Judas Iscariot And Imo State Governor
In the words of Aristotle, “In the arena of human life, the honors and rewards fall to those who show their good qualities in action”. In Hinduism, their way of life is summarized thus, “The serenity of the teacher, the heroism of the warrior, the honesty of the business man, the patience and the energy of the worker all contribute to social growth”.
While Mahatma Gandhi describes what he sees as social sins in seven ways thus, “Politics without principle, wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity and religion without sacrifice”. As the Sandwich Islander believes that the strength and weakness of the enemy he kills passes into him, so we gain the strength of the temptation we resist. Though the fastest way to die a martyr is to always stick to the truth even as many critics have fallen to Gov. Rochas Okorocha’s schemes due to hunger and frustration in Imo State.
Christianity understands and recognizes the noble and just struggle for justice thus the tenets of Christ upon which Christianity rests its credo is upon love of God and all in creation as Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa says, “When the honor of God is at stake, we will disobey iniquitous and unjust laws”.
Judas Iscariot, the man whose action opened up a new history and calendar for humanity is highly avoided. Everybody avoids naming his or her child after Judas Iscariot the reason is obvious. But considering the role Judas Iscariot played, one may be tempted to conclude that without the betrayal, (death and resurrection) there would not have been salvation for mankind as Paul would say, “…and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain” I Corinth 15:14.
It’s obvious hitherto that Judas who was destined for that role helped humanity to be salvaged through the death and resurrection of Christ.
However, my intension here is not to engage in a religious cum philosophical argument on the role played by Judas rather to produce every syllogistic evidence that Judas in the light of our present day Imo leadership is very correct in his rhetoric question, “to what purpose is this waste?” As a matter of fact, Judas was friendly with Christ to the extent that he was made the treasurer among other twelve Apostles. A day came when Jesus Christ visited Bethany where he raised his friend Lazarus from (sleep) death that they made him a supper and they consequently ate with him. The Bible says, “Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair, and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Then said one of his disciples Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him. Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief, and had the bag and bare what is put therein” St. John 12:3-6.
From the above Biblical story, Judas was solely exasperated consequent upon the waste of resources ostentatiously made by Mary. Adding that such pound of ointment should have been sold for mega money and same be used for assisting the indigents in the society. Judas was very right if he meant what he said but he was very wrong because he was bereft of spiritual insight inherent in that action. Judas was against economic waste even though he betrayed Christ; there was a huge sense in his stupidity. As stupidity is the only original character in an individual hence every knowledge is plagiarized.
Therefore, if Judas had lived in our present day society (Imo) where Gov Rocha waste resources and money that is generally owned on his personal wishes, what then would be his questions and reactions?
Today, in spite of the well meaning efforts put in place to fight corruption by President Buhari, it is still on daily increase in Imo; otherwise how can any person justify the waste of about 600 million (as rumor has it) used by Imo Government just for Christmas decoration. If this is true, oh to what purpose is this waste? There cannot be peace without justice nor justice without love. As E.O Oyelade has shown, justice is “the main pivot on which the unity of human race revolves”, hence the observance of justice attracts handsome reward from God whereas injustice is the straw that breaks the camel’s back as Dwight Eisenhower would say, “Though force can protect in emergency, only justice, fairness, consideration and cooperation can finally lead men to the dawn of eternal peace.”
The evidence of this colossal waste is unavoidably conspicuous in the way Gov. Rochas embarked on programmes that do not have any economic impact on Imolites. Today, Imolites are shouting and very unsanctified the way Gov Rochas is punishing them with impunity. Gov Okorocha is one of the leaders in Nigeria whose method of leadership is bereft of conscience.
Why is my state Imo a cesspool of corruption, underdevelopment and debilitating poverty? Why has evil been allowed to bestride and ravage our polity unchallenged, in a land that is heavily populated by adherent of many faith persuasions? Why haven’t all the claims to religion by Chief Rochas launched Imo on the path to greatness? Rather his religious claims are used to canonize tribalism, xenophobia, sectionalism, corruption and the more you look the less you see. Before now in 2010 / 2011 statistics had it that about forty percent of Imolites lived below the poverty line, but today about ninety percent of Imolites are said to be living below poverty line. This is a profound tragedy ignited by ignoble economic policies resulting from mediocrity in leadership.
In a recent chart with one great Islamic scholar Shaykh Salih Animashaun with regards to Imo problems, he inferred that Imo instead of developing is in deep mess and retrogression. The issue of unemployment, poverty and the difficulties on ground speak volume of our deplorable economic state. Parents whose children are in private schools are no longer able to pay their children’s school fees. Oh education is dead in Imo yet the Governor is applauding his free education policy. Free education without quality education is like tea without sugar.
Corruption is almost overcoming us; our youths have degenerated to the level of stealing via the internet, fraud and 419 in order to make ends meet due to lack of job and proper concern by the Government. Our school and universities are busy producing jobless graduates. A situation where a graduate of chemical engineer, has stayed for ten years without job and consequently resorted to Okada business in order to make a living is a bugaboo. How many higher institutions do we have in Imo? Are our able bodied young graduates who hawk pure water and other sundries at traffic happy?
Are they happily living in such a condition of abject poverty? After all, Gov. Rochas has built Bongo square for Imo youths to enable them dance off worries of joblessness. Some of the jobless graduates who are now born again for the sole purpose of securing jobs have ended up as men of God with the claim of having the call of God upon their lives. Recently I was informed by one of such people that if he had gotten a job after graduation, he would not have been involved in pastoral business. Gov. Rochas should try to listen to the voice of reason.
Prof. Protus Nathan Uzorma- (The Reformer and Mayor of Imo Youth)