By Dayo Emmanuel
The 2023 general elections in Nigeria have come and gone, but the memories would stay with Nigerians for a very long time come.
There was never a time in the history of the country that the election was this patronized by all, especially the Christian community and the youth population.
The electioneering campaigns witnessed a lot of intrigues and horse-trading. The presidential election itself was characterised by several predictions by clerics and bookmakers some of who have been shown their scorecards going by how the whole exercise turned at the end of the process.
The elections however featured many first-time voters especially youths who were bent on electing credible leaders to provide direction and solve the myriads of problems bedeviling the country over the years. This later turned out to show that many of the first-time voters have no electoral maturity they needed to turn the tide in some of the political positions being contested.
The immaturity was seen graphically as many were disappointed with the outcome of the presidential election and engaged in voter apathy in the governorship and the state assembly election which was conducted in the second leg of the polls.
Earlier in February, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) through its Kaduna State chapter had advised Nigerian Christians to go out on election days to exercise their constitutional duties by casting their votes for candidates of their choice.
Chairman of the association in Kaduna State, Rev. John Joseph Hayab who spoke in a program ahead of the election tagged “Corporate prayers ahead of 2023 elections,” said, “Christians from all walks of life in Kaduna State and the country as a whole should come out to perform their constitutional responsibilities by voting the candidates of their choice.”
He also enjoined them that “In doing so, they should remain calm, peaceful and orderly in their conduct to vote credible candidates that will change the narratives of the country and give a new hope for the unity and development of the country.”
This is noble advice and encouragement from a respected clergy which was one of the factors that prevented mayhem in the 2023 elections.
Meanwhile, several other clerics in addressing their congregation practically turned their pulpits into campaign places to push for candidates of their own choice which they felt could deliver Nigeria and bring her out of the woods. This may not be the right thing to do with church’s position which should be highly spiritual.
Hayab’s style of admonition should rather be employed by other clerics whose duties should also include partnering with relevant agencies to provide electoral education ahead of any election including the very important Local Council elections.
However, there were also predictions as to who would win or lose the election. The 2023 election however witnessed a lot of visions and predictions which many referred to as prophecies which went different ways.
The three leading candidates at one point or the other had prophecies going their ways. Ever since the political parties held their primary elections to produce their candidates, prophecies have gone for or against virtually all the candidates. This however negates spiritual maturity in many ways.
Now that the elections have been won and lost, many who believed in the prophecies of their fathers in the Lord which did not go the way of the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are still waiting eagerly to have those prophecies come to pass either by the court upturning the results or ordering a rerun of the election or through some unconstitutional, ‘supernatural’ ways.
Only time would tell if such arrangements would materialise in a highly religious and secular Nigeria just about two weeks before the inauguration of the new government.
Meanwhile, the aggrieved parties are in court, which is the last hope of the common man. The court must however hear all the petitions and all the necessary evidence must be provided while the court would give its verdict which would definitely be either way.
The lot is cast into the lap according to proverbs, but the disposition thereof is of the Lord who also rules in the affairs of men.
At this point in Nigerian history, what should be the prayer point is that the will of God should be enforced as we lose nothing when the will of God is done.
Nigerian Christians instead of taking sides and wishing for what God has not ordained, should rather intensify prayers that the will of God should prevail over the country because as the Yoruba adage goes, the peace of the tree is the peace of the birds residing on it.
May the Lord awaken the church to pray for the will of God to happen over the country so that we may live peacefully and see the counsel of God prevailing in Nigeria.
