CANONIZATION OF SAINT OKOROCHA
In his great book, “Aesop's fables”, the famous philosopher Aesop told a story of a crab and his mother. According to him, “An old crab said to her son, “Why do you walk sideways like that, my son? You ought to walk straight”. The young crab replied, “Show me how; dear mother, and I will follow your example”. The old crab tried, but tried in vain, and then saw how foolish she has being to find fault with her child”.
The above is a brief reflection of the present administration in connection with the previous administration of Ikedi Ohakim as well as the role the Roman Catholic Church played before and during the Imo guber tussle. Some people including top Roman Catholic priests were very dissatisfied and exasperated with the former governor Sir Ikedi Ohakim in view of many allegations leveled against him and his administration. His security aid (not him) beating or assaulting a Roman Catholic priest was the height of sacrilege and desecration of the priesthood. This gave Ohakim's political enemies the chance to peruse his akashic records and subjectively manipulated it to turn his political destiny upside-down but the Gomes together with the cosmic actors and guides are still on it to make amends which shall soon be objectified hence his crucifixion is for a while justice must prevail.
As a matured leader he has always been, Ohakim consequently humbled himself and publicly apologized to Imo people as well as the Roman Catholic Church. He was publicly forgiven but secretly dealt with. Fear religious men! The soul of forgiveness was not found in the various souls of many Roman Catholic priests and their worshipers as a result, they all awaited Ohakim at the April/May guber poll. Thus many prayed and fasted for the political fall of Ohakim. This was done in deep acrimony initiated by hatred which only God knows why. In the words of Zig Ziglar, “To forgive is to overlook an offence and treat the offender as not guilty”. Yes, Ohakim was 'forgiven' (for an offence he did not personally commit) by men but was laughed at in the end. This is expressed by Bertrand Russell thus, “Beware of the person who does not return your blow he will not forgive you or allow you to forgive yourself”. For Shakespeare, “Confess to God and you will be forgiven, confess to man and you will be laughed at.” Some Roman Catholic priests condemned Ohakim and consequently embarked on esoteric political campaign as a result a lot of lies were told to consolidate the mistake which they claimed to have forgiven and as the saying goes, “Those who will lie for you will lie against you.” Thus many people lied against Ohakim and their lies contributed to our present predicament. Now we are all weeping!
The general public believed that Ohakim almost strangled a Catholic priest with his hands and like Shakespeare and the majority of Imo people, “I do believe her, though I know she lies”. This became the history which is a set of lies agreed upon because a good liar makes as little lie go far. The story hitherto became a sermon that was preached by so many Roman Catholic priests and of course trusts our people in believing information provided the priest said it.
I can't forget my experience with my eldest uncle's wife who was deeply exasperated in the course of our discussion on rural politics and said that she will never vote for a man who almost strangled a Roman Catholic priest; every effort to convince her otherwise proved abortive because of her faith in the words of her priest. This is the major problem! While some Roman Catholic priests presented the issue the way it truly happened, others were biased because of hatred. Today that Okorocha has stolen almost everything in Imo, where are the priests with their sermons? Have they forgotten how to preach condemnation messages? Thanks to Rev Fr. Cammymario Egeolu also known as Otimbodombo Jesus, who has helped to educate people on the evil democratic propensities of Gov. Rochas.
During the guber campaign, the Roman Catholic Church played a serious role in packaging Owelle Rochas Okorocha, the packaging was like the hands of Esau and the voice of Jacob. The Arch Bishop AJV Obinna as a father will understand me better following the political debate and its outcome. We are still waiting for the Arch Bishop Obinna to call for a politico-Episcopal council to canonize Gov. Okorocha for all the 'good things' he has done with our money and to Chief Jude Agbaso.
Some of the Roman Catholic priests and their followers during the 2011 election behaved like a woman who may consent to forgive and forget, but she never will drop the habit of referring to the matter now and then. The Church and I mean the true Church of God, teaches and practices forgiveness as the fundamental credo in Christianity. What happened in this case? In the words of Terence, “There is nothing so advantageous to a man than a forgiving disposition”. The Church did forgive as they claimed but did not forget hence they wanted a change of government- a better crab that could walk straight. As a result of the above, they consequently organized themselves (trust the Roman Catholic Church) and made sure that Ohakim was either rigged out or voted out. Though the Arch Bishop Obinna (whom I love and respect) had no candidate as we were made to understand but his sympathy tilted towards Rochas Okorocha which informs why he must canonize him. Yes, as a natural man that he is, he has right for a choice for man only does what he wants-given the choice.
The Roman Catholic Church was in a hurry to forget the Jamaican saying that “you 'don't' call an alligator a big-mouth until you have passed him”. They forget that when the legend conflicts with the facts, one sticks to the legend and that if it's not broken, don't try to mend it. At that point and like the story of the crab (according to Aesop), they wanted a better crab that could walk straight and not sideways, thus they set up a spiritual cum physical machinery to disorganize Ohakim to the extent that some Roman Catholic priests were at the polling unit to make sure their members voted against Ohakim. I witnessed this in my very community and many sincere Imo people can attest to this too.
Experience is the name we gave our mistakes and without experience, there is little wisdom. Today is the scholar of yesterday. A cripple in the right direction beats a runner in the wrong lane. I am saying this because if we don't learn from the past, we may repeat same. Today Rochas has authenticated the fact within a short period that the most fascinating women seldom make the best wives. One great sage said that cheerful people can just be as annoying as miserable ones. Today the disappointment on ground speaks volume. I am sure that some Roman Catholic priests did not pray very well as a result, did not see today from yesterday. We wanted a king like the children of Israel, and God has given us Saul for a king, just for a while.
We now have a saint as a governor who has no passion for the poor civil servants in Imo state. The recent introduction of issuing a new I.D card to all civil servants in Imo and deduction of same from their June salaries as follows, level 01 to 06 N1000, level 07 to12 N2000 while N3000 was deducted from the salaries of those on level 13 and above. This is a good action of a saint! Even his Special Advisers are complaining of not seeing any money to run their empty offices. A big dog saw a little dog chasing its tail and asked, “Why are you chasing your tail so?” “I have mastered philosophy and philanthropy by solving the problems of the orphans and giving them free education which no dog before me had done. I learned that the best thing for a dog is happiness and that happiness is my tail. Therefore I am chasing it; and when I catch it I shall have happiness said the puppy. Owelle chased the office of the state Chief executive like the dog chased its tail and when he got it he relaxed thinking that leadership is all about suspending 106 traditional rulers, misappropriating local government allocation, tarring already tarred roads , disengaging youths from employment and building mansions here and their within two years in office. Oh A beautiful saint indeed!
The Roman Catholic Church in Imo state should stand and redeem their image because a person may be very secretive, yet has none. First impressions last and first impressions are half the battle. The misfortune of Imo people has become the good fortune of Okorocha. Well, he has recently 'reconstructed tarred and painted Asumpta (control post) avenue to prove to the Arch Bishop that he is working. But he quickly forgot that you cannot teach an old dog a new trick. A friend recently told me that the Roman Catholic Church is not impressed with Rochas on how he runs the affairs of Imo. I am very sure that he will not change because his actions are in his words and not in deeds. He is a good saint that will soon be canonized.
BY PROF NATHAN PROTUS UZORMA
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