ATIKU ABUBAKAR AND OLUSEGUN OBASANJO: THE CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE.
BY: EMMANUEL Y.KWACHE
I have been wondering and I still do wonder even now that reconciliation between Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Atiku Abubakar is generating hue and cry.I will base my argument on the Christian principle of forgiveness.Let us digest Ephesians 4:31”Let all bitterness,and wrath and anger and clamour and evil speaking,be put away from you with all malice.” Similarly in Colossians 3:8 it is said”But now ye also put off all these:anger,wrath,malice,blasphemy,filthy communication out of your mouth.”If you put these verves vice-versa with dialogue,peace and locating the healthy development of the Nation on the premise of understanding purposeful development can only take,then
the people should not be so worried because Obasanjo and Atiku have buried the have buried the hatchet. I had started penning this write-up,when I read in the Guardian,29 th January 2009,a reply to his critics by Atiku Abubakar himself on the Virtue of forgiveness and I quote him.He said’My peace mission to Abeokuta was not a self-serving political as some critics have harshly put it.It was largely a reflection of mydesire to strengthen social family political fabrics of the Nation through forgiveness.Power comes from God. He gives it to whom he desires at the time of his choosing.
By the injunction of Jesus Christ himself,one other asked him how many would he forgive someone that hurt him,seven times asked the man.The LORD said seven times seven times seven.And remember,our anger should not last more than twenty-four hours.Therefore,if we are mature as Atiku Abubakar is and very understanding and realizing as Olusegun Obasanjo ,then we don’t have to cry blue murder because the two decided forget the differences they had and move ahead.As for Chief Olusegun Obasanjo,the former Head of State,I am happy.he has realized where he goofed.
That was why he urged Olagunsoye Oyinlola to facilitate a way of papering the cracks and he did very well.What political gladiators have not been able to do it,Olagunsoye Oyinlola has cheaply done it.It is for good and healthy and for those who are saying ,he has succeeded in embarrassing himself or he has missed the point,paradoxically,it is them,who has missed the point.Some are not ashamed to criticize their principal.
The essence of living is to gain through pain..Who is a wiseman and endued with knowledge among you?Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.James 3:13 Let your speech be always with Grace,seasoned with salt,that they may know how ye ought to answer everyman.Colossians 4:5,6.That is exactly what Atiku Abubakar has done by coming together with Olusegun Obasanjo again.Let me take you back a little into history.Do you why Atiku Abubakar’s leadership is cherished in present Adamawa State and former Gongola State from 1987,when I started getting close to him,through oneDr Umar Ardo,whom we worked in the same department in Gongola Television,it is always this humility.The natives,other tribes and Christians do rally around him because he has put off the offish ness of other persons in his home state.He has jettisoned arrogance and has embedded in him the virtue of not only forgiveness, but generosity and compassion. This is just what he has done at this point in his life again..Nigerians must understand this nature.Digest this particular sentence as culled from the Thisday,Volume 14,No.5031 Friday,Janaury 30,2008,page 18 and I quote “I have resolved in this New Year to extend a hand of friendship to as many people as possible including former foes.”Did not the scripture say that if it is possible,let us live in peace with every one?Read this again,Turaki Adamawa says in that same publication VIRTUE OF FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION, that ‘I want to spend the rest of my life spreading joy,loveand peace among people’Thisis a mark of good leadership,a mark of a man who can change the course of things for all of us in this country.A mark of responsible leadership,tolerance and self-control.Any person that does not want peace,reconciliation and forgiveness and forgetting the past is a son of the Devil.Away with such kind of person.All Action Congress Supporters,who cherish progress,prosperity and positive development in Nigeria should stick with Atiku Abubakar.Similarly,all patriots, genuine lovers of Nigeria should stick with Turaki Adamawa.Peoples’ Democratic Party registered members who want GENUINE democracy should also give total support to the come back home of a hero.As for Chief Olusegun Obasanjo,he is lucky,he has another happenstance to write-about.As an elder,as a two former Head of State and international figure,this is the time to show true love to Turaki,to give him a better shoulder,a solid confidence.Nigerians as a whole must stand up to this occasion of Peace,because history have it that no country ever developed when there is friction,conflict and fracas.
BY:EMMANUEL Y.KWACHE,FREELANCE JOURNALIST AND COMMENTATOR ON NATIONAL ISSUES FILED IN HIS VIEWS FROM:30 GAMBIA CRESCENT,BEKAJI ESTATE,JIMETA-YOLA,ADAMAWA STATE.
e-mail: emmanuelyamekwache@yahoo.com
080 55531975,080 34363618.
