Senator Hope Uzodinma
The controversies and/or mixed reactions that greeted the emergence of Senator Hope Uzodinma as the Governor of Imo State recently were expected after all. For me, it was a mixture of utter surprise and disbelief.
When Rev Fr Ejike Mbaka prophesied that Hope Uzodinma would become the Governor of Imo State, the question I asked and I believe others also asked was, “How will this be, since the said Uzodinma was placed in the fourth position in the 2019 Imo State governorship election?”
The question “How will this be?” always attend the news of an occurrence of a wonder or an uncommon event. Compare this with, “How will this be since I’m still a virgin?”. You know the rest of the biblical story.
The Supreme Court delivered a judgment and declared Hope Uzodinma as the winner of the 2019 Imo State governorship election. Since then, people of different backgrounds began to lend their voices, some against the judgment and others for it.
Logical reasonings and analysis have been adduced as to why the ruling was flawed and the prophecy concocted. People resorted to vehement criticism of the Supreme Court as well as began to castigate the man of God.
Some musicians, in order to make money, sang unpredictable things about Rev Fr Mbaka, just as some actors also joined in the act of smearing the man of God and spreading same through the social media. To these people, I admonish thus, ‘Caution please! Do not rush to talk ill of a man of God especially a Priest of the Roman Catholic Church because, there are consequences for doing so’.
Things of God more often than not defy logic. Some people even went to the extent of saying the priest connived with the authorities to lie. Haba! Rev Fr Mbaka of all of men of God conniving with the authorities to deliver false prophecy? Imolites, watch it!
Don’t get deluded with your emotions and make the dangerous mistake of castigating a Prophet of God. If you are a Christian, you should know and understand what I am talking about. Let’s stop blaspheming.
Some people say Hope Uzodinma is this, Hope is that, claiming that he cheated in the 388 units that saw him overtake Emeka Ihedioha in the Supreme Court judgement. It is always common for people to ignore their own misdeeds and pry into another’s, arrogating to themselves the power of God to judge. The question is, “In that election, who will honesty claim that he didn’t cheat in one way or the other?
Recall a case in the bible when a certain woman who was caught in act of adultery was about to be stoned to death. Jesus intervened and warned, “If any one was innocent of what the woman was accused of, let him be the first to cast a stone”. None did. They all disappeared and the woman had her sins forgiven by God.
God attends to people and answers their prayers not on the basis of self righteousness (for no one is righteous or perfect) but on the basis of their faith and humility. Recall the story of the centurion’s encounter with Jesus Christ. A highly placed and ranked army officer who, despite his exalted position, cared for his servant’s well being and humbly went to Jesus to plead the case of his servant. Jesus, recognising his faith and humility, instantly answered his prayers.
Hope Uzodinma is not a perfect person. Some people have said a lot of negative things about him. I had not met him before, until when he visited Ihitte Uboma during the campaigns in one Mr Sam Nwire’s house in Uboma.
Before then, I had the privilege of speaking with him on the phone after geting his number from the late Senator Ben Uwajumogu, inviting him to Lagos for a church function in 2017. On the phone, he displayed rare humility uncharacteristic of people in his class.
I had heard about his generous attributes towards the church. His parishioners at Abuja say good things about him that as a patron of a Catholic Church Choir, he displays goodness and generosity. In his humility and faith, he visits adoration ministry.
I gather he was also at the adoration ground on the 31st night of December, 2019 to seek the face of God. His faith, humility and prayers were recognised by God, which the man of God, Rev Fr Mbaka saw in his prophecy. This brings me to the question, ‘Why did Rev Fr Ejike Mbaka single out Imo State and prophesied about Imo politics as to who the governor should be?’
The simple answer is as an Igbo proverb would say, “Obu Onye ahuru isi ya kana kuiri mmanya”, meaning, it is only those who are present that receive a share of a cup of palm wine.
On the question, “Why is Rev Fr Mbaka meddling in politics?” Those who ask this question are ignorant. They are ignorant because religion and politics cannot be divorced. There’s always a meeting point between them.
Right from the old testament to the new and till date, men of God (Prophets) were used by God to install kings and rulers. God uses the same men to advise and admonish the leaders. He used prophet Samuel to install king Saul and King David. He also used Prophet Nathan to install Solomon, etc.
Fellow Imolites, there is no ruler, no matter the means by which the ruler emerged, that God, in one way or the other had no hand in it. I’m happy about the turn of events in Imo State not because Hope Uzodinma is the Governor, but because God’s hand is in his emergence. Let’s thank God for this, instead of raising eyebrows and raising the dust that will do no one any good at the end. Let us join hands to support and pray for the governor to succeed.
For those who had castigated the man of God, I advise that they seek the face of God and ask Him to forgive them.
Vincent Uba
National Coordinator
No Alternative To Buhari-Osinbajo 2019 (NATBO 2019)
