The story of Judas stirs a lot of unfair judgment in the minds of many. A betrayer, one that was greedy, who connived and betrayed his master with a kiss. For three years he followed Jesus, held the purse and helped himself out of it. Was he a devil?
He was broken when the deal failed, remorseful, restituted but could not forgive himself. He died taking his life by hanging.Enough to call him a devil? When Jesus said to Peter get behind me Satan, was it Peter that he called Satan? For three years this Satan followed him. This Satan got repented and became the rock, upon it the church was built.
Peter must be a jolly good fellow Satan, not that kind of Satan who does not repent but prowls , looking for who to devour.
Peter must be a different kind of Satan with a repentant spirit. Same was Judas. He repented, broken and deeply remorseful, though he took his life eventually.This was where he got it wrong. But then, his destination becomes a thing under probability, not certain where he is now in hell or in heaven, only God knows
May be Judas would have been a point of good reference if he didn’t take his life. So heart broken that he didn’t see a future anymore living to deal with the pains of betraying his master.
As Nigeria turns 65 years today one is tempted to look at Nigeria politicians through the lenses of Judas. A country unarguably blessed, with both mineral and human resources in large number.
Honey dripping country, big enough to make her one of the richest in the world but for the spirit of Judas- promax that inhabited our leaders, luring them to poach consistently 80% of our National Honey for private use.
Nigeria possibly wouldn’t have become what she is today, the den of corruption, a shadow of herself if our leaders were like Judas not Judas- promax.
Though he stole from the purse but didn’t plunder it obsessively like our leaders would. Wasn’t only helping himself from the purse, he was creatively looking for opportunities to bring money into the coffers. Jn 12:6
He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
Imagine what Nigeria would have become at 65 years if our leaders at worse case situation were an exact of Judas, eating from the resources and making creative and intentional effort to be productive, opening ways to make wealth, steal from it decently like Judas, not the kind of outlandish sense of kleptomenia and “lootocractic” tendencies we experience in our political class.
If Judas were like our politicians without conscience and moderation in stealing he wouldn’t have returned the 30 pieces of silver to the Jews.
How many times have recovered looted money relooted? Check our politicians and how they live large on our commonwealth without scruples.
Judas didn’t steal for his generation unborn, he probably stole to meet his immediate needs. Our political class is a far opposite of him. They would steal and stash for their generations unborn while the poor masses roast in penury.
We are where we are today as a Nation not because of the kind of Judas’ stealing but more of the stealing and looting of Judas- promax which our leaders embody.
If Judas were our President, Governors etc he would create money spinning investments like building world class and sustainable refineries, create enabling environment for bussiness thriving. He would steal but his stealing wouldn’t be like what we see presently among our political class and government officials. Our major problem isn’t stealing from the treasury. It is more of looting without productivity. Borrowing to loot without productivity. Looting without investments. Looting for soft life and oversees spending spree. The difference between Nigeria and those places we Japa to is that our leaders are Judas- promax while theirs are just Judas. They steal strategically, with a creative sense for productivity but Nigeria leaders loot with no sense of productivity.
Nigeria is immensely blessed. Imagine surviving for 65 years of the looting and kleptomenic tendencies of Judas- promax as our leaders.
At 65 years I hail you.. though you bleed from the recklessness of our leaders. Thank God you have never been anaemic. You would have been better than Dubia, USA, United Kingdom, China etc if those who for 65 years bestrode you were at worse case scenario Judas.
You are today looking scraggy in infrastructural development, ecomonic stability and political maturity because you were unlucky to have been managed by heartless Judas promax, who loot and never creative to be productive, spend on frivolities without sparing a second to invest and save for the future.
It is in Nigeria that the Nigeria police force spent N22 million to buy cream crackers. It is in Nigeria that snake swallowed N36million. It is in Nigeria that N1.5million was used to open a Facebook account. Same Nigeria that $708 million looted was recovered from four foreign countries. It was in same Nigeria that $52 million linked to former minister of petroleum Diezani was recovered. It is only a Judas promax that would do such mindless and near lunatic looting.
2027 is by the corner. Either we choose a Judas who would though steal but very productively conscious, creating wealth that can be pilfered on with decency, restraint and caustion or vote for our regular judas promax.
Remember, choice comes with consequences. The choices we have been making for the past 65 years, the reason for our present situation. Doing one thing in same way and expects a different result is mendacious.
We are not looking for Saints in our leaders. We are just looking for leaders who though may have taken from the treasury but with a heart to create opportunities, wealth and riches for sustainable growth. Leaders who have the heart to repent, be broken and ready to restitute whatever the stole and defrauded the country of.
Imagine what a wealthy nation Nigeria would become if all our leaders become remorseful and restitute whatever they must have stolen for 65 years?
Happy independence Nigeria and Nigerians
Jarlathuche@gmail.com
