JOTHAM'S RIDDLE AND THE NIGERIAN SITUATION

There is a scripture in the Bible that never leaves my mind. It is a shocking precise description of the situation in Nigeria. It also bears a striking resemblance with the posture of the Nigerian church towards national issues-at least until recently. The passage is in Judges 9:8-15.
All the trees had gone at a time to anoint a tree as king over them. Together they all beckoned on the olive tree to be king. But the olive tree refused saying ‘shall I leave my fatness, where with by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?’ So it excused itself. Then they all went unto the fig tree and pleaded with it to be king over them. But the fig tree also refused saying ‘shall I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?’ So the fig tree excused itself. Then they went to the vine and asked it to be their king, but the vine equally declined saying ‘shall I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?’

Frustrated, the trees turned unto the bramble - the thorn bush, and asked it to be their king. The bramble knowing itself to be unsuitable for such an exalted post and thinking the trees were making mockery of it said unto them ‘if in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’

So all the worthy trees refused to rule over the forest and the leadership was thrust on the bramble, the thorn bush. In response, the bramble began its reign by visiting fire on its colleagues. But who are the olive trees, who are the fig trees, who are the vine trees and who are the brambles? How does the Cedar of Lebanon come into this matter?

The olive tree, the most talked about tree in the Bible, was the most useful of all the trees. Its wood was used as an article in the temple sanctuary and in palaces. Noah’s bird, which was sent to confirm the extent of the flood, came back with an olive leaf in its beak. This presented the olive tree as a symbol of hope. Oil from the olive tree was useful in many ways, it was used as fuel for the lamps used at the time. It was also used as a soothing balm under the severity of the fiery middle-eastern sun. Perhaps its most important use was its employment for the anointing of prophets and kings. In its use for anointing, the olive oil represented the Holy Spirit. This royal use of the olive oil stands the olive tree out as the most useful tree in the Bible. Every person ever anointed king over Israel was anointed with the olive oil. Perhaps this informed the decision of the trees to turn to the olive tree first before all other trees in their quest for a king. They saw it as the most deserving of royalty. But the olive tree declined and used its secretion of oil, its symbol of royalty, as its excuse.

In Nigeria today, there are many men who are made and destined for the position of national leadership, but have declined, by their look-away attitude, to fulfil destiny. Like the olive tree, their refusal to participate in the affairs of state has paved way for many unworthy individuals to take the seats originally destined for them. The result is that the nation suffers in the hands of irresponsible leadership. They are pre-occupied with many other things. Noble as their occupations may be, they still remain unfulfilled destinies. Joseph was armed with the gift of dreaming and interpretation of dreams and his gift paved a way for him in the palace. Our gifts need not necessarily end in the church. We can take them out and influence our entire nation with them. Then will the world see our light. Excellent statesmen, good managers, honest and compassionate leaders all abound in this nation. Not until they pay attention to rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem will they realize they have a bigger calling in being the Joshuas and Nehemiahs of this land.

The next tree approached was the fig tree. Notable stories about the fig tree in the Bible include the Adam and Eve disobedience, where they used leaves of the fig tree in sewing wrappers temporarily around themselves. The fig tree was used for shade for teaching and studying by the rabbis in Israel. Its fruit provided food for the people, it was eaten raw and it was also used to make cakes. The image of the fig tree as espoused in the Bible is that of Messianic peace and plenty. Where are the men who would put the food our tables in Nigeria? Where are the leaders who will ensure peace and justice in this land? More than seventy percent of the people of our country live under the poverty line of one dollar per day. It will take God-fearing men who love the populace more than their own pockets to see this through in Nigeria. Again, they are there in their numbers in the nation. Armed with enough knowledge, integrity and discipline, they can cause a change in the economic situation of the country. They must accept the clarion call if the onus falls on them to serve their nation. Even if it takes them running for elective posts, so be it. The object is to revamp a failing economy and restore the lost glory of our land while we give all glory to the lord.

The last tree approached was the vine. The most important use of the vine was the use of its fruit for the making of wine in Israel. In many passages it was referred to alongside the fig tree and on several occasions Israel was referred to as a vine while their land was referred to as the vineyard. Jesus called himself the true vine and we his branches. The wine from the vine was employed during times of celebration and happy occasions. The wine also symbolized the Holy Spirit in many places in the Bible. Where are the men who will instil joy in their lives of our people? Where are the men to make our country beautiful? Through enforcement of law and order, careful planning, our dirty and rough society can be re-constructed for peaceful living. Through protection of life and property and the upholding of our individual human rights, joy can flow in the hearts of Nigerians. All these cannot be achieved with the present crop of selfish, self-centred, unjust and stealing leaders. It will take the chosen of God, the vines, to take Nigeria to the Promised Land.

With the refusal of these three trees, the bramble, once invited, visited violence on the Cedar of Lebanon. Now a question arises, why the Cedar of Lebanon? After all, the Cedar was there in the forest but the trees didn’t turn to it to make it their king. How come it is the same Cedar that the bramble first declared war on? It seems to me that the bramble was determined to rule the forest. It was determined to rule it with a very heavy hand. It knew it was small among the plants and needed to make all other trees submit to its commands. It also knew that the cedar was a powerful tree, used as pillars in big palaces and temples. The cedar served as a pillar for the forest and the bramble knew by attacking the cedar he could take good command of the forest, like it is written in Zech 11:2 ‘Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down.’ With the cedar fallen, all would be set for the bramble to take over the forest and further unleash his terror on the other trees.

This epitomises the situation we have in Nigeria. Unworthy individuals have run the affairs of state over the past thirty years and they have unleashed terror on the nation and its citizens. With an unbelievable level of looting, as revealed by EFCC in recent weeks, Nigeria’s leaders have stolen over 65 trillion Naira from Nigeria since independence. So many innocent and well-meaning people have lost their lives and families in the struggle for a better country. Crashing the pillar of the nation which is the economy, the looters have had a field day using the divide-and-rule method to break the back of the masses from uniting together in a common front to free themselves from this oppression.

The Nigerian situation has become a peculiarly pathetic and painful irony, with the brambles bearing rule over the other big and better trees. We have witnessed a fulfilment of the scripture, which says ‘I have seen servants riding upon horses and princes walking as servants on the face of the earth.’ Men who chant incantations have borne rule over men who speak in tongues, children of the occult over children of the kingdom. Men with an evil wisdom have been policy makers over men with the wisdom of God. Men without an iota of the fear of God have ruled over men with the genuine fear of God. Brain has answered ‘yes sir’ to brainlessness; mind has been brought down on its knees before mindlessness.

The result of this unfortunate irony is there for us all to see - embezzlements, impeachments, assassinations, mis-governance, under-development, backwardness, economic strangulation, flagrant disregard for the rule of law and a colossal waste of God-given resources. This spate of ill fortune must come to a stop, and the sooner the better too. Our best must come forth to lead us. Let the vines, figs and olive trees heed this clarion call of national rebirth. It is a collective responsibility. The church has a great role to play in this. There are many great minds in the churches. Only many of them are either too spiritually busy, they do not have time for affairs concerning the nation or have even resigned to the ‘can anything good come out of Nazareth’ syndrome.

If this process of rebirth would take a lot of binding and pulling down of strongholds, then Pastor Olukoya of MFM must lead the way while the rest of us follow. If it would take a radical and vocal opposition to mis-governance, then Pastor Tunde Bakare must lead the way while the rest of us follow. If it would take seeking for an elective post to practically show case good and God-fearing leadership, then Pastor Okotie must lead while we follow and support. If it would take mind-boggling revelation and knowledge then Pastors Chris Oyakhilome and Sam Adeyemi must lead and the rest of us follow. If it would take prophetic declarations, then Pastor Adeboye and Bishop Oyedepo must take the lead while the rest of us follow. Every organ in this body must work, stretch or twitch in this struggle. We are choiceless in this matter, we must wrest our country free from the vice-grip of the brambles.

2007 is just around the corner, we must come together to right the wrongs in this nation, we must not only vote, but contest elective positions. The more of God’s children in power, the nearer Nigeria moves towards the Promised Land. Let every elite and professional leave his comfort zone and join this quest. Let us put the brambles back where they belong. We have served them for too long. The time has come for the worthy trees in the forest to take back their rightful places, and then the balm of Gilead shall dress our wounds. The people will rejoice, and we will all stand tall with pride of having played our roles in the emergence of the new Nigeria.