"In USA or Europe, you see names like Bush, Stone yet they progress. Meanwhile, in Africa, someone with the name Favour is struggling to feed; Blessing is begging for data; Rejoice is suffering from depression; Wisdom has no sense, Victory fails exams and even Courage fear dogs!" WHY?
Now, why this?
The reason is simple and not far fetched. It is not even a thing that should be blamed on spirituality, Christianity or what have you?
I've heard people say, "despite the fact that Nigeria has churches almost everywhere on the street, yet it remains one of the corrupt countries in the world with penury living inside her gates."
Let me ask, "is it the responsibility of the church or any religion body to bring people out of poverty first of all or the government's?" Yet, that is what the church is helping the government to do. Yet, you still crucify Christianity and the Church.
Church is not government and as far as I know without any iota of doubt which can be proven by you too who's reading this, you can testify that the entire Church in NIGERIA has benefited NIGERIA than Islam or any other religion has done. Tell me the religion that liberally build orphanages, care for the aged, adopt outcast and rehabilitate prisoners, has many schools (Primary, Secondary or Tertiary) which has given gainful employment to many Nigerians than Christianity. The Missionaries brought peace and development when they came and that's what we're still offering. They built schools, stopped the killing of Twins (depicted by Mary Slessor in the East) and carried out many enlightening programmes for better living. I say again, "that's what we're still doing." Never compare us with those with the vision to conquer by brute yet that's what they're still doing. That's why even in Nigeria today, Northern Nigeria is the least progressive with less developments.
When COVID struck Nigeria, there was rarely a day you listen to the news that you won't hear a CHURCH, MINISTRY OR DENOMINATION giving the Federal or State Government something. Muslims did but we outdid them! Far, far!
Many argue blindly but as a pastor that's current in the kingdom and in politics/government, I'll say the Church has benefited the society and Nigeria in particular than any. Out of the 100% of beggars in Nigeria as a country, 90% are Northerners and are Muslims even in the East and South Western States which are not their lands. Both neutralists/traditionalists in religion and Christians share the remaining 10%. But before you can see even a handicap that his church can't help but to send to the road, you'll walk far. The church never encourages begging or the poverty mindset. That's why when that beggar at the Beautiful Gate asked for money from Peter and John, instead of financing his poverty and leaving him so, they eradicated his problem so he could stand up, work by himself and earn. We don't encourage the mindset of "please, finance my poverty." We give generously to the poor but to build poverty round giving to the poor (instead of liberating them) like Islam builds poverty round ZAKAT, one of the five pillars of Islam, you won't see. (Acts 3:1-10).
To even measure who has been beneficial the most, let me do that with just a point. I'll like you tell me the religion that has been the source of grieve to us in this country. Which religion kills many in the name of Jihad and with the label terrorism? Who are the people displacing families in Northern Nigeria and who are the herdsmen who visited the Middle Belt, South Western States where many farmers/people were killed? Who are the bandits and the most popular kidnappers in the country? Are they Christians? Who maintains peace and who muddles the water? Talk now...
So, in every way when your friends next time talk of the impact of Christianity in the country, tell them without any iota of doubt how it has facilitated good governance and better life than any religion. In church, we teach entrepreneurial skills and money to liberate our people and make them independent. To even shock you, the school of entrepreneurship originated from the Bible and it was only recently Muslims started writing motivational, inspirational or Money books. And even, they can't quote the Quran fluently like we quote the Bible. Many of them read our authors (even if some of these authors are now declaring themselves as atheists). Yet, they were impacted into by Christianity and have knowledge of the Bible which equipped them with knowledge to write such books. Books by Napoleon Hills, Samuel George Clason, Bill Gates, James Allen, Warren Buffet, Ben Carson etc...
And for the many churches, we will still have more because some of us are church planters and it is a means to obey the great commission.
Now, NAME has nothing to do with success outrightly unless a Spirit force that's negative or positive works with such name to oppress or bless the bearer. So, since that's not the situation we're describing, that's clear.
Why do they now succeed in USA or Western Block where they bear plain names not outrightly associated with prosperity or blessings and why is it in Nigeria or Africa where they bear Favour, Blessing etc, that they are not even favoured or blessed?
Simple! It is the society or environment. Every seed has the capacity to germinate, bring forth in its capacity but where they are sown can determine whether they'll germinate, yield at all, yield maximally or yield to a degree.
Do you remember the parable of the sower? A sower went out to sow. Read here:
Matthew 13:3-8, KJV
"3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold."
Did you see that the sower sow the same seed (with same capacity inside them) everywhere but on different soil? The seed brought forth 100%, 60% and 30% even on the good soil. If on the good soil, the seed still grew in degrees, don't you think there will be obvious degrees of growth or no growth at all where they were sown that was not the GOOD GROUND. Even some seed started growing on the rocky ground but because it has no root, it died. The ones that fell by the road side didn't even manifest destiny at all. They were eaten and have abortive destinies etc. These were Nigerians and Africans that died due to bad economy or system and couldn't be heard from yet they could as well have had the destines of seeds that fell on the good ground that manifested in their degrees. The ones amidst thorns are those Nigerians or Africans that started making it but which bad policies, corruption, victimization in the public places or riot and violence collapse their ventures or set up. So, they were terminated also and joined the perishables, suffering and vulnerable masses.
That's how environment affects growth. Should we lie to ourselves or say the truth? We need to develop. Why those ones are prospering is because of the environment that encourages prospering even though they are no longer godly or believe in the Bible like we do (though they brought us this same Bible and Faith). This is where to separate spirituality from practicality. If you're spiritual and you don't work, you'll have nothing to eat. In all labour, there's profit. That's why they are advancing because of the principle of what you sow is what you'll reap. In spirituality, we also advance more than they on that side but since our own government didn't become practical and benefitting, we remain in poverty and look like idle hands. Nigerian system doesn't encourage prosperity. The economy is in shambles. Things are upside down. #100 bread can't satiate your hunger again. A #500 whole bread can't feed complete two adults again!
If you want to prove this truth further. Take twenty white children from America or Europe and bring them to Nigeria or Africa as babies and take twenty Nigerians or Africans and take them to America or Europe as babies. Expose all the Whites to the deprivation, evil, poverty, lack etc that a typical Black child from a struggling family would face while exposing those same twenty Nigerians or Africans to the wealth, good education, good system that an average American or European is exposed to. Let there not be light for them to read, let their roof leak when they're trying to rest at night, expose them to hunger that kills critical thinking and creativity, let them search for water before they bathe, let them trek miles and get exhausted before they get to school, due to bad road and the inaccessibility of good health care, let their loved ones be delayed to assess medical facilities until they die. Let these and more be the experiences of these White children in Nigeria.
After twenty years, bring them to the same platform and test them. You'll see that almost in every ramification, those twenty Nigerians would do better than those twenty White boys that the Nigerian environment has handicapped from manifesting greatness (though they - the White boys also have the inner qualities like those Blacks or Nigerians trained and groomed in the US) to succeed. That's why Nigerians are travelling out and as you can testify, Africans still make up a greater extent of Europe's labour. Africans in Diaspora are not disgraces in their fields. Have you not been hearing of their success stories? Look, I'm not against your travelling out. As long as you have a thing to do there. Only that, don't lose your patriotic heart. Even if you'll stay there eventually, let Africa and her problems still be in your heart. Don't forget home, your parents and other citizens. From there, seek her peace both in prayers, lifting her name high by doing well excellently so that when you're celebrated, you'll have the cause to say you're a Nigerian or African. Also, partner with Nigerians or Africans in Diaspora to see practical ways to bless the country and continent.
Did you now see that it is not the name? This is why patriotic politicians must rise. This is why Christians must join politics and do it. Stop seeing Christians in politics as backsliders. They're the ones who will protect your interest and create a good economy for you if they get there especially if they'll willingly practice all these truths. If I become the Governor of a state or President for instance, you can expect changes like never before.
Look, if the government won't create an enabling environment for the Nigerian and African child, our story will only remain the same. Religion isn't the problem but the government. Religion exists in the terrain the government owns and is responsible for to develop first of all.
So, what makes it so is the system that helps one to grow, manifest, make it etc but maims, handicaps, limit, hinder, asphyxiate or kill the other from expressing greatness. Both of them has the equal seed of greatness in them and if rightly allowed to blossom, you'll be shocked at the growth.
Olusola ADEJUMO, M'Wings.
Morning Wings Ministry, Nigeria.
+234 81 37 04 68 12.
morningwingministry@gmail.com
