Title: Speaking Truth To Power

If You Don’t Have Authority from the Truth, You Can’t Speak Truth to Power Without Being Held Liable for It.

Introduction
In every generation, courageous men and women have risen to “speak truth to power.” They challenge oppression, expose injustice, and confront systems built on lies. Yet, not everyone who dares to speak truth survives its cost. The difference between those protected by divine authority and those crushed by worldly powers often lies in where their authority comes from. Truth is not merely an opinion or moral stance — it is a Person, a power, and a kingdom. Without the authority that comes from the Truth Himself, even righteous speech can lead to ruin.

Truth as a Person, Not a Concept
In Scripture, Jesus declared, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6). Truth, therefore, is not abstract; it is incarnate in Christ. To have authority from the Truth means being rooted in the person and purpose of Christ. It means not just knowing facts, but aligning one’s life, motive, and message with divine revelation. Anyone can expose wrongdoing, but only those authorized by the Truth Himself can do so without becoming victims of their own words.
The prophets of old illustrate this. Jeremiah spoke truth to kings and priests, but his authority came directly from the word of the Lord:
“Then the LORD put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said unto me, ‘Behold, I have put My words in your mouth’” (Jeremiah 1:9).
Because Jeremiah spoke from divine commission, his words carried eternal weight, even when rejected. He suffered persecution, but he was never destroyed — because his authority came from above.

The Liability of Unauthorized Speech
In contrast, when people speak without divine authorization, they expose themselves to danger. The sons of Sceva in Acts 19:13–16 attempted to use the name of Jesus to cast out demons without truly knowing Him. The result was disastrous — they were overpowered and humiliated. The same principle applies to those who try to confront power structures without being anchored in the Truth: they lack covering, and their words invite backlash.
To speak truth to power without being authorized by Truth is to wage war without armor. Power — whether political, religious, or economic — always defends itself. Only those whose message flows from divine mandate can endure its counterattack. Jesus Himself said, “My kingdom is not of this world… For this cause I was born, and for this cause I came into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth” (John 18:36–37).
To bear witness to Truth requires alignment with the King and His kingdom — not just courage or conviction.

Authority Protects the Messenger
Divine authority acts as a spiritual shield. When Jesus sent His disciples out to proclaim the kingdom, He didn’t just give them a message — He gave them authority (Luke 10:19). That authority empowered them to confront demonic forces, heal the sick, and proclaim repentance without fear. The authority of Truth transforms the messenger from a mere activist into an ambassador.
In today’s world, many activists, journalists, and reformers attempt to challenge corrupt systems — but without spiritual authority, they face burnout, imprisonment, or destruction. The difference between a divinely sent prophet and a self-appointed crusader is the source of their mandate. The prophet operates under heaven’s commission; the crusader operates under human passion. One bears fruit that endures; the other bears scars that might not heal.

The Cost of Truth and the Grace of Authority
Even those with divine authority are not immune to suffering — but their suffering becomes purposeful, redemptive, and eternal. John the Baptist spoke truth to Herod and was beheaded, but his message prepared the way for Christ. Stephen spoke truth before the Sanhedrin and was stoned, but his witness birthed Saul’s conversion. Their lives illustrate that divine authority does not exempt one from persecution; it sanctifies it.
Without that authority, however, suffering becomes needless — a liability rather than a testimony. When you speak from self-righteousness, pride, or ideology, you become a target of both men and principalities. But when you speak from revelation, heaven stands behind you. Authority from Truth does not remove opposition, but it guarantees vindication.

Conclusion
Truth is not just what you say — it is who sent you. To speak truth to power is a sacred act, not a political statement. Without divine authority, your truth will be treated as treason; but with it, even persecution becomes prophecy.
If you don’t have authority from the Truth, you can’t speak truth to power without being held liable for it. The power of Truth is not in the words we speak, but in the divine commission behind them.
May we be among those who are not just loud for truth, but licensed by it — sent, shielded, and sustained by the One who is Truth Himself.
Author: Kingsley S. Ayinde

Esther 8:5
“Let it be written to reverse the letters devised by Haman…”

Message:

When the enemy issues a decree, divine intervention can rewrite the story. God reverses verdicts in favor of His covenant children. Are you a covenant child of God? If you are congregation because your enemies who wants you dead are in trouble from the Lord.


Mordecai was sentenced to die, yet the same gallows built for him destroyed Haman his enemy.

Prayer Points:
1. Every evil decree against my destiny, be reversed! Father please turn evil decree into blessings in Jesus mighty name.
2. O Lord, overrule the judgment of wicked men in my life and family in Jesus mighty name.
3. Turn every written curse into written and unchangeable blessing for me and my family members in Jesus mighty name.
4. My name shall not appear on any evil list.
5. I walk in divine exemption from all the evil of this day and I am furnished with mercy and grace in Jesus mighty name

THE FALLACY OF A BLAMELESS GOVERNMENT: A TREATISE ON THE MISDIAGNOSIS OF NIGERIA’S PROBLEM

There is a growing movement in Nigeria, one that argues that “the problem of Nigeria is Nigerians.” They say, “Let’s forget government. Let’s focus on ourselves.” They point to the carpenter who cheats, the doctor who defrauds, the mechanic who lies, the teacher who neglects. Their conclusion? “The failure of the nation lies not in the state, but in the citizen.”

At first, this sounds noble. Indeed, citizens must take responsibility for their conduct. But when examined closely, this argument is both shallow and dangerous, for it exonerates government and erases the moral and structural accountability of leadership.

If those who govern us are not imported, if they are Nigerians, products of our culture, schools, and communities, then how do we separate “the people” from “the government”? When analysts say “Nigerians are Nigeria’s problem” yet conveniently remove government from their diagnosis, they reveal a deeper intellectual dishonesty: they seek to absolve power while condemning the powerless.

If we follow this logic, then let us take it to its conclusion:
If government is not part of Nigeria’s problem, then government is unnecessary.
Let us abolish the state, dismantle its institutions, and return to a state of nature where everyone governs himself, a condition we already seem dangerously close to in our present national reality.

But no sane society does that.

Government exists precisely because human weakness demands structure, accountability, and justice. To say “government can’t do everything” is true, but it is not a message for Nigeria, where the question is not what government cannot do, but what it has done in accordance with its constitutional duty to ensure the welfare and security of the people.

To now say “government is not responsible for anything” is not realism; it is tyranny wrapped in populist language and emboldening lawlessness.

THE VANISHING IDEA OF ACCOUNTABILITY

In mature democracies, opposition is the conscience of governance. In the United Kingdom, the opposition is not a passive critic, it is a government-in-waiting, armed with its own social, political, and economic programs. It presents viable alternatives to the ruling party, woos the people with ideas, and dissects every major policy, addressing the nation after each significant government statement.

In the United States, the pattern is similar. After every State of the Union Address, the opposition delivers its own formal response, line by line, policy by policy, offering citizens an ideologically grounded alternative vision of governance. Opposition is not rebellion; it is a pillar of democracy.

In Nigeria, there is no such balance. The President delivers an Independence Day address, and no opposition party steps forward to critique its economic assumptions, social content, or policy soundness. Instead, the duty of dissent has fallen to ordinary citizens.

Today, it is the people, writers, journalists, social commentators, activists—who constitute the only meaningful opposition left. And when private citizens dare to speak truth to power, they are branded “bitter,” “unpatriotic,” or “the problem of Nigeria.”

THE COLLAPSE OF TRUE DEMOCRACY

Our democracy has been emptied of opposition, accountability, and courage.
The ruling elite governs without scrutiny; the opposition sleeps without shame; and the people are told to be silent in the name of patriotism.

We are witnessing a democracy that functions like an autocracy, where citizens are blamed for corruption while the corrupt are celebrated. The public good has been replaced with private greed, and moral responsibility has been outsourced to the powerless.

THE TRUE DIAGNOSIS

Yes, Nigerians must fix Nigeria but that includes those in power: ministers, governors, lawmakers, civil servants, and local officials who shape policy, control budgets, and enforce the law. Leadership is not a separate species; it is drawn from the citizenry.

When you remove government from the analysis, you commit a grave intellectual error—you amputate the very organ that drives the body.

Reform must therefore begin from both ends:

A responsible citizenry, committed to integrity and civic duty.

A responsive government, bound by law, transparency, and justice.

You cannot cure a nation by blaming its patients while excusing its doctors.

THE PATH FORWARD

Let us rebuild a participatory democracy where government is not a deity but a servant; where opposition is not treason but patriotism; and where truth is not punished as disloyalty.

Let us teach our children that governance is not an escape from accountability, but its highest test.

A country that silences criticism in the name of peace is not seeking peace, it is postponing explosion.

Nigeria must now choose: either to confront its leadership failures or to keep blaming its victims.

Taiwo Akiniami

Nigeria Is in Crisis: She Needs Statesmen to Fix Her, Not Politicians

“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.” – Frederick Douglass

“The greatest danger to the State is independent intellectual criticism.” – Murray Rothbard

“The State is the systematization of the predatory process over a given territory.” – Franz Oppenheimer

Introduction

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and largest economy by GDP, is battling an existential crisis. Over six decades after independence, the nation continues to lurch from one crisis to another — economic collapse, extreme insecurity, chronic corruption, social fragmentation, and institutional decay. The root cause? A bankrupt political class that thrives on manipulation, patronage, and a zero-sum view of power.

The current Nigerian crisis cannot be resolved by politicians, for they are the very architects and beneficiaries of the broken system. It is statesmen — men and women of integrity, foresight, and sacrifice — who can heal Nigeria’s festering wounds. To understand the depth of the crisis and the way forward, we must take a comprehensive look at Nigeria’s historical trajectory, structural failures, and leadership deficit.

1. Nigeria’s Economic Nightmare: A History of Squandered Opportunities

Since independence in 1960, Nigeria has earned over $1 trillion in oil revenue. Yet, more than 133 million Nigerians — about 63% of the population — live in multidimensional poverty (NBS, 2022). Nigeria overtook India in 2018 as the country with the highest number of people living in extreme poverty.

Key Economic Indicators (1960–2024):
Unemployment: Currently at 33% (NBS, 2023); youth unemployment is over 42%.
Inflation: As of 2024, inflation stands at over 30%, driven by food prices, energy shocks, and monetary instability.
Public Debt: Nigeria’s debt has ballooned from ₦2.4 trillion in 2006 to over ₦97 trillion in 2024. Debt servicing now consumes over 90% of government revenue.
Currency Devaluation: From ₦1 = $0.80 in 1980 to over ₦1,500 = $1 in 2024.
Industrial Collapse: Over 70% of Nigeria’s manufacturing firms operate below capacity or have shut down due to epileptic power supply, corruption, and insecurity.

This economic failure is not by accident — it is the product of predatory governance. As Franz Oppenheimer rightly explained, when a band of elites seizes power to extract wealth by political means rather than by production or innovation, a parasitic state emerges — this has been Nigeria’s fate.

2. Insecurity: A Nation Under Siege

The Nigerian state has lost its monopoly over violence. From Boko Haram insurgents in the Northeast, to bandits in the Northwest, herdsmen militias in the Middle Belt, secessionist agitations in the Southeast, cult wars in the South-South, and rising urban crime, the entire nation is at war with itself.

Casualty Statistics:
Boko Haram Insurgency (2009–2024): Over 100,000 lives lost, more than 2.5 million displaced.
Banditry in the Northwest (2015–2024): Over 12,000 deaths, hundreds of schoolchildren kidnapped.
Farmer-Herder Clashes: Over 4,000 lives lost in the last five years alone.
IPOB and Security Forces Clashes: Over 1,500 deaths since 2020.

The inability — or unwillingness — of the political class to address root causes such as poverty, inequality, and ethnic tension has allowed non-state actors to flourish.

3. A Broken Social Contract

The fundamental basis of governance is a social contract: the governed surrender certain freedoms in exchange for protection and services. In Nigeria, that contract is in tatters. Citizens receive neither protection, nor infrastructure, nor justice. Rather, they are taxed, exploited, and ignored.

*Public trust in institutions is at an all-time low:*
Police: Ranked among the worst globally in public perception and corruption.
Elections: Marred by vote-buying, violence, and rigging — 2023 general elections recorded lowest turnout in history (27%).
Education: Over 20 million out-of-school children.
Healthcare: Nigeria accounts for 20% of global maternal deaths despite being only 2.5% of the world’s population.

4. Leadership Crisis: The Root of All Problems

Politicians in Nigeria see public office as a reward and means of accumulation, not a platform for service. As the popular saying goes, “politicians think of the next election; statesmen think of the next generation.”

From Tafawa Balewa to Buhari, Nigeria’s leadership has been largely reactive, transactional, and self-serving. Despite pockets of progress under leaders like Obafemi Awolowo (as Premier of the Southwest), Murtala Mohammed (as Military Head of State), or Dora Akunyili (as minister), the system remains rigged against visionaries and reformers.

5. A Compromised Constitution: The Sharia Contradiction

The 1999 Constitution is riddled with contradictions and imbalances. It proclaims Nigeria a secular state, yet embeds Sharia law into the justice system of some states. This dual system undermines national unity and violates the rights of non-Muslims in affected regions.
12 Northern states operate Sharia courts, with cases of amputations, floggings, and religious persecution.
This contradicts the universal application of civil law and creates two-tiered citizenship.

The constitution, imposed by a military junta, was never subjected to a referendum and lacks legitimacy. Without a people-driven constitution, the Nigerian union remains structurally defective.

6. Why Politicians Can’t Fix Nigeria

Politicians thrive on the status quo. Their loyalty is not to the nation but to godfathers, ethnic cliques, or economic interests. They:
View governance as patronage.
Weaponize poverty to win votes.
Lack ideological commitments.
Suppress dissent and intellectual independence — the very threat Rothbard warned about.

*Nigeria is structured to benefit the elite at the expense of the masses. Expecting politicians to dismantle a system that enriches them is wishful thinking.*

7. Statesmen: The Urgent Need of the Hour

A statesman is defined by vision, moral courage, and commitment to the public good. Unlike politicians, statesmen seek legacy, not luxury.

Qualities we must demand in leaders:
Character: Integrity, discipline, and faithfulness.
Competence: Proven capacity to deliver and innovate.
Conviction: The courage to make tough, unpopular but necessary decisions.

Think of Nelson Mandela, Lee Kuan Yew, or Thomas Sankara — leaders who rose above their narrow interest to serve posterity.

Nigeria has such men and women — in academia, churches, communities, and business. But they must rise. And we, the people, must create the platforms for them to lead.

8. A Call to Action: The Church Must Lead the Renaissance

The Church — the Body of Christ — is not exempt. If we are truly the light of the world and salt of the earth, we must step out of the pews and into the public square. Silence in the face of injustice is complicity.

We must:
Mobilise at the grassroots: From Ward to LGA to State and Federal levels on the national Christian Political Platform; Christian Social Movement of Nigeria | Occupy.ng (Luke 19:13)
Educate the people: Political awareness, voter education, and civic responsibility.
Mentor new leaders: Through discipleship, leadership training, and character development.
Build platforms: Political movements, advocacy groups, and value-based political parties.

*The liberation of Nigeria will not come from the top. It will come from the bottom-up revolution of consciousness, anchored by godly leadership and a Christocentric political culture.*

Summary
Nigeria stands at the edge of a precipice. The failure of politics as usual is undeniable. The days of celebrating politicians who offer nothing but tokenism must end. It is time for statesmen — men and women of purpose, principle, and prophetic vision — to take the reins of leadership.

Let history not record that we watched our nation crumble while we prayed passively. Let it be said that in the moment of Nigeria’s greatest peril, a generation arose, equipped not with guns, but with truth, courage, and a burden for the next generation.

The hour is late. The need is urgent. The call is clear. Nigeria must be reborn — not by politicians, but by statesmen.

“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” – Proverbs 14:34
“If My people who are called by My Name will humble themselves and pray… I will heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14

Let us answer the call.

Written by: Kingsley Shola Ayinde
For inquiries, permissions, or mobilization efforts click: Christian Social Movement of Nigeria | Occupy.ng (Luke 19:13) (CSMN) or call:+2348033642068; email: kingsleyayinde@gmail.com

RCCG OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL

DATE: FRIDAY 11TH JULY 2025

THEME: PHYSICAL EXERCISE IS PROFITABLE

MEMORIZE: For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.” 1 TIMOTHY 4:8

READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

MESSAGE:

Today's memory verse tells us that the profit from spiritual exercise - which is godliness - far outweighs that of physical exercise but also implies that the little profit from physical exercise cannot be gained from spiritual exercise.

To function excellently in this physical realm, you need your body to be active and healthy, hence the need for physical exercise.

If you ignore the little profit from physical exercise, no matter how godly you are, you just may shorten your lifespan here on earth by yourself.

Many people today want to live a soft life. They do not want to engage in things that will stress their bodies or stretch their muscles. They want life to be soft and easy, even though the Bible says that we should endure hardness as good soldiers of Christ 2 Timothy 2:3.

You need to be in good physical shape to do the things that God put you on the earth to do. Therefore, you should always find time to exercise your body so that you can remain physically fit for God's use.

Nowadays, a lot of people are living endangered lives because they do not exert themselves physically.

They move from airconditioned rooms in their houses to airconditioned cars and then airconditioned offices. Many people will not even attend a church without air conditioning.

However, doctors advise that it is important to sweat. It is also important to stay under the sun for a while every day, especially around midday, because sunlight has tremendous qualities that are good for the body.

Personally, I exert myself physically by going on prayer walks regularly. The walks help me to stay in good shape physically, while the prayers help me to maintain good spiritual health.

Beloved, God cares about the health of your body 3 John 1:2. He cares about how you treat the container that He has given to you to enable you to fulfil your purpose on earth.

Regular exercise will help you manage your weight, and it will help strengthen your bones and muscles. It will also reduce your risk of getting sick and improve your ability to perform your daily activities effectively.

Regular exercise will also improve your mental health.

If you have a job that requires you to sit for long periods of time, or if you work from your home, physical exercise must be part of your daily routine.

Do not let your desire for a soft lifestyle shorten your lifespan.

ACTION POINT:

Kickstart a regular physical exercise routine today if you do not have one.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
ECCLESIASTES 5-8

HYMN 7: I AM THINE O LORD.

1 I am Thine O Lord
I have heard Thy voice
And it told Thy love to me
But I long to rise
In the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee
REFRAIN:

Draw me nearer,
Nearer,
blessed Lord
To the cross where Thou hast
died
Draw me nearer,
Nearer, blessed Lord
To Thy precious, bleeding side

2 Consecrate me now
To Thy service, Lord
By the pow'r of grace divine
Let my soul look up
With a steadfast hope
And my will be lost in Thine

3 Oh, the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend
When I kneel in prayer,
And with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend

4 There are depths of love That I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea
There are heights of joy
That I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.

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Happy Children’s Day

“Digital Beatitudes”
Blessed are the humble online, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven, and their connections is beyond the cyberspace.
Blessed are those who show pity and mourn for sinners online, for they will become the instrument of their transformation and comfort.
Blessed are the gentle commenters and posters, for they will create atmosphere of peace on earth.
Blessed are those who seek justice and truth in digital spaces, for they will be satisfied with righteousness.
Blessed are the merciful in heated comment sections, for they themselves will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in what they post, share, and consume, for they will see God and His goodness even His supernatural glory in the sky
Blessed are the peacemakers in online conflicts, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are trolled or cyberbullied for preaching online, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people mock you, block you, or spread lies about you for standing up for your faith, or for praying online, and for mainly doing godly deeds, rejoice because your reward is great in heaven.
Shalom!
#KSA

This article is a Must Read article. Trust me, it's worth your time if you love to see a better Nigeria.

*THE WAY OF OUR ELITES*

*by Moses Oludele Idowu*
*Saturday, 13 July 2024*

_*Copied from his Facebook page*_

A major challenge facing this nation today is that people who are trying to fix Nigeria don't seem to understand the problem of Nigeria. What they are focusing as the problems are not the real problems but the offsprings which the problem brought.
I have heard repeatedly trumpeted by many including scholars that corruption is our major problem. Well, It is not. It is merely the effect or symptom of the problem.

The problem of Nigeria is neither stealing nor corruption. It is the absence of a *culture of honour* among both leadership, elites and the commonality. The trouble with Nigeria, the real trouble with this nation dying on its legs under a succession of weak, corrupt and incompetent rulers deficient of honour and credibility is the absence of what some sociologists call "culture of honour."

You see it everyday and everywhere. In the churches, mosques, universities, government, boardrooms, palaces, streets etc. The trouble with Nigerians is that they lack honour. They don't even know what honour is. And as is the people so is the leadership. This is the cancer that has eaten this nation to carcass and corruption is merely the effect, the symptom.

It amazes me that even Nigerian scholars have never seen this and have stumbled on it. It is a mystery to me.

Today you can do anything in Nigeria and get away with anything. Yes, virtually anything. Once you have money and the right links and connections. The only crime is to be poor and powerless.

Because Nigerians can do anything for money - anything. With money anything -and everything- is possible in Nigeria. You can turn a prison room to a 5- star hotel, you can turn policemen to your errand boys or girls, you can rig election and overthrow popular will, you can kill a story and plant another in newspapers, you can alter grades of your ward in universities, exchange scores, change postings, acquire any title, influence judgement of the courts, torpedo results.... Tell me what is not possible in a land without Honour and without shame.

A politician was freed by all the courts in Nigeria for corruption only for the same politician to plead guilty in Britain for the same offense that he was freed by Nigerian courts. What is the difference? One land knows something about culture of honour and it has not completely died among them while another land inspite of her loud religiosity has none.

That is not the tragedy in itself. The real tragedy?

When that politician finally came home after serving his jail term, he was received with such a rousing and roaring welcome by his people that even the world wondered what kind of people are Nigerians; what specie or breed of humanity are these people called Nigerians?

The Wadume whose kidnapping led to the loss of policemen on duty was only given 7 years in jail - a slap on the wrist. Because Nigeria runs a two - tier system one for the poor and for the rich. And this system is.most visible in its justice system. When that fellow returned home he was received with joy by his people the same way a hero is received after returning from a dangerous expedition.

That is the land called Nigeria.

The trouble with Nigeria is not the Constitution, Igbo Triumphalism, Yoruba Traditionalism or Fulani Hegemony or Islamic Fatalism or even effete Christianity or bribery and corruption. It is that we are not a people of Honour. We lack honour. We can do anything for material gain.

I want this essay to be brief so I will only cite one example that you can also independently verify.

Karl Marx rightly believes that attitudes, opinion and moral quality of the elites of any given society shapes the generality of that society. Assuming that is so let us look at our elites today to establish the thesis that I put forward here.

It is easy to prove that our political elites lack honour. They demonstrate it daily by their ways, their actions and their modus operandi.

A common practice now among our political elites is to rush to court to stop the process whenever their tenure is about to be investigated. You were in power for 4 or 8 years spending public money and now a legally approved body wants to make an inquest to establish how you serve the people and what you did with your oaths of office and how you dispense public funds yet you are angry. Isn't that strange?

A man of honour should be happy that a real opportunity has landed for him to clear his name and establish his honesty.

A true scholar will be happy when other scholars want to assess his works and interrogate his ideas and submissions for proper scrutiny. Here is an opportunity to test his theories and the authenticity of his ideas before an enlightened audience.

Not so for our politicians because they lack that culture we are talking about.

A former governor of Lagos served for only 4 years. But after his tenure, the State House of Assembly decided to investigate some of the transactions he made as governor. I thought someone with a culture of honour should be happy that finally, the opportunity has come to establish his honesty. Not so. He went to court to stop what an assembly was empowered under the Constitution to do.

That is the way of the Nigerian elite.

Another former governor in Rivers State went to court to procure "a perpetual injunction" restraining anyone from investigating, inquiring, examining - and what have you? - into his tenure. What Nigerian courts cannot do, only God knows.

I used to think very highly of Mallam Nasir El- Rufai just as I used to do of another Fulani, that non-starter from Daura. Abraham Lincoln has warned that you don't know a man until you have tested him with power. He was right.

The Kaduna State House of Assembly is investigating his 8-year murderous and disastrous leadership when Kaduna became a killing field for the Fulani insurgents. Pronto, he quickly rushed to court to stop a body of legislators from doing what is their Constitutional right to do.

You can see that the elites are the problem of Nigeria. It is not just that they are ignorant, sometimes they could be downright mischievous and nationally subversive. They lack culture of honour. Why put obstructions on the path of examining your tenure if you have done well? Why use the court to obstruct the normal functioning of democratic organs?

Because there is an absence of culture of honour.

Our elites would do anything if they know they will get away with it.

Have you noticed another trend in Nigeria?

Whenever any of these people is brought to trial, he feigns sickness and pain and even collapses before live camera. Suddenly, they lack strength, stamina, health to withstand trial. After trying to use the court to stop their trial without success they move to the next stage: drama. Pretending to be sick and in pain so as to escape trial.

How many will I cite? They are always sick when it is time to try them.

A former power minister is the new sensation. He is been tried for misappropriation of N30b and suddenly he is in pain and can't continue with trial. Next he wants to travel for overseas medical check-up to delay the trial....

That is our elites and that is their way. Deficient of honour and truth, bereft of credibility and even honesty they are leading the way to beat the system and game the system. What nation rises to the top with an elite such as this?

That is the trouble with Nigeria.

One thing is certain: the politicians of the Fourth Republic are not as manly and honourable as their predecessors in the Second Republic. Those ones, some of them had honour and they were real men not cowards. At least they faced military tribunals as men and without buckling or betraying emotions and without pretense. Some of them gave fire to the military by firing back at them like Abubakar Rimi, Jim Nwobodo and even Bola Ige. These were real men who were not afraid of even soldiers and spoke boldly at their own trials. These were men with strong backbones not like those of today who are feigning sickness and pain because they have backbone of jellyfish. Even an old man like Pa Adekunle Ajasin went through the ordeal of trial and detention without weakening or fatigue. These were real men of honour, men who fought colonialism who could not be intimidated by the small boys in khaki.

I can't remember a single politician of the Second Republic who feigned sickness during trial or collapsed even when the judgment was given as harsh as it was then. These were real politicians, strong men, not boys in adult frame or women in men's attire.

We do not have such men again in leadership. In their place we now have cowards, crooks, thieves, scallywags, morally - deficient and intellectually- denuded company leading an unfortunate nation on the path of perdition. They are always looking for means to circumvent the system and game the system.

This is where the problem is. I don't know where an elite such as we now have will lead a nation to except to perdition.

There is plenty truth though uncomfortable in what investigative journalist, David Hundeyin said about Nigerian elites that in their mental capacity (and depravity too) and orientation and even worldview and moral quality they are not better than okada riders.

A WikiLeaks has one of Nigerian First Ladies named in illegal oil bunkering. Another First Lady is documented for money laundering. Another recent one is involved in kickbacks from helicopter sales for Army. Even when they ate free food, travel at government expenses and receive all the perks they still must steal. It is in the blood. Because there is no honour.

I can take every segment of Nigerian Society - clergy, media, police, Army, private sector, scholars etc for the Honour Test and they will all fail. And fail woefully too.

The Watergate scandal is the proof that when a culture of honour exists in a nation even a President can do nothing but bow out in shame. If Nigerians decide to act with honour and imbibe the culture of honour it will be difficult for a wicked ruler to arise and to have his way. It is not easy to steal public money. It is not easy to take money from government ministries. But when there is no honour and all the board members and governing council members and MDAs are manned by thieves then it becomes easy.
That is what we are facing. That is the real trouble.

Fix honour first. Teach the children to act with honour. Let all the universities begin to teach Civics to all students about Culture of Honour.

* Fear God.

* Pursue Right relationship with your fellow man.

* Dont take what does not belong to you.

* Don't pay more than a fair price for any item.

* Don't pay anyone for doing what the government already pays him.

* Don't receive the pay you didn't earn.

* Submission to rule of law.

* Don't pervert or subvert legitimate authority..

This is where we missed it. This is what we lost and why we are lost. And this is the way to return and retrace the steps.

Without honour, Constitutions won't help us; Parliamentary or Presidential system will be a waste of time. Nigeria is like a car stuck in the mud: the answer is not more fuel but traction. Nigeria does not need more money, more fuel, it needs traction, it needs to get out of the mud. And that traction that will remove its tyres from the mud is called *Culture of Honour*

Study history. Every true revolution begins here. No nation has witnessed a revolution without a segment or sections of that nation first discovering this Culture and imbibing it. The English revolution had the Puritans, the French Revolution had the Jacobins; the Russian Revolution had the Bolsheviks, the American Revolution had the Sons of Liberty... Okay, tell me who will spearhead the Nigerian Revolution? Which segment of Nigerian nation today do you have any group with a culture of honour who has not been compromised?

That is where the trouble lies. That is where we missed the road and lost our bearings. The last time I heard there is Yahoo Boys Mother's Association. Soon there will be Armed Robbers' Wives Association and Successful Looters Association. Once honour is lost in a society, everything begins to fall apart. Everything is possible because there is no more shame. It is like that.

Let us return to this Culture, old and young, rich and poor. And we will be blessed.

©️ Moses Oludele Idowu
July 13, 2024

_Moses Oludele Idowu is the President of People of Honour Initiative, an NGO dedicated to inculcating the culture among Nigerians._