FATHER MBAKA'S VILIFICATION, A LYNCHING OF THE MESSENGER?

Icheoku rejects the current holier than thou piling-on and condemnation of Reverend Father Mbaka, coming from all corners and shades in Nigeria, as unwholesome and undeserving. What did the man do, other than speak truth to power in a country where such display of rare courage is in a very short supply. What offense did he commit to warrant his being harangued and hung up to dry in this manner? Icheoku queries, is it that what the man said is not true or that he shouldn't have said it in the first place? What did he say that feeds the shark of the current mob action, harpooning a Reverend Father who merely braved the truth about the sordid situation in the country,  brought about by a clueless government of a shoeless man from Otuoke? 

Ichoeku reminds Nigerians that Professor Wole Soyinka agrees that the man in Father Mbaka has not died and faced with so much tyranny of the government of the day as well as those it succeeded, decided to speak up. But in a heathen society like Nigeria, which abhors truth and where going up against the grain is always frowned at, it has become an abominable act to call it as you see it; and this is the only offense for which Father Mbaka is being crucified? In defense of Mbaka, Icheoku says Nigerians are probably the most abhorable things walking on two legs in this planet earth, otherwise why didn't they first ask themselves if there is any scintilla or iota of truth in what the man said before embarking on their current lynch-mob attack? Why all the shouts of crucify him, crucify him, when he is neither Barabas nor Jesus; and did not commit any crucifiable offense to warrant his head on a platter? 

Icheoku decries the madness that is the attack on Father Mbaka because it smacks of an unthinking mob action, wherein attacking the messenger rather than the message is a fair game because without the messenger there would not be a message. A more conscionable society would have first examined the content of the message to see if Father Mbaka lied or exaggerated his facts and then approach their response accordingly; but not this full throttle barrage of attack on an innocent truth speaker or rather call him whistle blower on the inept administration. The matter is even made worse because some cassock wearing supposedly men of "God" have joined the motley crowd in hauling bricks at this man. Instead of coming to the defense of their courageous colleague, they are now part of the irate mob demanding for the head of John the Baptist on a platter of appeasement for the Lord of Manor at Aso Rock.  They are condemning Mbaka for what he said when they should have, in support, upped the ante by joining him in holding all these uncaring and unfeeling governments to account for all the unfulfilled promises they made to the electorates. 

Stuff like this, what a man said about a government, can only take such whirlwind reaction in a country where mundane  and primitive believe in something still rules very supreme. Just because of what one man said, the whole country is running around to denounce him with some calling for this resignation or being defrocked and saying that he must have listened to the wrong God or that his vision is from something else other than their own true God? A people now the scorn of a world, which is beginning to question if every Nigerian has gone mental with the manner they now proclaim a direct line of relationship and fellowship with "God?" Nigerians fantastical fellowship with God have left many in the world wondering in bewilderment, if the Jewish people, who historically are "God's" own chosen people, have suddenly lost that position to Nigerians? Even the Jews are not this fanatical with their claims of having a connection with God, despite that Jesus is one of their own kinsman. But in Nigeria, every tom, dick and harry now claims one form of nexus or the other with the heavens and allegedly hears voices; and you wonder if they are all afflicted with some form of schizophrenia? It has also become  fashionable in Nigeria to direct-dial heaven in a sort of sociology with heaven; and Icheoku wonders if indeed these people are receiving any message from anywhere or are merely hearing voices in their heads and other surround noises around them?  

Icheoku asks if indeed these people are hearing or receiving messages from "God" and there is only one God, why are these messages varied and not exactly of the same uniformity across the board? Also why does God not just settle on one person and telephone all his messages through him or her for onward distribution to the rest of his Nigerian people? But may be these people have their own various "Gods" respectively, who speak to them personally and privately, otherwise it does not make sense to have so many people claiming a direct telephone line with God yet getting different messages. Icheoku asks in that situation,  which of them would be a more reliable source of heavenly information, which the people of Nigeria can rely on or through which they can channel back their own communications to the heavens? How would Nigerians indeed know what the real wishes of God for them is or what God has planned for them and/or their government amidst these disparate links with heaven. So query, if Father Mbaka's God says Jonathan is finished and Pastor Joshua's God says Jonathan is not finished, which of the clergy would Nigerian people believe and rely on to make their future plans based on what they said God decreed or the message they said God conveyed to the people through them? 

Icheoku says underneath all the noises and kitchen-sinks being thrown at Mbaka, could be found the main problem and likely real reason why he is being piled on. It is simply  because he is an Igbo man and as an Igbo man, he should not be heard to contribute or say anything about the happenings in Nigeria? It would appear that the rest of Nigerians are free to contribute to debates in Nigeria but not the conquered Igbo man, who is forbidden from adding his voice to the discourse. Like many other things involving the Igbo man in Nigeria, Mbaka's antagonists were furious that Mbaka dared voice his concerns about what is going wrong in the country, not that what he said was not true or false or made up? They are angry at the messenger irrespective of the truthfulness of the message conveyed; otherwise what did Mbaka say that was not a rehash of what so many other people have said in the past before? From Olusegun Obasanjo to Archbishop Olubumni Okogie to Governor Kwankwaso to El Rufai to Bola Tinubu to Lai Mohammed to Muhammadu Buhari to Rotimi Amaechi to John Odigie Oyegun to Adams Oshiomhole to Muritala Nyako to Sule Lamido to Abubakar Atiku to Babatunde Fashola to even Femi Fani Kayode and every other person who comments on Nigerian political situation or comatose, all have said similar if not worse thing before Mbaka.  

Strangely no one is disputing the fact of consequence that what Mbaka courageously pointed out are true; but their beef happens to be who said it and why should he say it? Some creeps even went to the extent to point out that as a clergy, he should not dabble into political matters or say stuff like that against a political office holder? To these people, Icheoku asks what is Olubunmi Okogie? What is Tunde Bakare? What is Yemi Osibanjo? What is John Odigie Oyegun? What is Reverend Father Moses Adasu? Icheoku admonishes that Reverend Mbaka would not be the first man in cassock to dabble into politics in Nigeria and that he reserves the inalienable right to so do, if he chooses. 

So now that it has been established that Father Mbaka rightly pointed out the things he pointed out, could Team Jonathan 2015 therefore rebut Reverend Father Mbaka and tell Ndigbo what their man has done for them lately to deserve their votes again this February 14, 2015. This is what is paramount and not what all these praise singers are mouthing and surprisingly Okogie inclusive, who went further to say that he would have closed the Adoration Ministry if he could?  Icheoku asks Olubunmi Okogie, did anyone close his arch diocese or parish in Lagos when he was actively involved in politics as Archbishop of Lagos fighting, commenting and criticizing every governments of the day during his time? Even when he recently called current CAN President Oritsejafor names because of his plane's involvement in the arms deal scandal in South Africa, he did not remember he was adorning cassock and dabbling in politics; yet no one called him out or said Okogie, remember you are a clergy and you should know your place? But for Father Mbaka, Okogie is now playing God and usurping the right to seat in judgment over him? 

Icheoku calls on Nigerians to be matured in their criticism and to understand that fairness is an universal palliative; that what is good for the goose is good for the gander. If you are going to criticize Fagther Mbaka for making a statement considered dabbling in politics, for God's sake, please do also criticize Olubunmi Okogie when he makes similar political utterance. But to be selective and partial with things like that riles Icheoku badly and this is reason Icheoku descended into the arena in defense of Father Mbaka. No one, especially those living in glass house, like Archibishop Olubunmi Okogie, should throw stone at Father Mbaka for merely saying what is there for the world to see and confirm as truth; also no one has the right to dictate what anyone including Father Mbaka can or cannot say in Nigeria. Icheoku says, like every other Nigerian, Father Mbaka enjoys the freedom of speech enshrined in the constitution, which President Jonathan affirmed severally to uphold and never to interfere with. So who are these people criticizing Father Mbaka and under which authority are they acting? Who made them judge over Mbaka or a censor of what is an acceptable speech by a clergy? 

Icheoku says let the truth ring out from Adoration Ministry grounds to Aso Rock to Lagos to Kano to Chibok to Sokoto to Port Harcourt and even to Otuoke that Jonathan has left so many Nigerians holding the plate. Like Osita Okechuwu once said, he is the former shoeless kid who became president and forgot the shoeless of Nigeria. Icheoku is emphatic that Father Mbaka spoke the truth when he said President Jonathan Goodluck has failed Ndigbo by not fulfilling his election promises of 2011. Icheoku says Father Mbaka spoke the truth when he said Jonathan failed in his duties as commander in chief by not arresting Muhammadu Buhari when he said he will make the country ungovernable for him. Icheoku harps that Father Mbaka spoke the truth when he said that millions of unemployed but employable youths are milling around in the country without jobs or any hope of finding one. Icheoku maintains that Father Mbaka spoke the truth when he said that insecurity is a serious problem in the country. Icheoku adds voice to Father Mbaka who spoke the truth when he said or implied that the same God who anointed Saul, King of Israel equally dis-anointed him in preference of David. Icheoku says regarding every other thing ancillary to what he said or connotation thereat, including his expressed concluding opinion, his freedom of speech right covers all of that; regardless of how unpalatable it may sound or be to the powers at Aso Rock or any other quarters in Nigeria  But in any other event, like President Jonathan once said, 'who gives a damn'.