I have been discussing Nigeria with my fellow church member and dear friend who is a world authority on neo-natal concerns. He travels often to Nigeria, his homeland, but he rarely see Christians, missionaries and evangelists in some of the areas where he works with premature births and incubators.
He has exhorted the people of Nigeria to stop begging, for he firmly believes that Nigeria has the resources to eliminate the starvation in the north east region. There are wealthy, prosperous Nigerian evangelists who minister by means of private jets and expensive limousines. There are many Nigerian Christians in the UK who have embraced a prosperity gospel. Both these groups have done very little for the poor, the needy, those who are neglected in certain areas of Nigeria.
My friend has encountered widespread corruption at many levels in Nigeria, and he says that Christians are sometimes very much part of the problem rather than the solution. He knows.
When some people ask him for a bribe to get things done, his response is: how many babies are you prepared to let die, because that will happen if I paid bribes? They are asking for money that is designated to save the lives of premature babies. Some of these corrupt officials are, therefore, murderers!
Nigeria has many resources, but corruption is hampering the use of them and talented individuals from providing the solution.
He has exhorted the people of Nigeria to stop begging, for he firmly believes that Nigeria has the resources to eliminate the starvation in the north east region. There are wealthy, prosperous Nigerian evangelists who minister by means of private jets and expensive limousines. There are many Nigerian Christians in the UK who have embraced a prosperity gospel. Both these groups have done very little for the poor, the needy, those who are neglected in certain areas of Nigeria.
My friend has encountered widespread corruption at many levels in Nigeria, and he says that Christians are sometimes very much part of the problem rather than the solution. He knows.
When some people ask him for a bribe to get things done, his response is: how many babies are you prepared to let die, because that will happen if I paid bribes? They are asking for money that is designated to save the lives of premature babies. Some of these corrupt officials are, therefore, murderers!
Nigeria has many resources, but corruption is hampering the use of them and talented individuals from providing the solution.
6 comments:
I can't think of one African nation that has good leadership - someone please enlighten me on this!
That's a good point, John.
In the past Africa produced great leaders and intellectual giants, like Augustine, Athanasius, Origen, Mandela, and others. Carthage, Alexandria and Thebes were great centres of culture and learning. Egypt and Rhodesia were once bread baskets feeding vast numbers. Today the equivalent lands are basket cases of corruption and injustice. Corruption is an open sore in Africa today.
I should add to the list of great leaders and intellectual giants, Tertullian, and Anthony the Great (with the eremites and Coptic saints).
Your second response begins, "In the past ...", and of course, virtually all those you named go back to early history. It seems to me that Africa had such great potential and resources it should have developed into a world-leading and wealthy continent, but for various reasons large parts have made no progress at all throughout history.
Dr Amadi of Imperial College is content for me to name him as the Nigerian health official and critic of widespread corruption throughout Nigeria.
Post a Comment