by Passman Akpos
Few days ago, The Redeemed Christian Church of God in a memo stated that, it has established office of directorate of politics and Governance to help coordinate the engagement of Redeemed members who are willing to involve in politics as well mobilize support for them.
Criticism as been flying on every angle as to why should the Redeemed Christian Church of God of all Churches do that.
One of those personalities at the forefront to berate the move of the Redeemed Christian Church of God was Chief Dele Momodu CEo and publisher of the Ovation Magazine.
I, Passman Akpos, CEo and publisher of Tarakiri Voice Newspaper enterprise, want to let him know, and also advise that, is not necessary.
The term ‘politics’ is derived from the Greek ‘polis’, “the state”, is the art of ruling.
Appropriate conditions need to be created for human fulfilment, for all-round human development- physical, intellectual and ethical.
For this purpose, political association understood as a state or international community are indispensable.
If the state exists for the sake of the people who live in it, the more so does religion, whose task is to bring them (the people) to God so that, they may be saved.
The relationship between religion and politics then lie’s in their shared concern for man and his welfare.
The Church has relented for so long in the place of politics in Nigeria. If the Church must play its role as to bringing man to God so that he may be saved and to fulfill her concern for man and his welfare, then politics must not be ignored by the Church.
The reason the Church is seen, not to play serious role in politics is not far fetch; the Church has came to believe that politics is a dirty game.
For many Nigerian like, Harry Marshall, Chuba Okadigbo, Funsho Williams, Bola Ige and many other victims of political killings. Will forever remain in our minds.
These men were gruesomely murdered in cold blood because ‘ powers that be’ considered them a major political threat, hence, the need to eliminate them.
For many Nigerians, especially the Christians who really know the precious value of human life, believe that, political ambitions that never last forever are not worth destroying the life of a fellow man.
Therefore based on these political motivated killings the Church considered Nigerian politics a dirty game.
Also it has been seen severally in the arena of the Nigerian politics, that a politician, so desperate that, they visit deities, to swear as a proof of unwavering loyalty to a benefactor or as a tool to eliminate his or her perceived enemies.
Some politicians secretly make human sacrifice as instructed by native doctors because they want to win an election. For these ungodly acts, true Christians think Nigerian politics is a dirty game.
Nigerian politicians employ all possible evil means to win elections, including destroying the good reputation of their opponents and plotting evil against them.
Surprisedly though, these Nigerian politicians have little or no regard for their reputation. These are some of the reasons, true Christian says Nigerian politics is a dirty game.
You can’t give what you don’t have, over the years in the history of Nigeria, the political sphere as been occupied by evil men, men of the dark, who uses several means to access political power.
Dishing out to the atmosphere of Nigeria, what they truly have, ” evil begot evil” and this has affected negatively every area of Nigeria; ranging from politics, economy, the living standard of the people, health sector and among others.
According to proverbs 29:2 ” when the rightous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked bears rule, the people mourn”.
This is the experience of the average Nigerian. We are all mourning; so therefore the true Christian must bear rule and be in the corridor of power for the people to rejoice.
The Redeemed Christian Church of God’s call, to established office of directorate of politics and Governance is timely.
So many criticism as being flying in the internet against this said memo of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
According to Dele Momodu on his ” my Kobo advice to the Redeemed Christian Church of God” in one of the paragraphs, he stated,and I quote. ” As soon as I read the memo establishing a political arm of our church, I realized this was nothing but an invitation to Armageddon”
Sir, I want to appreciate you, for your choice of word. ” Invitation to Armageddon” please permit me to school you on what Armageddon mean in it literary Sense.
Armageddon in the Hebrew word, means ” Hill of megiddo” in the new testament, places where the kings of the earth under demonic leadership will wage war on the forces of God at the end of history. Armageddon is mentioned in the Bible only once, in the revelation to John Rev. 16:16.
The Palestinian city of megiddo, located on a pass commanding a road connecting Egypt and Syria, was probably chosen as a symbol for such a battle, because it had been the scene of many military encounters owing to it’s strategic location.
Megiddo was also the site of a crucial battle in 1918 during the first world war and lent it’s name to the victor: Lord Allenby of megiddo.
The term Armageddon has often been used by protestant fundamentalists to refer to an impeding cataclysmic struggle between the forces of good and evil.
Sir, currently Nigeria is in the hands of evil men and women, that’s why, the country is experiencing what we are passing through now.
So, the true church, I mean the true Christian must rise-up and say anough is anough. This is the reason why, you see the Redeemed Christian Church of God establishing office of directorate of politics and Governance.
Sir, also, according to another of your paragraphs, you said, you are a member of RCCG and the youngest of the contending church aspirants so far.
The Church in the memo I read, does not pick a particular candidate to support during election, rather the memo stated that, the office of directorate is to help coordinate the engagement of Redeemed members who are willing to involve in politics as well as mobilize support for them.
The church never indicated that, she will support the current vice president for President come 2023.
Sir, you are a member of RCCG as you rightly said, so according to the memo, you have the support of the church. So there is no need calling names.
But, my take is, in 2023 evil shall not prevail, if you are coming into power with evil intention, you will surely fail.
I call on all true Christians to rise up, for the set time is now.
Passman Akpos
A social commentator, political Analyst, author of books, a child of God, founder Tarakiri Voice Newspaper enterprise, a Father…….
