GOVERNMENT UPON HIS SHOULDERS
(Sharing the Vision of CSMN)
Part 3
In 2018, we received some visitors from some leaders in the North with a peculiar message. The northern leaders explained that for Nigeria to stand securely, it has to be on two legs. The two legs are Christianity and Islam because politics in the country has evolved to politics of religion. It is no longer politics of tribalism as it was under the founding fathers of the country. There has been an evolution of politics in Nigeria.
The message is that the two major religions need to organize to provide political leadership for the country. They have observed, and rightly so, that while the other religion is organized for politics and governance, Christians are not well organized. Therefore, they urged us at CSMN to expedite work on harmonizing the political consensus project so that political balance can be achieved in the country. With political balance, politics can transmute from politics of religion to politics based on issues and competence.
After months of planning and meetings by CSMN, some leaders in the Church, for personal selfish reasons, chose to compromise the Christian political consensus project and handed it over again to extremist Muslims in 2019. This is not slander but irrefutable historical facts. It is hoped that Christians would have learnt a big lesson from the consequences of this treachery and ensure that they no longer stand by idly while Democracy and Good Governance is compromised for selfish personal interest in the Church.
Invariably, instead of building the other “political leg” of Christians for the country to stand upright, some misguided Christians leaders chose to strengthen the only “leg” of the Muslims. So, till today, Nigeria is still wobbling on one political leg. Only the Muslims have political structure. That is why there is gross imbalance in Federal appointments and in almost all the arms of government and sectors of the economy. They hold all the aces.
Now, the Christians are complaining, but they ignore where the problem came from. Worse still, they seem oblivious that they have to hurry to build their own “political leg” so that balance can be introduced to the polity in Nigeria. Christians should be aware that if this balance is not introduced into the polity, the same scenario of 2015 and 2019 will be re-enacted in 2023 and in subsequent years. Gradually, Christians will become disenfranchised in Nigeria.
It would be presumptuous again of Christians to field multiple candidates come 2023, each armed with prophecies that “God has spoken” that he would win election. You don’t win elections because someone prophesied over your life; you win elections because you have political structure. And, you do not achieve political structure by attending anointing service, you organize, network, and build it.
CSMN is calling Christians to join in building a political structure that can launch credible Christian candidates into governance and be strong enough to negotiate balance of power in the country. While our vision is to place GOVERNMENT UPON HIS SHOULDERS, we bear in mind the reality that other citizens too have equal right to participate in governance. Our objective is to make the Christian bloc influential to bring Godly influence into governance in Nigeria.
As we have pointed out in Parts 1 & 2 of this treatise, CSMN is the socio-political arm of the Church. It has the mandate of the five Church Groups that make up Christianity in Nigeria to represent Christians on all social and political issues.
FACTORS HINDERING CHRISTIAN POLITICAL EFFECTIVENESS
For Nigerian Christians to build formidable political structure, the following are some of the factors that need to be corrected:
1. Individualism: The average Nigerian Christian is fiercely individualistic. He is rarely committed to corporate goals. If we do not join hands and work as one, we shall continue to be underdogs even though we are in the majority.
2. Denominationalism: Deep division engendered by the denominational spirit in the Church. When it comes to seeking political power, there has to be unity of purpose. All the Church Groups should support a unified Christian political platform. Establishing multiple platforms would be defeatist.
3. Unrealistic spirituality: An unscriptural mindset that God will do everything. This is a lazy mental attitude carried over from fake miracle services.
4. Distorted Theology: For years, many Christians believe that all we have to do is to preach the Gospel. As pointed out in Part 1 of this series, establishing kingdom Government is as important as soul winning. Our Theology must be balanced.
5. Intellectual arrogance: Perhaps the greatest malady of Nigerian Christians. This leads to unnecessary arguments and contention. Rather than take prompt action, Christians would be trying to outdo each other in display of academic prowess.
HOW DO WE PLACE GOVERNMENT UPON HIS SHOULDERS?
First, let us reaffirm that CSMN is not a political party, neither is it planning to transmute into one. CSMN is building a political platform that seeks to achieve the following:
1. CSMN is persuaded that the only National Ideology that can sustain Nigeria and promote justice, equality, and fairness, leading to peace, progress and prosperity is Democracy. CSMN will continue, assiduously, to promote Democracy in Nigeria and ensure that it remains the only National Ideology of the country.
2. CSMN aims to mobilize Christians to participate actively in Governance.
After 300 years of Christian persecution in Roman Empire, God moved through Emperor Constantine in 313 AD to promulgate Edict of Tolerance and Christianity became State Religion. That was politics.
So, if Christians neglect active and well harmonized participation in politics and governance, someone in Government can, with a stroke of the pen, outlaw Christianity.
3. Identify and nurture credible Christians who can be entrusted with Government and support them, irrespective of political party. Christians are at liberty to identify with any political party of their choice. CSMN is looking for credible candidates.
4. Engage in mobilization and education of Christians at National, State and Local Government levels to participate in providing leadership at all levels of governance.
5. Depending on availability of funds, arrange training for Christians interested in governance.
6. Depending on availability of funds, provide financial assistance for credible Christians to campaign and secure political offices.
7. Intensify Christian good works, based on Acts 10: 38, and following the pattern of the early missionaries in Nigeria.
8. Sustaining 24/7 prayers for Nigeria.
We encourage all Nigerian Christians to support and participate in the process of providing Godly leadership for Nigeria. Christians have no moral and spiritual right to complain of bad governance in the country if they fail to harmonize their enormous resources to provide Godly alternative.
Christian Social Movement of Nigeria (CSMN) is the only credible body established by the Nigerian Church Groups for this purpose. Let us join hands to place GOVERNMENT UPON HIS SHOULDERS.
Your brother,
Bosun
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