Elections 2019: Thanksgiving

Dear God, I have come to officially report myself.
In the last couple of weeks, the media has been awash with my outburst that whosoever was to be declared the winner of the March 9 governorship election should not go for any thanksgiving, but should rather attribute his ‘success’ at the polls to his superior power to buy votes.
Luckily for me dear God, you were there at Nsiak-town on that 9th of March and saw how the two parties tried to out do one another with counter offers to buy votes.
You will recall, dear Lord, a particular incident were a lady collected money from both parties but went ahead to vote for PDP. Because there was no privacy to the ballot (for obvious reason), the lady was pounced on by APC pay agents for double dealing, and all her money taken from her.

By the time calls started coming from our agent in the field, it became evident that vote-buying was wide spread. It was at that time, Lord, that I issued a statement asking all our agents tostand down in the field and stay safe by going home as they stood the risk of being attacked if they wanted to insist on the right things to be done.

On Gratitude and Thanksgiving:
My wife told our children, (and I happen to overhear), that her mother told them (her children) that ingratitude is a capital crime in Lilliput!
Gratitude (thanksgiving or giving of thanks), is primary, elementary and fundamental in Christianity. This, I am expected to know better. Why then should I suggest that a man coming out of a hard fought battle should not go for thanksgiving?
While I can understand a young lady studying so hard and being assisted by the grace of God to pass with a 2-2 and going to give thanks or testimony in church, should the same be expected of another girl who passed with a 2-1 by constantly compromising her body in exchange for marks? or a Commissioner that builds a house that 20 years of his salary could not afford? or a man that desecrate the sanctity of the ballot through inducement and use of public funds and infrastructure to gain undue advantage over others?

Luckily for me, Lord, You were there in every meeting, at every polling booth, and at every payment point to every individual, and you are the very same one to whom the thanksgiving should be done, so you know if I am talking nonsense.
As we stray, it is the church that should whip us into line. As we fall victim of the evil plot of the devil (as I do all so often), we come before you for repentance (not for thanksgiving). However, if we condone what must be condemned, then the church stands the risk of losing is role as the moral compass of the society being the light of the world and the salt of the earth.
Since that day, many have described my position as the rantings of a sore loser.
I will be dishonest not to admit that I am unhappy that I did not have the opportunity for a fair competition.
To me, Lord, its more than that. We were 4 candidates on on the ballot (as the other 41 candidates had surrendered their mandate), and I will expect that the first step of a declared winner will be that of reconciliation. A simple phone call of “Brother Nya-Etok, the elections have come and gone, let there be no strife among us ‘for we be brethren’ bro” or better still (for a much more mature man), a surprise home visit “Nya-Etok, thanks for not wanting to go the tribunal, thus saving me the distraction. Please join me and let’s go and talk to our younger brother H/E Iboro Otu”.

It will take more than normal for Iboro’s heart not to melt seeing the Governor and myself in his house. Furthermore, as difficult as it will appear to be, if Nsima were to be around and all three of us attempted a visit to him, one way or the other, some wind would have been taken off his sail.
The above would be perfectly line with the biblical injunction that if you were going to make an offering, and your brother has an hurt against you, you should first go and settle before coming back for the offering.
Alas, this is far from what’s happening today.
We are rather being branded as sore losers,ingrates, and obviously inconsequentials. As a result, we are to be taught a lesson on how not to be an ingrate by organizing the mother of all thanksgivings. This will be done not in a church, -which will be too small-, or even in the township stadium, -which is not big enough-, but in the great Akpabio International Stadium -because the thanksgiving must be loud enough not for the ears of God, but for the eyes of men!!!!.
Dear Lord, as they approach you for this thanksgiving, you were there at every planning stage. How did they have choose to ‘mobilize’ the people, Lord? What is the honest budget for the show?, and of course the funding source.
Some really great artistes are coming. Lord, you know the budget, and you know all the costs involved. Are you really impressed with the sincerity of purpose? Is this loud event really about showing gratitude to YOU? Is this SHOW really appropriate for times like this? Dear Lord, could it have served the purpose if an arrangement was reached with CAN to make a simple announcement that the churches subscribed to a thanksgiving service on a particular day, while the funds involved was used to do something to better the lives of the most vulnerable? Which would impress you more, Lord?
I was part of a housing project which some people are being owed as little (or much) as below N1m. Some of these people are having medical conditions that require as little (or much) as N50,000, Some other contractors need less than a N100,000 to send their children back to school. Should this elaborate program not take a back seat until every debt owed every citizen in the state is paid, or until there is portable water in every community in the state, those two main tasks to start with, or does the size of the show indicate the level of gratitude?
As the people watch the show through all prime networks while they die in silence pain seeing the massive display of wealth and affluence, while they are being owed as they cannot meet the basics need of life like sending their children back to school, are you more impressed with this show, Lord.
Even from the theme, is it a response to the comment of the ‘sore losers’ to whom the dire consequence of ingratitude must be pressed home. There is so much more Lord, but one thing is certain , you give us kings. Today Gov. Udom Emmanuel is the governor of our state, I beg for your wisdom to know what my role should be in ensuring that he finishes strong.

My disposition is not as positive as it could be. This is on account of my burden for the most vulnerable people in the state that appear inconsequential on account of which the funds to improve their lives are daily being channeled to project that I consider to be frivolous and vein. But you see the heart of every man and I trust that out of the abundance of your mercies and grace you will help to do what’s right.
Before I close Lord, I have just one more concern.
As they gather, likelihood is that only one out of the four contestants in the election will be attending. Were the other three candidates too pained to honor an invitation to ‘rejoice with those who rejoice’? NO!, they were never invited.
Secondly, there are some ministers that will not be there because they supported the ‘opposition’. Luckily for me again, Lord, you were there in every of the planning meeting, and you heard the statement of every man. Was it about peace and reconciliation, or time to share the spoils of victory -they lost, we won!!. How far will this ‘party spirit’ take us? Where is the love and the unity of the body?!
I’ve written the above with limited knowledge and assumptions but my greatest joy is that you are God, all seeing, all knowing!!, in every meeting, every time, and at the same time!. Whatever we say and however we argue, you know the facts and the truth. Where I am wrong, please correct me gently by your mercies and your grace, and where leadership errs let your mercies prevail over judgement.
Finally Lord, please teach us to have a heart of gratitude at all times, and the wisdom to discern between when we should come to you giving thanks, the things that constitute sincere gratitude, and the wisdom to differentiate between the things for which we should give thanks, and those for which we should come for repentance and possible restitution.
I trust in your love, your mercies, and your grace to help the mortals -like myself- to do that which is right and pleasing in your sight, and above all to appreciate the imperative not attempting to mock you, repenting for wrong doings, and being GRATEFUL to you for AT ALL TIMES.

I remain the prime beneficiary of your mercies, grace, and legendary magnanimity!
THANK YOU LORD!!!I

Your son
Arc Nya-Etok Ezekiel
Visioner: Social Governance Ideology.