PROF.
BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)
NCE(Eng.) ND/HD (Journalism); BA (Hons)
MA, PhD.
GOVERNMENT,
POLITICAL
STABILITY AND
DIVINE
EXPECTATIONS
…”One who rules over the
people,
must be just, ruling in the fear of
God”. “By justice a king
gives a
country stability”…(2
Samuel 23:3; Proverb 29:4).
INTRODUCTION:
The Yahoo Answers give the definition of “political stability” as “the
condition of the government of a country that precludes the possibility of open
revolt because the government is governing correctly and the people are happy
and benefit from the policies of the government”. Biblically speaking,
government is God’s institution for the administration of the affairs of the
people, and so, it is not man-made as Abraham Lincoln’s definition of
democracy, “government of the people, by the people and for the people,”
portrays it. In other words, God is the founder and owner of the institution,
we call government, and through it, He hopes to realize the welfare of the
people. The calls for caution, as those who handle government business with
levity will definitely be brought to book in line with the stipulations of the
Holy Scripture. To the governed, the Apostle Paul admonishes everyone to be
subject to the powers that be, pointing out that whoever resists the authority
resists the ordinance of God, (Roman 13: 1- 2). But, this is not a License for
bad governance or unscrupulous use of powers, as those who rules the people are
also admonished to be just, ruling in the fear of God, (2 Samuel 23:3). Having
said this, please notice further that:
GOVERNEMENT IS GOD’S MACHINERY FOR POLITICAL STABILITY.
Political stability in any country
is one of the cardinal responsibilities of the government in place, and this,
should not be compromised. The economic implication, as the South Asia Analysis
Group puts it, is that political uncertainty is an inventor’s nightmare. It
does disturb the flow of foreign direct investment plans both into the private
sector, as well as the government owned public sector units and that surely
affects economic growth”, the group concludes. Therefore, people in government
must be armed with the prudence and morality that make for equity and fair play
in handling the affairs of the citizens they govern. Put differently,
government must be fair to all, as a way of checkmating the tide of instability
which corruption, injustice and tribalism are the major breeders in the life of
a nation. In fact, God expects every arm of government, the Executive, the
Legislature and the Judiciary to be alive to their duties. To this end, the
Executive arm of government which enforces the law must ensure that political
corruption does not prevail over them as they run the affairs of the people,
(Proverb 29:4). Highlighting on this, Wikipedia renders that, “political
corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for
illegitimate private gain”. And, the truth of the matter is that most people in
government are guilty of this crime, as they use their positions to embezzle
public funds. Similarly, the legislature, which makes the law, must ensure that
unjust laws that deprive the poor of their rights are never put in place,
(Isaiah 10: 1). But, it is common knowledge that in Nigeria and elsewhere, law
makers are in the habit of suppressing certain laws that would benefit the
people. Also, the Judiciary, which is saddled with the responsibity of
interpreting the law and recommending punishments to offenders must, on its
part not pervert justice or show partiality in the dispensation of justice,
(Deuteronomy 15:19). Yet, today, certain judicial officers market justice,
instead of being impartial.
GOVERNMENT
MUST KEEP TO GOD’S WORD IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE POLITICAL STABILITY.
People in government seem to often
jettison the laid down procedures in God’s word designed for peace and
political stability of any country. It is apparent that most heads of
governments and their officials are the architects of political instability in
various countries of the world, including Nigeria. For instance, Nigeria is a
multi-ethnic nation, and we know that tribalism threatens the socio-political
stability of such nations. Still, most governments and their functionaries
evolve policies and programmes that seem to favour people of their ethnic
groups against the constitutional rights of others, knowing full well that harsh
administrative plans stir-up political tension in a country. This is injustice,
but God’s word says, “by justice, a king gives stability to a country”…(Proverb
29: 4).
One other problem that fans the
embers of unrest in society is that certain governments and their officials are
in most cases guilty of breaking the laws they try to enforce, and people
naturally plot revolt when they establish the fact that those who govern them
are not real to the tenets of the constitution of their country. To cite an example,
in the April 2, 2011 Nigeria’s National Assembly botched elections and the
April 9,2011 rescheduled ones, there were cases of alleged (but true) election
malpractices by some chief executives of governments and their officials in the
country which the ordinary citizens witnessed with concrete evidences, but
could not act because of the persons involved. However, be sure that one day
such disgusted citizens who are fed up with the hypocrisy of their leaders
would react, and when they do, even hell which inspire those unscrupulous
leaders cannot stop them, as such unpleasant political situations will always
show-up where political leaders disregard the principles of God’ word in governance. Is just a matter of time.
(1 King 12: 16).
GOVERNMENT
MUST BE SINCERE FOR POLITIVAL STABILITY TO THRIVE
Retired General Muhammadu Buhari,
the April, 2011 presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change
(CPC) of Nigeria well noted in an interview that, without a strong and clean
leadership, Nigeria cannot be stabilized”. This is Buhari’s way of telling the
people that a leadership that is not dedicated to transparency in its
administrative functions cannot achieve political stability in any
country. The retried general may have
Intuitively
expressed the mind of God, as well as what He expects from every political
administration in the world. But, are the political leaders of today conscious
of this basic truth? Are they aware of the fact that it is not possible to
always fool the people, no matter how foolish they are? On the lips of most
Nigerian leaders is the rhetoric that Nigeria is one indivisible nation, but in
the distribution of social amenities some are marginalized for ethnic reasons.
In the news, we hear of government programmes for youth empowerment, but behind
the scene is harsh discrimination based on party affiliation. We often hear of
government’s commitment to the welfare of the people, but notice that many
citizens die as a result of the insensitivity of government towards the
feelings of those who are in pains. People in authority as well tell much of
how they care for the physically challenged in society, yet we see them
helplessly forced by their predicaments to beg for alms from members of the
public.
Furthermore, who is not aware that
the incessant strike actions by the University Lectures in Nigeria had been as
a result of government not keeping the accord reached? One may equally be
unjust, if one shifts every blame on the Nigerian health workers for embarking
on industrial actions which as a result many people died of their ailments,
without pointing to the fact of the insincerity of government on the matter.
And, why must the restive youths be condemned for embarking on clandestine
activities in a country where job creation is just on the pages of newspapers
and bill boards?
Regrettably, the issues raised are
some of the reasons for political upheaval in society and this God hates. Yet
most political leaders remain committed to lying and mischievous style of
governance against the will and expectations of God. It is becoming clearer
that some political leaders are tyrants who promise everything, as well as
demand everything,, but fulfill nothing that promotes the welfare of the
people. It is unfortunate that this also happens in Nigeria, which is said to
be a democratic nation.
People will always protest when
governments are not fair to them. In Nigeria, governments at various levels
talks of lean resources, whereas, they lavish huge sums of money on frivolous
things. They sponsor sumptuous
ceremonies, while people die in abject poverty. They tell citizens to be
sacrificial, but will never miss the luxuries of expensive hotels. They talk of
insufficient federal allocations, but spend half of state budget on image bill
boards and statues. They talk of good plans for the people, but always come up
with policies that make them miserable. Having stressed this, let it be
mentioned that people will not always condone the hypocrisy of government, as
they will definitely revolt at the point of extremity. The present day
political crises in Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Ivory coast to mention but a few
attest to this fact.
In conclusion, people in government
should understand that they are God’s appointees for the good of the people,
though some of them are self-appointed, that is, those who are in government
through illegitimate means. But, in all, God expects the government to be
truthful and trustworthy, as well as wants the citizens to be law abiding, with
the understanding that civil disobedience, on the part of the citizens, and
administrative highhandedness and dishonesty, on the part of government, are
not the will of God, and therefore, should be avoided. GIVE PEACE A CHANCE
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