Libya is not a bed of roses

THE above title sums up the discussion I had in Tripoli with the Nigerian ambassador to Libya in December 1990. I was one of a few Nigerian journalists covering the Labour beat who was on the delegation of the Nigeria Labour Congress led by Comrade Paschal Bafyau to that year’s the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity conference hosted by the enfant terrible himself, Moummar Gaddaffi.

Even as at that period, there was an appreciable in-flow of Nigerian immigrants into Libya, some of them as a final destination but many others as transit camp to Europe and other destinations. I met on the street and interviewed some of them, mostly Yoruba; a few came to my hotel subsequently and we had lengthy discussions. Their experience tallied with the views expressed by the Nigerian envoy that Libya was not the bed of roses the immigrants had thought it was when they were porting from Nigeria. They had expected an El Dorado but met something else. Often, however, this discovery came too late and the escape routes available were as dreadful as continuing to run the risk and hope for the best. Regrets and had-I-known were the daily companions of those unfortunate folks – and that was back then in those good, old days of Libya when Gaddaffi was fully in charge; when there was law and order; and when Libya’s economy was booming. We shall soon return to that.

USA’s President Donald Trump is living up to his billing as ‘mad man’ of the moment. Compare him with Russia’s Boris Yeltsin or Libya’s Gaddaffi and you will not be too far off the mark. The maverick politician has fulfilled his election promise of not only recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel but also ordering the US embassy to move there from Tel Aviv. Understandably, Palestinian leaders especially and the Arab world in general are miffed. Expectedly also, they have threatened that the Middle East and the entire world will witness an orgy of violence. To borrow a leaf from our own President Muhammadu Buhari, dog and baboon will soon be soaked in their own blood on account of Mr. Trump’s audacious action. Arabs and Islam, unfortunately, will give further ammunition to critics who compartmentalise them as ‘bound to violence.’ Whether or not an intuitive or obsessive recourse to violence is a just recompense for perceived injustices and whether it has helped – or will now help – the cause, as they say, remains to be seen. For sure, the Trump action, which several US presidents before him had shied away from, will have far-reaching consequences; one of which is that it may open the floodgate for other Western countries to follow suit. It will also further paint the US in the eyes of the Palestinians as a tainted and biased umpire. A key issue in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute – the status of Jerusalem – may now become more intractable.

The realism school of thought – a ‘real-politik’ view of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute as one that will not go away easily – will make less fuss about Mr. Trump’s action while understanding, even if not accepting, his argument that postponing the evil day, which successive US administrations had adopted as a policy, did not move the combatants anywhere near a peaceful resolution of their problems. And neither will this move. The violence that will follow – which, in fact, has already started – is also not likely to be decisive enough to force the quick beating of a retreat. Nature and man have ingenious ways of adjusting to new realities. Everyone will soon adjust to the new reality. And they will not be the first to do so. Turkey, which today is nearly 100 per cent Muslim, was Christian. The seven churches mentioned in the Book of Revelations were – and still are – in Turkey. A few years ago, Pastor E.A. Adeboye of The Redeemed Christian Church of God led a pilgrimage of Christian faithful there. How did Turkey become Muslim if not through wars and conquests and what happened to the Christian population if not that they were systematically and cruelly annihilated? That it is now distant history does not mean it did not happen. Trump’s stated justification is that decades of non-recognition of Jerusalem did not work; suggesting that some thinking out of the box is needed to solve the intractable Middle East debacle. If this is Trump’s own ‘imaginative’ thinking out of the box, then, the world waits to see how the other side will conduct its own thinking out of the box.

Have you followed the raging controversy about whether or not Christians/pastors should pay/ receive tithe? I perused what two of the “pastors” championing this new doctrine said and some of the rebuttals of Church leaders. The anti-tithe preachers say it is a sin; that since tithe is not being paid or collected by Israelites/Israeli priests respectively, there is no justification for others, who are mere spiritual Israelites, to do so. Quoting the scriptures, they also argue that until the Temple in Jerusalem is re-built, no priest in Israel will even be qualified to collect tithes from anyone. They should know that the site of that Temple and other sacred troves in Jerusalem are holy sites contested by Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. To re-build the Temple is desirable to flesh but will require taking out other sects! Importantly, however, what do the anti-tithe “pastors’ think of Jesus Christ’s admonition to the woman of Samaria (John 4: 19 – 24); Stephen’s preaching (Acts 7: 46 – 50); Paul’s (1 Cor. 3: 16, 6: 19 – 20); and John’s (Rev. 21: 2)? The second leg on which the “no tithe” argument stands is to challenge what those who collect it do with it; pointing our attention to the perceived ostentatious lifestyle of some Church fathers, placed side-by-side the grinding poverty of many Church members. I pay tithe and will continue to do so; among other obligations. If I set my standard by what they do or neglect to do in Israel, where does their doubt about the Lordship of Jesus Christ and His redemptive work for mankind leave me? Rabbis and sundry other fellows in Israel are not my guide or standard; Jesus and the Word of God are!

As a budding atheist and Marxist-Leninist on campus at Ife in the late 1970s to early 1980s, I took out of my meagre pocket money as contribution towards the funding of our Marxist organisations and activities. We sponsored and supported candidates for Students’ Union offices; we contributed towards the maintenance of national outreaches and struggled to have control of the national students’ body – NANS. We knew so early we needed money to fund these activities and as students did not shy away from making the sacrifice needed. I will do no less now as a Christian. Money is needed to run the Church; call it whatever you like – tithe, love offering, seed offering, first fruit, sacrificial offering, Prophet offering; name it. Pastors also must feed and maintain themselves and family. That someone is a man of God does not mean he must live wretched life. But – and it is a very big but – those asking questions about how/on what Church funds are expended have a point. We are commissioned to save souls – that focus must not be lost. We are a light to the world – our lifestyle should not now drive people away from Christ. We are the salt of the world – we lose our relevance when we put self first and others don’t even figure in our plans. When we feed and are bloated and have to do exercises to shed excess weight while the flock of Christ suffer lack and deprivation, we have not followed in the footsteps of Christ. Truth be told, there are many shenanigans in Christendom that open the Church’s flanks to scurrilous attacks – and justifiably so. But, then, corruption is in the nature of every human society. Despite their hypocritical posturing, Church critics themselves are not immune to this cankerworm. It was so in the days of Jesus Christ; it was so in the days of the Apostolic Fathers. It is so today; it can only get worse as this sinful society inches toward its apocalyptic end. As posited here last week, funds, the Church’s inclusive, have, from time immemorial, been misapplied and will continue to be so. Thieves are everywhere. That, however, will not discourage me from participating in funding Church activities. As for those playing monkey games with Church funds, their good grief! However, I see nothing wrong if we begin to responsibly ask questions, demand accountability and transparency, and hold every leader’s feet, secular or spiritual, to the fire.

Back to Libya: I know Nigerian families whose sons made for the perilous trip across the desert but never landed in Europe. Nothing has been heard of them in more than two decades. Thousands have likewise perished. The hordes of young Nigerians repatriated from Libya recently must count themselves lucky indeed that they came back in one piece. How about the uncountable numbers not so lucky? Ghanaian president, Akufo Addo, hit the nail on the head when he put the unending waves of migration of young, educated, talented, and gifted Africans from the Continent at the feet of leadership failure. Decades of corrupt and insane leaders; good governance deficiency of the worst order; and decrepit infrastructure have led to all-round decadence; lack of opportunities for growth and development; thus creating an unwholesome environment that stifles rather than encourages the pursuit of goals and the actualization of dreams and visions. Sadly, the despoliation continues unabated. According to Akufo, of all the Continents, Africa has the most youthful population, signifying bountiful zeal and energy; it is also the richest in resources; yet, the poorest on all indices of development. Countries that were at par with or even below the development level of African countries at Independence have since overtaken and left us behind. “The fault, O Caesar, is not in our stars but in us!” Due recompense for the blood of millions of Africans who perish in criminal neglect at home as well as in the desperate pursuit of greener pastures abroad will be required at the hands of our leaders and their generations.