PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV)
NCE(Eng.) ND/HD (Journalism); BA (Hons)
MA, PhD.
RELIGIOUS ERROR (PART 5)
IMO STATE GOVERNMENT AND THE “GOLDEN CALF”
MAIN
TEXT:
“So,
all the people took off the earrings and brought them to Aaron. He took what
they handed him and made it into an idol, cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning
it with a tool”… (Exodus 32).
WRITER’S QUOTE:
God
is not pleased by works of art, but by works of righteousness
INTRODUCTION:
Those
who in recent weeks have been around Wetheral Road Roundabout, just close to
the Imo State Fire Service Station, Owerri, may have sighted a newly erected
statue of a bull, with a frightening look, which the writer speculates that the
Imo State Government, under the leadership of Governor Rochas Okorocha may have
put in place for cultural or aesthetic reasons or that a socio-cultural group
may have donated to the state, which the government considers best for the
location. The writer’s religious reflection also suspects, that the object may
be a subtle way of leading the state into the worship of a strange god in the similitude
of Israel’s worship of the “Golden Calf”, since it is the manner of some
politicians to depend on demonic powers whenever God gives them the opportunity
to lead the people, and so, questions the rationale behind such a wasteful
venture in a state where citizens lament joblessness and economic problems, as
well as submits that, if the artifact is for cultural reason, it portrays a
demonic culture, if it is for aesthetic reason, it carries a damaging imprint
in the eyes of the beholder, and if it is for religious reason, it remains one
of the idols which God had warned people against, (Exodus 20:4).
Furthermore,
with the present renovation and beautification work of the Imo State Government
in the three major cites of the state, namely, Owerri, Okigwe and Orlu, it
appears the new statue at the Wetheral Road Roundabout serves as a sample of
what the government intends to do throughout the state, as it may have
concluded arrangements to litter the state with such works of art in the name
of either culture or religion, with a tricky picture of ornamentation. In line
with this, let the attention of the Imo State government once again, be drawn
to the controversy generated by the “Ikenga Statue” erected some years back at
the Okigwe Road Roundabout, Owerri, by the Sam Mbakwe administration and its
negative impact on the socio-religious, cum cultural lives of the people, and
by this, also, the writer cites that, though, according to Dr. William Childs
Robinson in Dr. James Kennedy, there are three uses of art, which he cites as;
the decorative use of art, which we have in our homes, on our buildings, on our
persons and everywhere around us, the didactic use of art, that is, where art
is used to instruct and the devotional use of art, which he refers to as the only
use of art which the scripture forbids, (Deuteronomy 4:15ff), the writer
through investigation and personal encounter deduces the fact that there are
still individuals whose decorative and didactic uses of art are also mingled
with occultism. Based on the foregoing, therefore, the;
IMO STATE GOVERNMENT
SHOULD ENDEAVOUR TO AVOID GODLESS CULTURAL STATUES IN THE ORNAMENTATION OF THE
STATE.
African
Traditional Religion (ATR), which the Igbo Religious system is a part, is
believed by many to be a cultural religion with different types of symbols that
represent different gods behind them, and, this is not to say that every
ornament of the religion is devilish, but a way of pointing out that the
religion is a form of polytheism. For, a visit to a shrine of the religion or
cultural center of the people would showcase various statues of animals and
reptiles which serve as symbols of the multitude of gods that are believed to
be intermediaries between God and man in the religion. In this connection,
concerned individuals and governments of the people in African nations,
including Nigeria and the Igbo community try to adorn their public places with
statues that depict their cultural or religious heritage, and this, the writer
thinks may have been the brain behind the drive of Imo State Government to
display such artifacts in certain locations of interest, probably, to help its
citizens keep alive what they have inherited from their forefathers.
Be it
as it may, the government of Rochas Okorocha of Imo State is by this advised,
in the interest of the people and government, to ensure that it does not bring
into the state any statue(s) that represent(s) any strange god(s) from other
countries of the world or put in place, in any part of the state, any image
that is fetish in the name of ornamentation, culture or people’s traditional
religious heritage, as this would amount to another costly religious error in
the state, since the God of the Heaven would not treat any of such things with
levity, but will surely enforce His judgment on the government if that happens,
no matter the good work it has done in the state, and the writer would not be
happy to see a government he contributed immensely to install come under the
web of the wrath of God, with its devastating consequences, as the Bible and
history show that no government or individual at any point in time had ever
been free from divine judgment for getting involved in idol worship in whatever
guise.
IMO STATE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ENSURE THAT
ANY RELIGIOUS SYMBOL IT WISHES TO ERECT IN THE STATE GETS A BIBLICAL APPROVAL
Here,
the writer wishes to highlight the fact that Imo
State, though, a part of the secular
federation of Nigeria,
is a Christian community, and that the governor and members of his team are
said to be Christians. The writer is also aware that the duo are as well
believers in the culture and religious ethos of the people, and work
relentlessly to preserve them, and this is equally good. But, the governor and
the members of his cabinet should biblically be informed that every culture or
religion that is Christless is heathenish and that the symbols of such a
culture or religion are not good for ornamentation in a Christian state, like
Imo, since such statues are offensive to the Christian mind, as well as attracts
the wrath of God to the people. Thus, the scripture says to all peoples and
religions, “watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt
and make for yourselves an idol, or image of any shape, whether formed like a
man or a woman, or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air,
or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters
below”, … (Deuteronomy 4:15ff)
Therefore,
the government of Rochas Okorocha in its bid to beautify Imo State should consider
only those cultural statues that are not fetish, and where it intends to put in
place religious symbols, it must make sure they are not as specified in
Deuteronomy chapter four above, and for the purpose of guidance, the two main
symbols of the Christian faith are the Bible and the cross, which must not be
juxtaposed with any form of animal or human image(s), considering the fact that
Christ is no more on the cross, but Has risen from the dead, and lives forever
as the only mediator between God and man, (1 Timothy 2:5).
But,
what is the relevance of aesthetics in a state where refuse management is
porous? And, is it not a misplacement of priority to spend huge sums of money, casting
and erecting up statues of bulls and other species of animals for the
beautification of a state that its drainage system is nothing to write home
about? For , a visit to Owerri and other cites in the state, on rainy days
would depict horrible sites of the menace cost by flood, as a result of
un-maintained drainage system, and by way of information, Governor Okorocha and
his team should know that a candid investigation of the writer shows that the
people are not happy with the government for erecting up the said statue of a
bull at the Wetheral Roundabout, Owerri, and therefore call for its removal as
well as dis-continue the setting up of similar statues at the other three spots
designed for such meaningless aesthetics at the roundabout or other places.
IMO STATE GOVERNMENT SHOULD AS WELL
ENSURE THAT IN BEAUTIFYING THE STATE, THE GLORY OF GOD SHOULD BE PARAMOUNT
Whatever
you do, the Scripture says, do it all to the glory of God, (1Cornthians 10:31).
This is where most people fail, especially those in authority. For, if the
people and their leaders consider the glory of God in whatever they do, the
society would have been a better place to live in, since it would be difficult
to attract the wrath of God, which carries unpleasant consequences. To this
end, the people and government are advised to work together in an effort to
ensure that the glory of God reigns always for a peaceful and prosperous
society.
And,
don’t forget that the piece in focus concentrates on the activities of the Imo
State Government which seeks to beautify the state with certain works of art,
and so this call by the writer is that the glory of God becomes paramount in
the exercise. But, is God glorified in a state where people burn in abject
poverty, while billions of naira is spent in casting and setting up earthen
images in strategic places? Can it be to the glory of God that free education
exist in the state, but people are not able to send their wards to school for
lack of transport fare, as a result of harsh economic policy of the government
in power? Or, is the beautification of the state to the glory of God where
contracts for the job are based on nepotism and tribalism? And, what are the
economic values that would benefit the people to give glory to God for the
work? In a sincere search for sanity in society, let Governor Rochas Okorocha
and members of his cabinet, especially his Special Assistant on Religious
Affairs, reflect on the above questions and give God their sincere answers.
In
conclusion, the series on “Religious Error” from part one, are the writer’s
attempt to correct certain excesses of the people in Christianity, African Traditional
Religion (ATR), and others. To many, culture is not part of religion, but from
every indication, every religion is culture based, as both Judaism and
Christianity carry certain features of Manners and Customs of the Bible Land.
But, God hates every element of culture that is fetish and Christless, as well
as hates every form of unethical behaviour in adherents of religion, and this
is why it becomes necessary to draw the attention of the Imo State Government to
these basic facts, and equally ask it to ensure it does not provoke God to
anger in its bid to promote the culture and religious heritage of the people. PRAY FOR IMO STATE
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