Much Ado About Muslim-Muslim Ticket

I have pondered on the hullabaloos that have trailed the Muslim -Muslim ticket of the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Several commentators and emergency analysts have gone into frenzy trying to speak for or against the ticket. The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has shouted itself hoarse that its members will not support Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian ticket. Most of the commentators if not all have missed the point. The cassock does not make a monk. Bearing Peter, John, James even Judas Iscariot may not be enough to call someone a Christian while on the other hand, the names Abubakar, Mohammed, Mohammadu, Jubrila, Bagudu and Ahmad does not define a good Muslim that is simply known as ‘mumuni ododo’. What this implies therefore is that we have spent quality time and energy for a needless discourse. Methinks, what should concern both Christian and Muslim should be basically the content of the character of those vying for elective positions and what value they would add to the society. The macabre dance going on now is as a result of electioneering gerrymandering. It’s a ploy to distract the populace about what they will offer and reduce the conversation to puerile argument that will serve no useful purpose. For instance, immediately it was announced that the Presiding Bishop of Illumination Assembly, Lekki, Isaac Idahosa has been chosen as vice presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP yesterday, a video surfaced online that keeps many wondering if Bishop Idahosa was indeed a bishop or a magician. Instead of introducing an irreducible minimum standard and national ethos and also follow it up with mass participation in the political system, CAN has continued to legislate to reverse what has been done against it. It only shows poor planning. CAN can also focus on cleaning the Augean stable. Coming at every election cycle to issue order whom to vote for when the choices before the church have been skewed against it is counterproductive. The church if it’s interested in the well being of it’s congregation should be part of the process and not joining midway when vital decision had already been taken that will only present a fait accompli on the church. It’s not a good strategy crying over spilt milk. The church should be part of the process of selecting candidates so that it would have positioned those with impeccable characters before the populace. It’s an incontrovertible fact that several traders and business Alecs have also infiltrated the church and holding strategic positions. There is need for total cleansing like Jesus Christ did, when he drove money changers and traders away from the church. The CAN needs to first sanitize the altars. The idea of leaving the wheat and the tarres to grow together is already causing serious crises in the body of Christ. Many false prophecies and political declarations have become the order of the day. A Christian is someone who exemplified the quality of Christ and embodied good neighborliness and not an arrogant fellow who’s is Machiavellian in his thoughts and deeds that the end justifies the means. It’s when Christians return to purity and not double standard that we’ll be able to speak with one voice and condemn evil instead of the present rat race that my cathedral is bigger than yours. It’s an ill-wind that blows nobody any good. Let’s return to old time religion and purity-that’s the only way to see and enjoy the goodies in His Presence and not the present grandstanding.

CAN should start preparing for 2027 now and gets its priorities right instead of jumping in midway to issue decrees that will not be binding on anyone. A stitch in time saves nine.