sin of Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah (cf. Joshua 7ff) threw the whole Israel into pandemonium. In the same way, the sin of a commissioner, SPA, SA, EA and any other political appointee could make God desert Enugu State.

Some critics of the State Governor allege that he is misappropriating public funds. If such accusation were to be true before God, then the Governor may have forgotten this admonition: “let such things not be mentioned among you – (cf. Ephesians 5: 3ff & 1 Corinthians 5:1ff)”. So, the Governor must always be careful not to give the devil any foothold (cf. Ephesians 4: 27), but to always resist him in faith so that it will flee from him (cf. James 4:7). I suggest that the Governor should always shake up his cabinet to ensure that those who do not perform well would be laid off.

I also feel that whoever is with God should be at peace. But I find my Governor always cordoned off through a labyrinth of protocols, and the convoy practice. Is the Governor afraid of moving into the street to see for himself what hunger has hung on the shoulders of the citizens of Enugu State? Let me take the Governor to the Bible concerning what he will never be able to experience if he would not disguise himself and sneak into the slums to see first-hand what the people pass through: “…And the king said to her, "What is the matter with you?" And she answered, "This woman said to me, 'Give your son that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.' "So we boiled my son and ate him; and I said to her on the next day, 'Give your son, that we may eat him'; but she has hidden her son." When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes-- now he was passing by on the wall-- and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth beneath on his body.… cf. 2 Kings 6: 28-30”. If King Jehoram did not sneak into the street, he would not have known that his subjects had turned cannibals as a result of the ensuing famine in Samaria.

I was happy one day that I passed through the newly constructed Opi-Nsukka road, and saw the statue of the Governor mounted by an overzealous praise-singer being knocked down. It was a testimony that the Governor has no reason to erect a graven image. If he does that, he would be playing god. What happened to King Agrippa should serve as a caution to him all the time. For refusing to honour God by inflating himself, Agrippa was struck and worms covered him – cf. Acts 12: 23. To govern in wisdom, the Governor should at all times surround himself with men of good counsel and honest report as advisers, and not those that will ruin him as happened to King Rehoboam – cf. I Kings 12ff.

The 2019 general elections are gearing up. A Governor after God’s own heart will not have to give guns to the Youth so that they would hunt down the opponents. The Bible says: “Thou shalt not kill – Exodus 20: 13”. Political expediency is not enough good ground for a human life to be wasted. Life belongs to God. Everywhere you turn in Enugu State today, you will see billboards screaming the return of the Governor in 2019. Good works alone would give victory to the Governor, not any form of intimidation by desperate politicians who would juggle with the electoral code in order to score cheap political points. The Governor should continue to seek the mind of God in prayer with regard to his intention to return for the second term.

There are a lot of other things that I would have said but I shall leave them for another time. What I am sure is that the Governor knows that “Enugu State is in the hands of God” is not a mere slogan. I consider it an ideology principled on the belief that God’s rule guarantees good governance. Anything short of that is sin. And I pray that the Governor would not lead Enugu State into sin against God, under whose guidance he administers the State. If God is truly in-charge, let the good works be seen, for any branch that does not bear fruit is cut off and cast into the Gehenna.