Shepherds, Politics and the Crisis of Christian Knowledge in Nigeria

A reflection on religious influence, political responsibility, unfaithful teaching, biblical literacy, and how influential pastors shape public opinion and national discourse in Nigeria.

I saw a poster that read: "The Church-Daddy is not the GCFR. Get your voter's card."

My first thought was:"Really? You think we confuse the two?"

My second thought was: "Let it pass. You don't have to express an opinion on everything."

But then I began to see comments from prominent Nigerians, all seemingly aimed at silencing the masses once again, as though ordinary citizens are incapable of thinking for themselves, or are somehow not entitled to opinions that may ruffle a few feathers.

That was when I decided I had to speak.

Not because I believe the Church-Daddy is the GCFR.

Not because I think the pulpit and the presidency are the same thing.

But because those who shape the minds of millions cannot pretend to have no influence over the direction in which a society travels.

And because some conversations are simply too important to be silenced.

Shepherds and Sheep

With our own eyes, we have seen shepherds abandon the sheep.

And a legion spring up, once again, to defend the indefensible.

That, in itself, should concern us.

For while pastors do not govern nations, they often shape the moral and intellectual frameworks through which millions of people understand the world.

And that influence matters.

The Making of a Failure

Should I write about how these shepherds made it almost impossible for a Fulani Muslim president to win the hearts and minds of Christians?

How they bought and sold conspiracy theories that caused Christians to second-guess his every move?

How they frustrated every serious attempt to get to the root of Nigeria's security challenges?

How they looked askance as we mocked every positive achievement of that government, however modest?

Why?

Because their prophecies in favour of the Christian candidate failed.

Too proud to admit error, they helped tear the republic apart.

The Blueprint of the Unfaithful Teacher

Another republic is experiencing the wrath of the unfaithful teacher right now, in real time, on live television.

The unfaithful teachers in Nigeria thus have a blueprint to follow.

It is a game: liars comforting other liars, patting one another on the back, mocking a God, a Jesus, they no longer truly believe in.

They look eagerly toward the advent of Armageddon, when God's enemies will be destroyed, never once considering that they themselves may be among the chiefest of those enemies.

The Toothpick

Where was I?

Ah yes, the frustration of a Fulani Muslim president by Nigeria's shepherds.

So complete was it that the poor man simply crossed his legs, picked up a toothpick, and watched the circus unfold.

You've seen the picture.

At this point, someone invariably objects:

"The pastor is not the president."

True enough.

Yet when the pastor spends years promising prosperity, endorsing candidates, preaching conspiracy theories, shaping political opinions, and moulding the hearts and minds of millions, he cannot suddenly claim to be a mere bystander when the fruits of those teachings appear in the public square.

The Church-Daddy is not the GCFR.

The pulpit is not the polling booth.

But it is often where voters learn whom to fear, whom to trust, and what to believe.

A president may govern a nation, but those who shape the conscience of a people wield a power no less significant.

If the shepherd helps create the flock's worldview, he bears some responsibility for the direction in which the flock eventually walks.

The Real Crisis

These people, and the unchristian "truths" they proclaim, nourish a culture of death that suffocates enterprise, corrodes civic life, and steadily erodes the foundations of social and economic progress.

They shape the souls of those who hang on their every word, and in shaping those souls, they help shape the soul of the nation.

No society rises above the ideas that animate it.

For that reason, these unfaithful shepherds are among the principal obstacles to Nigeria's renewal.

It is written:

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge."

Hosea 4:6

Those who propagate ignorance while calling it knowledge help destroy people.

And the damage extends far beyond individual lives. It reaches communities, institutions, and eventually entire nations.

Destroyed people destroy societies.

When a teacher ceases to care about truth, the consequences do not end at the church door. They find their way into homes, businesses, schools, government offices, and the wider culture.

A man attends church alone for years. His wife never comes. His children drift away. His family fractures. Yet so long as the offerings are generous and the tithes continue to flow, few questions are asked and little concern is shown for the spiritual welfare of those absent from the pews.

The shepherd counts the sheep that are present. Christ sought the one that was missing.

That difference matters.

The Way Forward

Know your Bible.

Young Muslims pray five times a day. Christians might want to try praying once a day.

Young Muslims listen to recordings of their holy book in their spare time.

Perhaps Christians should do the same.

If I may suggest a resource, try Bible Hub.

We need Bibles in Pidgin English.

We need Bibles in our local languages.

We need the Gospels translated, distributed, read, discussed, and understood.

For too long, many Christians have outsourced their understanding of Scripture to professional interpreters.

That must change.

A people grounded in Scripture are far less likely to be manipulated by the guild of the false teacher.

That is how we loosen what has become a death grip on the minds of many.

That is how we begin to free ourselves.

That is how we reclaim both our faith and our republic.

For Nigeria to claim its place as a giant amongst nations, the age of ignorance must end.

I rest my case

Don Kenobi

#OldManInTheMolue 

#MyFrancisEssays 

#BigAgendaAfrica