The Lumine News

Category: Opinion

  • God Has Entrusted His Vineyard to Us, Being A Sermon by Rev Fr Felix Ovai Ekpe

    God Has Entrusted His Vineyard to Us, Being A Sermon by Rev Fr Felix Ovai Ekpe

     

    Today’s first reading from the Book of Isaiah and the Gospel according to Matthew presents us with a very powerful image: the vineyard. Today, the message is very simple: God has entrusted his vineyard to us.

    The vineyard in the first reading represents the house of Israel. Isaiah speaks about a landowner who carefully cultivated his vineyard. He cleared the land, planted the choicest vines, built a watchtower, and did everything necessary to make the vineyard fruitful. The owner invested so much in the vineyard, and when he came looking for good grapes, he found only wild grapes.

    In the Gospel, Jesus also speaks about a vineyard owner who planted a vineyard and entrusted it to tenants. And so, the question for us today is: What kind of fruits are you bearing? What are we doing with what God has given us?

    In the first reading, the vineyard owner planted his vineyard and expected it to produce good fruit. God has also planted many things in our lives.

    He has given us life, family, children, jobs, businesses, talents, intelligence, strength, opportunities, and the sacraments. God has not abandoned us. Rather, God has invested in us.

    Therefore, the important question is not simply, “What has God given me?” The deeper question is: “What am I doing with what God has given me?” It is our responsibility to use these gifts according to God’s purpose.

    Jesus says: “Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.” John 15:5. God expects us to bear fruit because He has invested in us.

    One of the great temptations of human life is that we receive certain things from God and begin to think that they belong entirely to us. But the tenants in the Gospel forgot something important: They were caretakers, not the landlords. The money you have is God’s gift. The strength you have today is God’s gift. Your children are God’s gift. Your intelligence is God’s gift. Your business is God’s gift. Your position is God’s gift. Your family is God’s gift. Your opportunities are God’s gifts. Everything we have ultimately comes from God. Therefore, we must ask ourselves: “Lord, how do you want me to use what you have entrusted to me?” You are only a caretaker.

    The question is not, “How much do I have?” The question is: “Am I using what I have to produce good fruit?” What Kind of Fruits Does God Expect? What does God expect from us? He expects fruitfulness, generosity, patience, love, faithfulness, forgiveness, compassion, and service. God does not want us to run away from what He expects of us. He has given each of us a vineyard to cultivate.

    For some, that vineyard is your family. For others, it is your marriage, your children, your business, your profession, your ministry, your community, or your personal life. Whatever vineyard God has placed in your hands, you have a responsibility to cultivate it.

    There is something very special about today’s readings: God is patient with us. Even when we fail, God continues to give us opportunities to change. He gives us another opportunity to rebuild ourselves. He gives us another opportunity to become better. He gives us another opportunity to bear good fruit.

    Therefore, do not waste the opportunity God has given you. If there is something you need to change in your life, begin today. If there is something you need to repair, begin today. If you need to forgive someone, begin today. If you need to become more generous, begin today. If you need to take better care of your family, begin today. Cultivate the vineyard God has entrusted to you.

    God wants us to invest in ourselves because He has already invested in us. He has given us life. He has given us opportunities. He has given us jobs and businesses. He has given us families. He has given us talents and abilities. And He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation.

    God does not demand that we build a perfect life. He wants us to build a better life. He wants us to keep growing. He wants us to keep producing good fruit. He wants us to use what He has given us for His glory and for the good of others.

    As we leave this church today, let us remember: I am God’s vineyard. God has invested in me. God has invested in my children. God has invested in my family. God has invested in my business. God has invested in my life. The question is: What fruits am I producing?

    Let us pray that when God comes looking for the fruits of our lives, He will find good fruits. May He find love. May He find generosity. May He find patience. May He find faithfulness. May He find kindness. May He find a life that has been used well.

    I pray for you at this Mass: As you leave this church today, may you remember that you are God’s vineyard and that God has invested in you. May you bear good fruits in your life. May you bear good fruits in your family. May you bear good fruits in your marriage, your children, your work, and your business.

    May God give you the wisdom to use everything He has entrusted to you. May God protect you. May God strengthen you. May God give you the grace to change whatever needs to be changed. And when you fall, may God give you the grace to rise again. May God give you another chance to cultivate the vineyard He has entrusted to you.

    And when the Lord comes looking for fruit, may He find good fruit in us.

    Amen.

  • Your Excellency, Fire Them NOW! BY AGBA JALINGO

    Your Excellency, Fire Them NOW! BY AGBA JALINGO

     

    Lagos with a population of approximately 20million residents has no Chief Press Secretary CPS, to the Governor. There is a Special Adviser, Media to the Governor, Mr Gboyega Akosile; who is a member of the Executive Council.

    Under him are two Senior Special Assistants in charge of the mainstream media and social media. None of these two dare send anything out or grant any interviews in the name of the government without clearance from the Special Adviser.

    Until recently, the Lagos Governor has also appointed, for the first time in history, a Special Adviser on Public Relations and Documentation, and by nomenclature, the role of the office is clearly spelt out.

    Nothing goes out without clearance from the office of the SA Media or the State Commissioner for Information.

    But in Cross River State, my State, with a population of less than 4million residents, there are up to, if not more than 30 human beings who call themselves, this and that, to the Governor on Media and Communication. All kinds of bogus titles that I am sure even the Governor himself does not remember unless they introduce themselves to him.

    Most of them have their unauthorized letter headed papers that they use to dish out discordant press releases and all kinds of bull dung in their attempt to impress the Governor.

    The Governor even warned them in a press statement not to send anything out or grant interviews without clearance from his CPS, Linus Obogo or the State Commissioner for Information, but in their insubordination, they continue to disregard the directive of the Governor and keep on writing all kinds of incoherent and abusive diatribes in the name of defending government.

    Our Foundation organized a training for them, yet it doesn’t appear like they learnt anything. The over-sabi and overzealous-ness to prove that “I am the best media SA to the Governor” is counter productive and creates chaos and negative image for the government.

    The confrontational posturing of these neophytes is not doing the Governor any good. No one is in control of anyone in the government information management team. Everybody is his or her own boss, working at cross purposes.

    But simply put, the governor has to sack most of these folks, rearrange his information management team to a lean and small coterie of professionals that will be able to manage and disseminate government messages clearly. Our State does not need such a large number of unproductive parasites to manage its information.

    We don’t even have the luxury of those resources. It’s a total waste of resources and waste of government titles on undeserving sycophants who actually have nothing to offer in the real sense of the job. They can as well be redeployed elsewhere, where they can be more productive.

    This opinion is strictly mine.

    Yours sincerely,
    Citizen Agba Jalingo.

     

    Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, Agba Jalingo, and does not represent Theluminenews, its agent or the organisation the author works for/with.

  • The Christianity We Profess And The Life We Practice: Action Not Words Being A Sermon By SYLVERUS ULEM 

    The Christianity We Profess And The Life We Practice: Action Not Words Being A Sermon By SYLVERUS ULEM 

     

    There is a funny but painful contradiction in human life: everybody wants a better society, but not everybody is willing to become a better citizen. We want honest politicians, but we sometimes offer bribes to get what belongs to us. We want responsible parents, but some children refuse to listen to any advice. We want obedient children, but some parents have forgotten that children learn more from what they see than from what they hear. We want holy priests and pastors, but we sometimes encourage them to tell us only what we want to hear. We condemn corruption in government while celebrating it when it works in our favour.

    In Nigeria, we are particularly gifted at identifying the sins of others. We know exactly what is wrong with the President, the governor, the local government chairman, the priest, the pastor, the neighbour and even the person selling tomatoes in the market. If criticism were a university degree, many of us would have graduated with first-class honours. Unfortunately, when the same examination is brought to our doorstep, we suddenly become lecturers in the theology of excuses!

    This Sunday, the Word of God invites us to stop playing the innocent victim and begin examining our own lives. In the first reading, the prophet Ezekiel confronts the Israelites over their complaint that God’s ways are unjust. They seem to suggest that their suffering is God’s fault rather than the consequence of their own conduct. But the Lord makes it clear that He does not desire the death of the wicked. Rather, He wants the wicked person to turn away from evil and live. The Lord declares that when a wicked person turns away from wrongdoing and begins to practise justice and righteousness, that person will preserve his life (cf. Ezekiel 18, 27–28).

    This passage reveals something fundamental about the nature of God: God’s justice is not opposed to His mercy, and His mercy does not eliminate the need for repentance. God does not condemn a person to remain forever a prisoner of yesterday’s mistakes. He opens the door to conversion, but we must be willing to walk through it. This is good news for anyone who has made terrible mistakes in life. Your past may explain some of your struggles, but it does not have to determine your future. The person who cheated yesterday can become honest today. The person who abandoned the family can begin to take responsibility. The Christian who has lived a double life can begin again through genuine repentance.

    In the second reading, St Paul appeals to the Philippians to reject selfish ambition, vanity and the desire to place themselves above others. Instead, they are to act with humility, considering the interests of others and following the example of Christ. Paul then presents Jesus Christ as the supreme model of humility. Though He was in the form of God, He did not cling to His equality with God. He emptied Himself, took the form of a servant and became obedient even to death on a cross (Philippians 2, 6–8).

    Unfortunately, our world often defines greatness differently. We measure success by the number of people who stand up when we enter a room, the number of people who call us oga, madam, chief or honourable, and the number of people who must wait for hours before they can see us. In some offices, the person who has the least work to do is the one who insists on being treated like the most important person in the building. Even when a public official is elected to serve the people, the people may soon discover that they must first serve the official’s ego!

    However, Christ turns this understanding of greatness upside down. In His kingdom, authority is a responsibility, not a licence for oppression. Leadership is service, not an opportunity to enrich oneself. Humility is not weakness; it is the strength to put love above pride. A father cannot demand respect from his children while treating their mother with contempt. A mother cannot teach honesty while encouraging a child to lie for convenience. A religious leader cannot preach sacrifice while using the suffering of the congregation to satisfy personal ambition

    In the Gospel, Jesus tells the story of a father who asks his two sons to go and work in his vineyard. The first son refuses, saying, “I will not,” but later changes his mind and goes. The second son responds, “Certainly, sir,” but fails to go. Jesus then asks which of the two did the father’s will. The answer is obvious: the first son. One disappointed his father with his words but pleased him with his eventual obedience. The other pleased his father with his words but disappointed him with his disobedience.

    Jesus uses this story to challenge the religious leaders who appeared righteous but refused to respond to God’s call, while tax collectors and prostitutes were turning towards the kingdom through repentance. The lesson is not that sin is good or that public sinners should be celebrated for their past wrongdoing. Rather, Jesus teaches that genuine conversion matters more than a reputation for righteousness.

    One of the greatest dangers in the Christian life is the temptation to substitute religious language for religious obedience. We can sing, “Take my life and let it be,” and still refuse to surrender our anger, dishonesty or pride to God. We can pray for peace while nursing hatred against our neighbours. We can shout “Holy Ghost fire!” against our enemies while refusing to reconcile with members of our own family. The problem is not that we pray too much. It is that we sometimes pray without allowing God’s Word to challenge our behaviour.

    Perhaps you are reading this reflection and remembering decisions you regret. Perhaps you have disappointed your family, betrayed someone’s trust or lived for years in contradiction to your Christian profession. Do not allow shame to convince you that conversion is impossible. The first reading assures us that the wicked person who turns away from wrongdoing can live. The Gospel shows us that the son who initially refused his father’s command could still change his mind and do what was required of him. God’s mercy is not a reward reserved for people who have never failed. It is a gift that invites sinners to return to Him.

    May our words and deeds become one, so that the Christianity we profess on Sunday will be visible in our homes, offices, markets, schools, churches and public institutions throughout the week. Amen

    Fr. Ulem

     

    Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, Rev Fr Sylverus Ulem, and does not represent Theluminenews, its agent or the organisation the author works for/with.

  • The Danger of Empty Promises: The Need to Always Change Your Mind for Good, Being Sermon by Rev Fr Felix Ovai Ekpe

    The Danger of Empty Promises: The Need to Always Change Your Mind for Good, Being Sermon by Rev Fr Felix Ovai Ekpe

     

    My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

    The message of today’s Gospel is simple but very profound: it is not enough to make promises; what matters is whether we keep them. More importantly, God gives us the opportunity to change our minds and do what is right.

    In today’s Gospel, a father went to his first son and said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.” The son replied, “I will not.” But later, he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second son and gave him the same instruction. The second son replied, “Yes, sir, I will go.” But he did not go. Jesus then asked: “Which of the two did his father’s will?” The answer is clear: the one who eventually went and did what his father asked.

    This teaches us an important lesson: God is not interested merely in what we say; He is interested in what we do. It is very easy to make promises. In fact, many people make promises that they have no intention of keeping.

    A young man may go around promising different ladies that he will marry them. He makes beautiful promises and says all the things they want to hear. But when the time comes to fulfil those promises, where is he?

    The problem is not in making promises. The problem is in making promises without the willingness or commitment to fulfil them. As Christians, we must learn that our words must be supported by our actions.

    When you say something, try to do it. A man stands before God and his family and promises his wife: “I will love you. I will care for you. I will stand by you. I will lay down my life for you.” He may also promise her parents that he will take good care of their daughter. But after some years, the same man begins to abuse and beat his wife. What happened to the promise? Promises are not meant only for the wedding day. Promises must be sustained.

    The same applies to wives. Marriage requires commitment, patience, sacrifice, forgiveness and responsibility from both husband and wife. We must not be Christians who say “yes” with our mouths but “no” with our actions.

    Even in the Church, we make promises. When a bishop wants to establish a new parish, he may ask the people: “Will you take care of the priest? Will you support the parish?” Everybody says, “Yes!” But after some years, people become tired.

    Of course, it is normal to become tired. But when we make a commitment, we must understand what that commitment means. We must be prepared to sustain it. The Christian life requires perseverance.

    My dear brothers and sisters, we must also apply this message to our society. The year 2027 is approaching, election will come. Politicians will come to us again. They will make promises. They will tell us what they intend to do for our communities. They will make beautiful speeches. But as citizens, we must learn to examine promises against actions.

    Good governance must be measured by what is actually done, not simply by what is promised. We need functioning roads. We need reliable electricity. We need clean and accessible water. We need opportunities for our young people. We need an environment where businesses can grow and people can work.

    A small gift given to a person during an election period cannot substitute for a functioning system. If someone gives you a bag of rice or a small amount of money, that may help you temporarily. But it does not solve the deeper problems affecting the community.

    We need a system in which our water supply works, our roads are maintained, electricity is available, schools function and young people have opportunities to earn a living.

    We also have a responsibility. Many people complain about the government, but some of us have not even obtained our voters’ cards or taken the necessary steps to participate in our democracy.

    If we want change, we must also be willing to take responsibility. We must exercise our civil responsibility. We must ask ourselves: What can I do to contribute to the good of my community?When we travel to other places and see functioning infrastructure and projects that improve people’s lives, we should ask why similar things cannot happen in our own communities.

    Imagine if a community such as Ogoja had reliable electricity for many hours every day. Think of the businesses that could operate. Think of the young people who could be employed. Think of the opportunities that could emerge. When basic infrastructure works, people’s lives change.

    But there is another important message in today’s Gospel: we can change. One of the greatest things that can happen to a human being is positive change. Do not conclude about yourself or about another person. Someone may have said “no” yesterday and said “yes” today.

    Someone may have lived wrongly yesterday and decided to live rightly today. Someone may have refused to forgive, but today can make the decision to forgive. That is the beauty of God’s mercy: God gives us a second chance. The first son said no, but he changed his mind and went. Therefore, do not conclude that someone cannot change. And do not conclude that you cannot change.

    Some of us have concluded, “I will never forgive my husband.” “I will never forgive my wife.” “I will never forgive that person who offended me.” Today’s Gospel challenges us to reconsider and change our minds.

    Forgiveness does not mean that what happened was right. It means that you refuse to allow anger and resentment to control the rest of your life. If you have made mistakes, change your mind. If you have hurt someone, change your mind. If you have refused to do what is right, change your mind. If you have made a promise that you have failed to keep, change your mind and begin to do what you promised.

    The message of today’s Gospel is clear. First, God gives us a second chance. Do not conclude too quickly about anyone. Second, do not be a person who says “yes” but never acts.

    The person who does the will of God is not necessarily the one who speaks the right words. It is the person who eventually does what God asks.

    Third, let our promises be supported by our actions. Whether in marriage, in the Church, in our families, at work or in society, we must learn to keep our commitments.

    Fourth, exercise your responsibility as citizens. We cannot simply complain about our society. We must participate responsibly in building it.

    And finally, never be afraid to change your mind for good. If you are going in the wrong direction, turn around. If you have refused to forgive, forgive. If you have failed in your responsibilities, begin again. If you have made empty promises, stop making promises you cannot keep.

    My dear brothers and sisters, Christianity is not about what we say alone. It is about what we do with what we say.

    May God give us the grace to keep our promises, the courage to correct our mistakes, the wisdom to exercise our responsibilities, and the humility to change our minds whenever we discover that we are on the wrong path.

    And may God help us to become people whose “yes” means yes, whose actions correspond to their words, and whose lives bear witness to the Gospel.

    Amen.

    Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, Rev Fr Felix Ovai Ekpe, and does not represent Theluminenews, its agent or the organisation the author works for/with 

  • Advice to Upcoming Aides BY SAM AMADI 

    Advice to Upcoming Aides BY SAM AMADI 

     

    When you work for principals, maintain respect, responsibility and trust when you leave them for whatever reasons.

    I can advise because I have worked with many principals I have course to disagree on many issues, from Gani Fawehinmi, Olisa Agbakoba, Ken Nnamani, Ojo Maduekwe, President Jonathan, etc.

    Never once did I say anything wrong about them when I left. I kept the trust and the respect, and the reciprocated. They continue to love and respect me till date or death.

    Gani wrote me a reference to Harvard and described me as the smartest and most honest person he has met, despite that I left his office in some controversy. Until his death, Gani continued to give me complimentary copies of his Nigerian weekly law report. When I wanted to join Ken Nnamani as Special Adviser, I went to Gani to seek counsel and he encouraged me. He said, “Sam, do not let anyone rubbish your reputation. Act like your former Dean. If they do not accept your advice resign”. I continue to love Gani.

    I cannot talk less about my relationship with my former boss, Olisa Agbakoba. We had small disagreement when I left to US for graduate student. But we made up. I returned back to his law firm. Last week we had a great conversation on Nigerian politics. No matter how we disagree in the future I cannot imagine myself hitting at Olisa. Never. He is my oga for life.

    Ojo Maduekwe continued to consult me for official work (even taking me along for President Yaradua’s state visit to the US as official adviser) despite that I resigned as SA on ground of disagreement. I never speak ill of him. When I left him, I went back with 5 pastors to apologise for leaving him and assure him I would continue to look out for his best interest. I told him it was my fault we could not work well together. Until his death we remained good friends and he would always seek my opinion on any issue with the salutation: ‘great Sam’.

    Till date, I am Ken Nnamani’s PA even as I disagreeded with his membership of APC. As NERC chairman, I was still writing speeches for my oga. Oga is Oga, whether I leave his service or not. Loyalty and trust should count for something.

    I cannot talk about GEJ. He is oga for life. He continues to like and respect me. And I never speak ill of him, even as I can hold critical views of his governance. When I left NERC and people were attacking him for whatever fail of the power sector, I issued a statement to say, “hold me responsible for any failure, not President Jonathan”.

    If you quarrel with your principals and you cannot restrain from abusing them, do not praise yourself, rather mourn for yourself and pray for healing.n

    You are not smart or courageous. You are plain foolish. And you can change. Take this as a friendly advice.

    Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, Sam Amadi, and does not represent Theluminenews, its agent or the organisation the author works for/with.

  • Remembering God After Harvest: Being a sermon by Rev Fr Sylverus Ulem During Bakor New Yam Festival

    Remembering God After Harvest: Being a sermon by Rev Fr Sylverus Ulem During Bakor New Yam Festival

     

    Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
    Today, we gather as a people of God to celebrate New Yam. But the question we must ask ourselves is: What exactly are we celebrating?

    At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Christ. At Easter, we celebrate our redemption through His death and resurrection. But when we celebrate New Yam, what are we celebrating?

    We are celebrating God’s faithfulness, God’s providence, and the mystery of God’s blessing in our lives. You plant half a yam, and at harvest, you discover that it has produced many more yams. Who made that possible?

    Since you were born, has anyone ever told you that your ancestors turned one yam into many? No! It is God who gives the increase.

    Some people plant their yams, and others steal them, yet somehow the yam continues to grow. Some even cultivate land that does not belong to them, yet God allows the crops to grow. This reminds us that the harvest is ultimately God’s gift. Therefore, when we celebrate New Yam, we must not celebrate only the yam. We must celebrate the God who gives the harvest.

    In the first reading from the Book of Deuteronomy, God reminds His people that when they enter the land and enjoy its abundance, they must not forget Him.

    The message is simple: when God blesses you, remember God. And one of the best ways of remembering God is by remembering the people around us.

    The Scripture tells us to give to those who have nothing. We are all created in the image and likeness of God. Therefore, when we share with one another, we honour the God whose image we bear. There are widows among us. There are orphans among us. There are families who have little or nothing to celebrate today.

    So, as we celebrate the harvest, let us look around us. Who needs something from my harvest? Who needs my help. Who needs my food. Who needs my kindness? If we truly remember God, we cannot forget our brothers and sisters.

    The second reading reminds us of an important truth: one person may plant, another may water, but God gives the increase.

    Therefore, we must not become proud because of what we have achieved. You planted, but God gave the growth. You worked, but God gave you strength. You struggled, but God opened the way. You harvested, but God made the harvest possible.

    That is why St Paul encourages us to share generously. We should not give only when it is convenient. We should also remember those who have nothing. The true meaning of harvest is not simply “I have enough.” The true meaning of harvest is: “God has given me enough to share.”

    Finally, Jesus gives us the parable of the rich fool. The man had a great harvest. His land produced abundantly. But instead of asking, “Who can I help?”, he asked, “What shall I do?”

    Then he said: “I will pull down my barns and build larger ones. There I will store all my grain and my goods.” Notice something very important about this man. Throughout the passage, there is hardly any “we.”

    It is all about “I.” My harvest. My barns. My goods. My grain. My wealth. My future. He forgot his family. He forgot his neighbours. He forgot the poor. He forgot God. His problem was not that he had a good harvest. His problem was that he had a good harvest but a bad heart. His harvest became an opportunity for selfishness instead of an opportunity for generosity.

    He thought that because he had accumulated enough, his life was secure. But God said to him: “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you.” Then comes the great question: All the things you have prepared, for whom will they be?

    The rich man committed what we might call the sin of “I.” He lived as though everything revolved around him. “I will build.” “I will store.” “I will keep.” “I will enjoy it.” But where was “we”?

    This is the danger of prosperity. Sometimes, when God blesses us, we forget that we are blessed for a purpose. God does not give us abundance simply so that we can build bigger barns. He gives us abundance so that others can experience His goodness through us. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, as we celebrate New Yam today, let us not become like the rich fool.

    After the harvest, may we not forget God. After the harvest, may we not forget our parents. After the harvest, may we not forget our brothers and sisters. After the harvest, may we not forget the widows. After the harvest, may we not forget the orphans. After the harvest, may we not forget the poor. After the harvest, may we not forget those who helped us along the way.

    And above all, may we never forget the God who gave the increase. May our harvest become a blessing to others. May our homes have enough to share. May our communities become stronger because of our generosity. And when God looks at our lives, may He never find us foolish because of our selfishness.

    May God bless our harvest. May God bless our families. May God bless those who have little or nothing. And may God give us generous hearts that never forget Him after the harvest.

    Amen.

  • God’s Own Calculator: Being a Sermon by Rev Fr Sylverus Ulem

    God’s Own Calculator: Being a Sermon by Rev Fr Sylverus Ulem

     

    Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
    One thing that is clear, obvious and certain is that God does not share in our calculation. God’s calculator is always different from our calculator.

    Sometimes, we are too quick to conclude. We have already arrived at the answer and are ready to put the total, but God is still calculating. We conclude that something is finished, while God is still working. We conclude that a person has failed, while God is still writing the person’s story. We conclude that God has forgotten us, while God is still calculating.

    Dear people of God, this is one of the reasons why we sometimes go against God or fail to recognise Him when we need Him most: God does not calculate the way we calculate.

    One of the funniest things about human beings is that we like to calculate everything. Even those who failed mathematics calculate everything. We calculate how to survive. We say, “I have this amount of money. I will use this much for this, manage this much for that, and hopefully I will still have something left to cook.”

    Sometimes, we even calculate God’s goodness. We see someone and say, “God has really blessed this person.”
    We see another person and say, “God does not seem to bless this one.” But who gave us the calculator with which we measure God’s blessings?

    The first reading today has settled the matter: “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord.” When you begin to place God according to the limits of your thoughts and standards, God often surprises you because He is not using your calculator.

    Sometimes we calculate who has suffered more, who arrived first, who has served God longer, who has prayed more, and who therefore deserves to be rewarded more. We even look at people’s outward religious practices and begin to calculate their relationship with God.

    Someone carries a rosary, a crucifix and a prayer book, and we say, “This person must be very prayerful.” You enter somebody’s room and see an altar beautifully arranged with Mary, angels, candles and other religious objects, and immediately you conclude, “This person must really be close to God.”

    That is human calculation. Sometimes, even our prayers become like an application submitted to the Human Resources Department. We pray and say, “Lord, I have been doing this for three months. By the end of these three months, I must receive this particular thing.” We begin to calculate our prayers, our sacrifices and our service to God as though we are negotiating a contract with Him.

    But the readings of today invite us to confront one divine truth: The operational system of God is different from our own. That is the painful truth that all of us must realise today. The prophet Isaiah tells us: “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.”

    This statement challenges our entire understanding of God. We want God to behave according to our understanding of fairness. We think justice means giving everyone exactly what we think they deserve. But God’s justice and judgement are rooted in His own ways.

    Look at the forgiveness of God. We forgive, but sometimes we keep the incident in our mental archive. We say, “I have forgiven you,” but we remember the date, the time, the place and everything that happened! But when God forgives, He does not continue calculating the offence against us. That is the greatness of God’s mercy.

    The readings of today are also very important for us in Nigeria. Human beings can easily write people off.

    A person fails examinations and comes from a poor background, and we immediately begin to calculate the person’s future. We say, “This one will not amount to anything.” But God does not calculate that way.

    There are people who did not succeed academically, people who did not pass their examinations, yet they followed a politician who appointed them as councillors. Before you know it, they became chairmen. And you who succeeded academically are still struggling.

    Some of the people you go to visit on Christmas Day may not have certificates, yet they are the ones feeding you. You are praying with your certificates, while you are still looking for a job. When you were growing up, you had already calculated how your life would be. You thought you would become this, achieve that and arrive before somebody else. But life has a way of reminding us that God is the one holding the calculator.

    The person you thought would never succeed may surprise you. The person you thought would never survive may still be standing. The person you thought had no future may become a source of blessing to others.

    The God revealed to us in Scripture is constantly calling people back to Himself. Mary was not chosen because she had achieved everything according to human standards. The apostles were not selected because they had perfect CVs. God has a habit of surprising people. Why? Because His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts.

    Some of us have looked at people in the hospital and, from what we saw, concluded that they might not survive. But God surprised us. They are alive and are even worshipping with us today. Some of us see the mistakes of others and begin to behave as though those people are no longer human beings. But remember, “My ways are not your ways. My thoughts are not your thoughts.”

    St Paul, in the second reading, teaches us something very important about living for Christ. Our lives must ultimately be directed towards Christ, not towards comparison with other people.

    Then Jesus gives us the parable of the workers in the vineyard. Some workers came in the morning, while others came later in the day.

    Imagine, as a priest, I go to the junction in the morning and hire workers. Then I return in the evening and hire another group. At the end of the day, I pay everybody the same amount. If I pass that same junction the next day, they will call me many names!

    But Jesus is showing us something deeper. This parable exposes a lot about us. Sometimes we feel that our reward from God should depend on how long we have been serving Him. Some people believe that because they have spent many years in the Church, they should have a special chair in the Church. We calculate our years of service. We calculate our sacrifices. We calculate our prayers. We calculate our contributions. And then we begin to calculate what God owes us.

    But something very important happens at the end of the parable. Jesus asks. “What is wrong with me giving the last person the same amount I gave you? Do I not have the right to use what belongs to me?” That is the question God is asking us today. Why are you angry because I have blessed someone else? Why are you disturbed because another person received what you were expecting? Why do you think another person’s blessing reduces your own?

    My dear brothers and sisters, Jesus exposes something important in us. We are interested in comparative advantage. We are happy when something good happens to us. But when the same good thing happens to somebody else, we become jealous. We compare the blessings of God. We compare our marriages. We compare our children. We compare our jobs. We compare our houses. We compare our achievements. We compare our progress. And sometimes, without saying a word, we can even pray for somebody’s downfall.

    That is why the Gospel reading invites us to stop measuring our lives against the lives of other people. Stop comparing yourself with other people. Whatever God has given you, manage it well. Be grateful for it.

    Many people are suffering today because they began with the life that was theirs, but later they started measuring their lives against somebody else’s life. They saw another person’s house. Another person’s car. Another person’s marriage. Another person’s children. Another person’s success. And suddenly, their own blessing no longer looked like a blessing.

    Dear brothers and sisters, nobody can collect what belongs to you. What God has destined for you does not become yours by comparing yourself with another person. So stop distracting yourself with the blessings of others. Celebrate when another person succeeds. Celebrate the joy of others without interpreting their joy as your own loss. If God blesses somebody today, it does not mean that God has forgotten you. If someone arrives before you, it does not mean that your journey has ended. If somebody receives something before you, it does not mean that God has cancelled your own portion. Remember, God is still calculating.

    Let us therefore seek the Lord while He may be found. Let us trust His ways. Let us surrender our calculations to Him. Let us learn to celebrate the joy of others without seeing it as our own loss. Let us stop comparing ourselves with one another. And let us remember that the calculator of God is not the calculator of man.

    May God help us to become what He truly wants us to be. May He give us the grace to trust His timing, accept His ways, rejoice in the blessings of others, and never depart from His path.

    Amen.

    Compiled By Elijah Ugani

  • God Is Love: Understanding His Mercy, Forgiveness and Generosity BY PETER OBELE ABUE

    God Is Love: Understanding His Mercy, Forgiveness and Generosity BY PETER OBELE ABUE

     

    Some people are not comfortable with the G.O.D. of love. They prefer the god of revenge and punishment for their enemies etc. Because they work hard and keep the law scrupulously, they believe every good deed is put down as a merit for them in heaven. They belive other people who are not as good as them should receive nothing good from God. This is not about taking God for granted or encouraging tolerance for evil,. This is about belief in a God that is free to love or forgive whom He wants especially those who turn around and repent. That’s why he is the God of love. Even Jesus himself addresses this in the gospels when he said to the workers in the vineyard who complained about his generosity: “My friend, I am not cheating you… take what is yours and go… Am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?” (Mt 20:1-16)

    The Babylonians in exile had this kind of false image of God as a punisher of evil and Isaiah told them in very plain language that they were wrong and needed a conversion of heart. This time it was not a conversion from sin and corruption, but a radical change from their myopic way of looking at God. “Let the wicked forsake his ways and the unrighteous man his thoughts. I will abundantly pardon you, for my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways, says the Lord.” Abraham our father in faith was called while he was still a pagan. David was forgiven while he was at his worst sin of adultery and murder. Moses, who murdered an Egyptian while defending his people, was still called to lead his people.

    It’s time we realized that our God is a generous God, even as we still believe he does not tolerate sin. He is not our business partner; he is not an accountant who is there to record our deeds in order to pay us according to our merits. A dog is the only creature you can train to obey you and work in accordance to your dictates; not God. Seriously, we merit nothing from God; we can only receive forgiveness, generosity, love, and indeed salvation from him. It’s time we begin to change our mentality of the God we serve and treat him like a G-O-D not a D-O-G.

    Fr. Peter Abue

    Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, Rev Fr Peter Obele Abue PhD, and does not represent Theluminenews, its agent or the organisation the author works for/with.

  • Wike, Rainbow Coalition and the Politics of 2027 BY ELIJAH UGANI 

    Wike, Rainbow Coalition and the Politics of 2027 BY ELIJAH UGANI 

     

    Wike is becoming a problem for APC governors. If they are truly in charge of their states, perhaps it is time for them to get to work.

    The emerging Rainbow Coalition is revealing another dimension of Nigeria’s 2027 political calculations. Rather than seeing the coalition simply as another opposition arrangement, it is important to examine its strategy and the political lesson it appears to have drawn from the 2023 general elections.

    The Rainbow Coalition is, by definition, a political alliance capable of bringing together diverse groups and interests around a common objective. In this case, the common objective appears to include supporting the return of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027, while simultaneously providing a platform for politicians who feel politically marginalised, aggrieved or excluded within their respective parties. That is where the political strategy becomes interesting.

    In 2023, many politicians who were dissatisfied with the established political structures found an alternative vehicle in the Labour Party and the wider Obedient Movement. Whatever one’s interpretation of that movement, its impact on Nigeria’s political history is difficult to ignore. Politicians and political actors who might otherwise have remained on the margins were able to ride on a larger movement and make significant electoral and political gains.

    The emerging coalition appears determined not to allow a repeat of that dynamic in 2027.
    Rather than leaving aggrieved politicians without a political home, the Rainbow Coalition provides a platform through which their grievances can be channelled toward a common political objective.
    Jibril Isah and the Kogi example
    Consider Senator Jibril Isah of Kogi East Senatorial District.

    Following his inability to secure an APC return ticket, he reportedly attributed his political setback to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s political camp. Whether that allegation is ultimately established or not, the important political point is that unresolved internal grievances can create alternative political structures.

    Isah’s reported support for President Tinubu while simultaneously mobilising through the Rainbow Coalition against interests associated with Governor Ododo illustrates the complexity of the emerging arrangement.

    It is no longer necessarily a simple question of APC versus opposition. It can also become a question of Tinubu versus individual political interests within the ruling political structure.

    Nyesom Wike may be regarded by many as a controversial politician, but his current political posture can also be interpreted as an attempt to create an internal competitive framework around the 2027 objective.

    Some may judge Wike’s political methods through the lens of morality, loyalty or political consistency. Others may view them purely through the prism of political strategy. But politics is ultimately about structures, interests, mobilisation and electoral results.
    Wike’s confrontation with governors therefore raises a fundamental question, If a governor claims to have complete political control of his state and publicly supports President Tinubu’s return in 2027, can that governor demonstrate that control through actual political results?

    The famous political declaration, “On your mandate we shall stand,” is easy to make. The harder question is: what structures are standing, and what results can they produce?

    That is where the governors are being challenged. The 2023 election remains an important reference point. Where a governor or state political structure performed poorly for the presidential candidate of the ruling party, the obvious question for 2027 is: What has changed? Is the strategy different? Are the grassroots structures stronger? Has the political base expanded? Have previously aggrieved politicians been reconciled? Has the state studied what happened in 2023 and developed a strategy to prevent a repeat?

    Simply controlling the machinery of a ruling party does not automatically translate into electoral success. The 2023 election demonstrated that established political structures could face significant challenges from movements operating outside the traditional political establishment. That experience should not be dismissed.

    Cross River State provides another interesting perspective. In the 2023 presidential election, different parts of the state recorded varying levels of support for the presidential candidates. Cross River North, in particular, became an area of significant political competition.

    The lesson from such electoral results is straightforward: political leaders and parties must study where they succeeded, where they failed and what changed between elections.

    If President Tinubu’s political camp is serious about 2027, then electoral performance cannot simply be reduced to slogans. The relevant question becomes: Who can deliver? And if a political actor could not deliver the expected result previously, what has changed sufficiently to justify confidence in 2027?

    That is the question Wike’s politics is forcing into the conversation. The governors are being put under pressure. Wike’s confrontation with governors can therefore be interpreted as political pressure rather than merely personal antagonism. The pressure is simple: If you control your state politically, demonstrate it. If you support the President, demonstrate that support through political organisation. If you claim your political structure is strong, demonstrate its strength. If you say “On your mandate we shall stand,” then show that the mandate has a structure capable of standing when the election arrives.

    This is where the Rainbow Coalition becomes strategically relevant. The coalition can simultaneously support President Tinubu at the national level while challenging the political interests of governors within their respective states.

    That creates an unusual political equation. The governors may find themselves supporting the same presidential candidate as the coalition while competing against elements of that coalition for influence within their own states.

    The emerging dynamic also places President Tinubu in an interesting position. A governor who goes to the President complaining about political pressure from a coalition may ultimately face a simple question: Can you deliver the President in 2027? If the answer is yes, then the next question is: How?

    The President’s interest, from a purely electoral perspective, is ultimately tied to the number of votes and the political structures capable of producing them. That is why the records of 2023 remain relevant.

    Wike and other political actors can point to those results and ask: You did not deliver then. What is different now? That is not necessarily a matter of noise. It is a question of electoral evidence.

    The most significant development may therefore be the apparent shift in political attention. The conversation is no longer exclusively about Peter Obi, the Labour Party or the opposition political formations associated with the 2023 election.

    Increasingly, attention is turning towards the internal contest for political influence among those who support President Tinubu’s return.

    The Rainbow Coalition can therefore become a different kind of political force: one that supports the President nationally while challenging established political structures locally. That strategy has one obvious consequence.
    Governors cannot simply assume that support for the President automatically translates into control of their own political environment. They must demonstrate it.

    With more resources available to state governments, the period ahead provides governors with an opportunity to demonstrate performance, strengthen their political structures and consolidate their constituencies. But resources alone do not guarantee electoral success. Political organisation matters. Reconciliation matters. Grassroots mobilisation matters. Understanding voter behaviour matters. And, perhaps most importantly, learning from the mistakes and surprises of 2023 matters.

    The lesson of 2023 should be that political establishments can never afford to underestimate emerging movements. The Rainbow Coalition appears to understand that lesson. Its strategy seems to be to bring aggrieved politicians into a broad alliance, prevent their grievances from becoming a completely independent political movement, and channel their energy toward a common national objective.
    Wike’s role within that equation may therefore be less about becoming a political god and more about creating pressure within the existing political structure.

    Whether that strategy ultimately produces the intended electoral outcome remains to be seen. But one thing is already clear, the governors are being challenged to prove that their political structures are real, functional and capable of delivering results.

    This is no longer simply about whether anyone likes or dislikes Wike. It is about a political organisation. It is about electoral mathematics. It is about the lessons of 2023. And, ultimately, it is about who can demonstrate that they have done the work before Nigerians are asked to vote again in 2027. It is time for politics, not hatred of Wike.

    If you have the structure, show it. If you have the mandate, defend it. And if you promise to deliver, let the results speak.

    Let the APC governors get to work and stop the blackmail.

    Elijah Ugani
    Public Affairs Analyst and Commentator
    Community Mobilzer and Social Change Agent
    He writes from the Hills of Ukwortung

    Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, Elijah Ugani and does not represent Theluminenews, its agent or the organisation the author works for/with.

  • Tribute To Papa DC Enamhe At 60 – A Diamond Jubilee BY OKOI OBONO-OBLA

    Tribute To Papa DC Enamhe At 60 – A Diamond Jubilee BY OKOI OBONO-OBLA

     

    Today is the birthday anniversary of a classmate; a conservative radical and revolutionary; an activist; a progressive politician; a lawyer; an academic; a sociologist; a Doctor of Philosophy; a fighter of worthy causes; and a man who is an enigma in every ramification.

    I know him so well because our paths crossed almost fifty years ago, when we were starry-eyed boys entering secondary school, swept by innocence and totally oblivious of what the future held for us.

    Even though we grew up in a country just emerging from a bloody and tragic civil war — a war that disrupted the lives of our parents in particular and the country in general — we triumphed. Notwithstanding the stumbles and setbacks we suffered here and there, we rose like the phoenix, shook off the lethargy of our environment, and made a success of our lives.

    Papa DC Enamhe, congratulations on attaining 60 — your Diamond Jubilee and your entry into the club of sexagenarians — in an environment where the average life span is less than 45 and where hundreds of our contemporaries have since gone to the great beyond to enjoy the perpetual eternal rest that awaits us all whenever it pleases our Creator.

    We are hard fellows, men of justice, who fight for everyone around us to our own detriment, unmindful of the dire consequences of fighting for others in a society brimming with crass opportunists.

    I remember how, as boys in Mary Knoll College, Okuku, we conspired like legendary conspirators to fight what we believed was an act of consistent and persistent oppression by those bigger than us. Our audacity and courage would never allow us to see something we believed was wrong and walk away, close our eyes, and leave it unchallenged.

    This rebelliousness and revulsion against the establishment, against oppression, and this quest for social justice is genetically ingrained in the veins of Papa DC. It manifested as early as when we were in Class One in 1977, when students of Mary Knoll College, enraged and peeved by the incompetence and maladministration of its Principal, Mr. E. E. Okon, revolted in the famous “Okon Must Go” protest march. That act ruffled feathers in a school established by the Catholic Church to train and prime its students to be pro-establishment and not to rock the boat.

    That same rebellion against acts of oppression by senior students later led to a serious crisis between the students of Mary Knoll College and the students of the School of Basic Studies, which Mary Knoll College was then temporarily hosting, and ultimately led to the decision by the Government of the old Cross River State to relocate the School of Basic Studies from Mary Knoll to Akamkpa.

    Leaders are naturally born. God bestows leadership at the point of conception in their mother’s womb and instils charismatic traits of the kind the German sociologist Max Weber wrote about — charismatic authority as a distinct form of legitimate rule, alongside traditional and legal-rational authority. Papa DC is one such leader. To that extent, in 1981, when both of us conspired to lead the rebellion that resulted in the clash against SBS students, he was the one nominated by the Mary Knoll students to speak at the Divisional Police Station in Ogoja, where the police had rounded up both combatants to resolve the matter.

    That trait which you incubated in those heady, innocent days has guided, influenced, and shaped your entire life to this Diamond moment.

    Many happy returns to a worthy sexagenarian.

    @ Okoi Obono-Obla

    Disclaimer: The opinion expressed in this article is strictly that of the author, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla and does not represent Theluminenews, its agent or the organisation the author works for/with.