Gerard OKEZUONU Blog

INSPIRED SERIES WRITEUP by CHINEDU GERARD OKEZUONU

Empty Churches!

You have to wake up! You need to do that urgently! What is happening in your church? The devil has taken over many Churches. Look around your church if you see ladies dressed half naked, fixed nails, borrowed eye lashes, pierced noses, short skirts that expose their undies while setting on the pews, pierced tongues, etc just to mention few. You should know that that church is not in the hands of Christ. Any Church were sinners come and relax without remorse or repentance is a social club. Any Church were witches and wizards can comfortably sit and go scout free without being arrested by the holy spirit is a fake church. You need to examine your church. I am not carried away by the display of ill gotten wealth in some Churches today. I am not also ignorant that God has raised Financial giants that are making waves in the Churches today, but they are humble in nature, honest in their dealings, they are not arrogant and pompous. I wonder what kind of church, where sexual immorality is the order of the day, yet you imagine that there is still power of God in their midst. I don't think so. They might be using borrowed powers from the devil. Most Churches are operating on double standards, there are core members who knows the secrets of the Church, while they are floor members who knows very little truth about the Church they attend. Which kind of member are you? Core or floor? It is a pity that people have become so busy with life petty things that they hardly have time to examine the Church they worship God in. It is deadly mistake. You must know your church by praying to God to reveal to you the true purpose and position of your church. Not the one they display on their bulletins and books, but the hidden agenda known only to few in the Church. Modernity has made most church members to take their spiritual life for granted. No matter how you look at it, you will have to account for the life that was given to you by God. No matter how smart you play your games in the so called Churches of God, you will account for it. No matter your portion, floor member, core member, Pastor or Bishop, you must face the music at the end of the day. God is no respecter of persons. The holy spirit is no longer present in many Churches in the world today. Yes! many big sounding ministries. It is a pity, but I have to say it. Worshiping God is a serious business that demands more than what many are willing to sacrifice. That is the truth. Most of these empty Churches are more or less big market places. Everything is on sale. Virtually everything sacred can be bought. Whatever! Some of these Churches hardly preach repentance, all they preach is, prosperity, Grace and Mercy. The wrath of God is carefully avoided in their preaching. They promote the doctrine of, follow what I teach, not how I live my life. What a shame to the empty Churches and a warning to all Churches. I call them empty not in terms of members, but in terms of the absence of the holy spirit of God. You don't need that kind of church if you are thinking of heaven after here. You must be bold to change your church if your present church falls under the category of empty Churches. You feel you will miss your old acquaintance in the empty church. That is no reason to remain in that empty Church. Take your flight and run for your life my dear, The Bible says, you must work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Don't look at anybody's face, look at the face of Jesus Christ. Have a great and miraculous day.

THE COMMONERS ZIGZAG LETTER Date: 21st Century! Place – Nigeria. Time: Always.
This is an open message to our beloved Mr President

Mr President,
Sir, this information is for your kind perusal. I have no intention to praise you yet, but I want to state to my fellow Nigerians the truth about your efforts to change Nigeria for better, from my own understanding as a poet and Novelist on behalf of the voiceless commoners of Nigeria. I personally choose to name this letter the commoners zigzag letter as it is an imagined replica of the mind of the commoners, the down trodden of whom I am part and parcel of.
The cumulative concern to attain an acceptable level of industrialization coupled with rising levels of unemployment in Nigeria and its attending challenges, development of relevant employable skills are the practical required skills for developmental enterprises. Without them, high level of industrialization and socioeconomic development cannot be attained being grounded on availability of skilled workforce. This holds particularly true for Nigeria, which is still struggling with security and other challenges arising from high unemployment rate.
The commoners need not to be told that you have good intention to put things right in Nigeria sincerely and squarely, anywhere anytime. Except for wicked skeptics who want no good for Nigeria. Rome was not built in a day they say but it started with an aggressive move of a fearless Hero. You’ve proven to the world that no one is above the law in Nigeria. Men who thought Nigeria was their House pet are now running to hide from their shameless deeds. People who thought they were the untouchables are now fasting and praying so you do not get hold of them or at least reduce their punishment. Well this is democracy, let Justice take its turn. A custom officer told me in Ikeja recently that everyone is now afraid to take bribes like before when they could just collect bribes and go Scott – free. There is clear evidence that business is no longer as usual. No honest Nigerian will deny the fact that the incoming of President Buhari has turned the tables against heartless extortionists and defaced Siphon artists who hide themselves in government. Nigeria is about to enter an era of fidelity, peace and confidence. One thing that no Nigerian can deny is the fact that all looters and cheaters in the system are no longer comfortable; there is fire on the mountain. Thank God for our new president! I don’t care what you think but let’s say the truth at least. Something is burning, change is actually taking place. No change comes easy! So let’s get ready to bear the cross once and for all. The road to abundance has never been an easy road.
Nothing great comes easy! There is a fight going on and we all should join this fight which will be for our good in the end. Most of the pigs who have become FAULT FINDERS today were once there and could not salvage anything so why are they now trying to deceive the populace by trying to paint black on the present administration.
EFCCC has been able to recover trillions of stolen Naira, Kudos! A time when people fearfully surrendered their loots. Look at the Treasury Single Account. All these measures have made it difficult for business as usual to continue. That is why PIGS are gnashing their teeth. Shame to ghost workers game, where billions of naira is siphoned into private pockets. Yes! May be you will be wise enough now to know why the pigs are angry and shouting against a government that in every indication is trying tooth and nail to ‘reface’ the defaced Nigeria both Internationally and Nationally.
I do not care about any gimmicks that Politicians may employ to soil our government. I know that all of them are merely playing dirty politics. With every certitude, Mr President I do believe that something more serious should be done to Change the story of Nigeria. Look At Bostwana, their leaders came together and changed their country until Nigerians started rushing there for greener pasture. Just a little example.
Mr President it is time that all those in the house of senate and the house of Assembly would be brought to order. 75% of them in the house are only there for their own selfish interest. If a serious investigation is made on each one of them, there would be a shocking revelation that in the real sense they only forced themselves on the people as many of the votes they got was only bought and not earned. Yes considering the high level of poverty and hunger it is easy to deceive commoners with little cash that can put food on their table and deny them their birthright after all, of what use is the right to them – A hungry person searches first for food to survive before talking about rights.
Mr President I do plead that you seriously look into the following issues
1. ELECTRICITY - Until there is permanent electricity supply every other plan for investments and industry can only be like a joke, because without electricity no industry can really survive nor thrive for too long in Nigeria. if not at the detriment of the commoners. who pay all the price Look at the list of companies that has left Nigeria to Ghana. The only reason why they moved their factories is because of short supply electricity . Now their movement has created unemployment for many, thereby increasing the ‘Wahala’ of many families. Putting electricity into the hands of private companies does not solve any problem instead it compounds it. Some people talk about population which to me has nothing to do with electricity. Some talk about increased consumption with increased industries but that too is a crocodile lie. China is more populated and much more industrialized than Nigeria but they are able to provide enough electricity power to its people. Until The Federal Republic of Nigeria takes a serious stand on this issue of electricity, until our administrators charged with the duty of providing electricity to the nation honestly stand up to do the right things and are sincere to the core it will be unwise to bring out billions for this project. May I here remind with every due respect Mr President that the problem of electricity in Nigeria is man-made, there is no reason why Nigeria that has the ability and natural resources to generate its own electricity cannot up till this twenty first century provide uninterrupted electricity supply to its citizens. The only reason is corruption; the only reason is that most people, who are given government positions to serve this country, never have this country in their hearts. All they are eager about is to carve out an empire for themselves, their children and families and possibly their pets while poor Nigerians can go to hell. That is the truth!.
Nigeria is supposed to be the United States of Africa. Everything that Nigeria needs to make it great is already here. The only problem of Nigeria is leadership. Now that God has brought you to use you to change this country. Go ahead and do the right things and do not look at any corrupt face that is pretending to speak for the people while it is only a game to pave way for himself and his family. I am greatly convinced that you able to do the job.
2. Health - Many Nigerians are dying in general hospitals for lack of finance to pay for their treatments. What is the health plan for a Nigerian by the Nigerian Government? Nothing of course, if there be any then it is only on papers.
Most Nigerian laws only exit on papers. E.g. Bail is free –That is what the law says but we all in Nigeria knows that no one is ever bailed free from any police station even after the signature of the surety. Now may I ask what has those in charge of police affairs done on this issue? Well I cannot blame the Police most times money provided to service police stations end up in the pockets of some corrupt top officials. Thank God All that would soon see an end in this new era.
3. Education – Many Nigerians end up not going to university because their parents can’t afford it. The Government needs to seriously see what to do on this aspect. To make higher education more accessible to the commoners. This will also help to depopulate our streets. Most of the notorious bad guys in the street are mostly disgruntled secondary school leavers who could not continue their education because of financial issues. Another was the JAMB problem, that one is now solved. Most of them take up Okada riding and really turn up to become nuisance to society.
4. Poverty – The only reason why so many Nigerians are dying in abject poverty is because of Greed, corruption and the wickedness of the few in whose hands there is much stolen from our national purse. What is happening in Nigeria is perpetual impoverishment, so the commoners can be controlled even against their will.
If Nigerian leaders want to change Nigeria they can! Let all the Senators, members of the house of assembly, the judiciary join our president honestly to change things. I know for sure that our president is working seriously to change things for the better but there are still many bad eggs who hide in the upper and lower house pretending they are representing their people but they are not, except for their selfish personal desires and these are the kind of people who would never want things to work right so they can continue to steal state funds and lavish it in parties here and abroad. Buy spacious houses in London, USA and Australia. My president go ahead and fish them out and frustrate them so that all the good plans you have for Nigeria can work and your good name shall remain in the sands of time.
This letter can never be complete until we see real change in the lives of common Nigerians, that is the greater populace. Remember it is a zigzag letter so don’t check for order.
But so far we appreciate what Mr President is doing and we definitely hope that as time goes on more things will unravel.
It is a common place thing in Nigeria that most government projects suffer diversion of funds by unscrupulous officials who are only interested in enriching themselves with such projects than completing the project for the benefit of the greater populace.
There should be a special law to check corruption at high and low levels of government, in China if you dare steal or divert Government funds and you are caught you will be arrested, investigated and if found wanting you will be hanged or beheaded. That one single law has made stealing public funds in China a no go area. I strongly believe that such a law in Nigeria will put an end to the corrupt dare devils whose sole aim of taking up a government position is only to steal, cheat and loot billions into their secret foreign accounts. How can we continue to allow Nigerian political sanctuary to be under the aegis of extortionist and looters. Mr President I know you have the will to put this rubbish to an end.
May be that is why God finally decided to bring you back to the government house, My president, no matter what they are saying, I am strongly convinced that your coming back into the political arena of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria is for a Serious Mission. Please do not allow any of them to distract you. Go ahead and do the right things. You started well and we are sure that you will end well, you are a God sent man to Nigeria…. When Jesus came to set mankind free they rejected him and hanged him on a tree…. Human beings are always impatient…Nigeria cannot change in a day. But even before that we must be ready to pass through the challenges together and with total faith in a God given President we will surely break through and become a world power.
Gerard Okezuonu - Poet and Novelist
POem
NIGERIA is GREAT
Nigeria is really great
Stronger like a Lion
Bigger like an Elephant
Nigeria is one – Sweet Nigeria
Though some want to split
As if spilt China can become whole without lines
Our nation needs only overhauling
Change and not chains
Prefer Nigeria! Yes Nigeria!
The great change has now come!
To change the choppers!