On God and government

The long-running despicable debate about whether or not there should be a separation between the Almighty God and the state can only continue to cause crass corruption in so-called secular countries. How could the mind of man have deteriorated to point where the fad is to distance yourself from God!

Fortunately, the Federal Republic of Nigeria is not a secular state. The 1999 Constitution (as amended) unambiguously defines the country as a “multi-religious” nation. From the President to the parliamentarians, all appointed or elected political office holders take the oath of office swearing either with the Bible or the Qur’an.

Nigerians and most Africans have been consistently rated among the five most religious people on earth. Places of worship are aplenty as are passionate believers in the Supremacy of the Creator, Cherisher and Lord of the universe. With more mosques and churches per square meter than any country, the general testimony is that God has in turn been good and greatly generous to this land and its people.

On the flipside, the proliferation of paganism and occultism and of charlatan clergies disrupts and distorts this quest for Divine connection. The scenario seems so confusing that some sincere seekers of God are even misled into worshipping multiple monstrous gods at variegated shrines. Politicians, popular performers and some top professionals are especially enamoured with this. Some celebrities including a serving governor are even ‘Chrislims!’

This may be one of the reasons why the overall outcome of the high religiosity in Nigeria is not righteousness but licentiousness especially among the elite. Corruption, debauchery and immorality currently characterise the conduct of most leaders at all levels and tiers of government. It is as if the popular Ten Commandments in the Old Testament and the Ten Major Sins in the Holy Qur’an that are almost identical were meant only for rote recitation.

Political, public and private office holders alike now consistently cheat constituents, covet power, deceive people, forge testimonials, embezzle public possessions and oppress the weak even after swearing on the Holy Books they claim to believe. These seemingly pious personalities pray to God and shamelessly proceed to prey on the people.

Clerics who lack credibility do even more to discredit religion which serves to bring people nearer to the Almighty God. It is downright disillusioning that priests perform murderous rituals and imams instigate the murder of innocent souls. Unfortunately, such fake men of God will fester until corruption is reduced to the barest minimum.

Sadly, this state of affairs signifies a giant gallop towards a godless state. Youths who constitute the bulk of our population need to only see the dissonance between the teachings of the faiths and the ‘believers’ conduct to be disenchanted by religion. They may be beginning to believe that God has no guiding role in the behaviour of individuals and the functioning of society.

Such scepticism was what systematically shattered the trust of Europeans in all religions. In the last ten years alone, over 2000 mostly historical cathedrals and churches in the UK were closed down over non-patronage. The phobia for God and religion in the West is traceable to the untold atrocities committed by the ancient Roman Catholic Church when it held sway over Europe and later its colonies. It generated the obnoxious dictum ‘render unto God what is God’s and unto Caesar what is Caesar’s.’

This compartmentalisation is the cause of all the brutality, callousness and cruelty that characterise the conduct of secular states. It is why the Western imperial powers continue to support the 75-year long occupation of Palestine following the expulsion and mass murder of over two million Palestinian Christians and Muslims. It is why the US is currently funding a televised genocide by Zionists while the Arab governments are doing nothing about it. Secular show of might-is-right is how the West is controlling all those puppet rulers to mortgage their honour, lands, resources and the well-being of their citizens and neighbours.

Compassion is a characteristic of God and He bestows it only on the believers. This is why the US recently vetoed a UN resolution ordering the cessation of the on-going genocide in Gaza and parts of the West Bank that has killed at least 45,000 mostly women and children and maimed nearly 200,000, destroyed over 80 per cent of these cities in just 60 weeks. When the International Criminal Court (ICC) recently issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the other war criminals, the US government even threatened to sanction it. After all, American presidents have serially invaded independent countries such as Afghanistan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Iraq, Libya, Syria and killed hundreds of thousands.

Secular states are also safe havens for criminal corporate enterprises that create incalculable harm to humanity. Tramadol and all those psychotic drugs driving bandits, Boko Haram and the sundry terrorists cannot be manufactured in a God-fearing country.

Let’s not get started on the giant American arms manufacturers who must sell their deadly wares even while the whole world drips with blood.

Suffice it to say that all the preceding civilisations and empires from Ancient Egypt to Greece to Byzantine and from Rome to Persia and the Ottomans were theologically grounded. It did not mean they were perfect societies or states but they never came near to the atrocities being perpetrated by the secular modern states. Separation of God and government has not and will never work well for humanity.

The fear of God is just the beginning of wisdom; there is a need to know Him after which you will love Him. Leaders more than others need to lead in this direction.

Corruption and all the countless catastrophes plaguing us will crash the closer we individually and collectively get to the Almighty God. All Politically Exposed Persons must particularly adhere to divine directives. Machines only perform perfectly when operated according to the manufacturer’s manual. What the world needs now is even more God and greater godliness in our lives.