By Pat Amobi Chukwuma
Dear Almighty Father,
How are you? How are your Angels and Saints? I hope my departed father, siblings, relations, friends and well-wishers are there with you in your Kingdom. Kindly extend my warm regards to them. I am really missing them so much. There is no doubt that they are enjoying those things which no eyes have seen, no ear has heard, no minds have imagined; all that you have prepared for those who love you. I am optimistic that my seat in heaven is still intact. Please do not let anyone else take it. I am getting ready to come over there to occupy it, but not so soon. My visa to heaven has not been issued by the Heavenly Consulate here in Nigeria because of corruption, insecurity, economic and political instability. So kindly give me more time. I shall inform you when it is ready.
My lovely God, you are a mysterious and perfect Being. Your mysterious nature marvels me. You are omnipotent and omnipresent. You have neither beginning nor end. You are the Alpha and the Omega. You made the sun, the moon and the stars. Rivers, oceans and seas are your handiworks. When I look up and down, I see the earth and the sky you formed. You created birds to fly in the sky. Various animals operate on the land and swim in the waters all over the earth. God, you are indeed wonderful. Out of your love, you created human beings in your own image and likeness. On behalf of humanity, living and dead, I prostrate myself before your Majesty.
Merciful Father, among all the creatures, only human beings give you acute headache from time immemorial. Your divine image in each and every one of us has suffered a lot of abuse. How I wish you delete your image in us so that we become same with the brutes. Then we shall eat grass like them. We have really taken your grace for granted. O God, you created us to know you, to love you and to be happy with you forever in heaven after our sojourn here on earth. Often the soul is willing but the body is weak. Nonetheless, many of us are trying their best despite our human weakness. Since the unfortunate fall of man from grace to grass, things have not been the same again in this world. At the appointed time you sent your only son to come and redeem us. He died for us by shedding his blood on the Cross. He was buried, resurrected and ascended into heaven. He promised to come again to judge the living and the dead. Father, tell him to come during the daytime so that we can see his glory clearly.
The Most High God, since the 2001 terror attack at the World Trade Centre in America, whereby thousands of innocent lives were lost, terrorism has continued unabated. The lives you created out of your abundant love are being cruelly wasted by heartless men and women all over the world. God, why do you keep silent? We need your divine intervention in order to rescue your defenseless children going about their normal businesses. You rescued the Israelites with your mighty hand from King Pharoah of Egypt. Do it again!
For about ten years now in Nigeria, innocent blood is flowing along the streets. Even places of worship are not spared by the heartless men of this world who unleash bloody terror on your priests and worshippers. Boko Haram terrorists, Fulani bloody herdsmen, kidnappers, armed robbers and bandits are killing your people like fowls on daily basis. Lord, is it as a result of our iniquities? Please come to our aid before we are all slaughtered.
God, you know all things. Is the young confessor Leah Sharibu still alive? She was kidnapped with a hundred and nine girls from Government Girl’s Science and Technical College in Dapchi in Yobe State for about two years now. Others were released except her because she refused to denounce her Christian Faith. Since then concerned Nigerians are praying for her release. Her parents and siblings have been crying and looking forward to see her back alive. I am also weeping for her and praying for her safe return. Merciful Father, kindly rescue her by your powerful hand, if she is still alive. But if they have martyred her, please give her a special seat among your saints.
Lovely God, you really love our country Nigeria by blessing her with abundant human and natural resources. Indeed you made us Obiageli but today we are Obiaganwu. Our problems are bad leadership, poor economic management and greed. Monkey dey work while baboon dey chop. In those better days, the late Chinua Achebe wrote that Things have fallen apart. Therefore we were no longer at ease. Could you allow Chinua to come back to Nigeria now to give our present ugly condition a new title? Also in those better days, the late Sunny Okosun sang: “Which way Nigeria is heading to? Which way to go? After many years of Independence we still have a long way to go. Which way Nigeria…sooner Nigeria will die.” His prophecy is becoming real. Please could you also permit him to come back to this country and sing for us a new song? Nigeria is not only dying. She is in coma. The morticians are standing beside to receive her body for embalmment. The undertakers themselves have started digging her grave. The journalists are already writing her obituary.
God of justice, have you not observed that Justice has been murdered here in Nigeria? Thus injustice has ascended the throne of governance in this country. The Judiciary, which is the last hope of the common man, has been compromised. Justice seems to be for the highest bidder and the most powerful. Justice is being delayed and denied to honest litigants. Injustice is triumphing. Justice is weeping.
My God, our hard earned Democracy is suffering from demonization. We need your divine deliverance. Electoral malpractices are becoming constitutional. Our election has changed into selection. Our votes no more count. The powers that be manipulate the electoral process to their own advantage. The independency of the electoral umpire is questionable. If the referee plays with a team in the football pitch, how can the match be judged to be free and fair?
God of Truth, the eclipse of the Truth is fast descending in Nigeria. Consequently, the darkness of falsehood is about to encircle us. In the normal parlance, Truth is Life. But today Falsehood is Life in my beloved country Nigeria. If care is not taken, the falsehood will envelop even your sanctuary in the churches and mosques. God forbid!
My Heavenly Father, our country Nigeria was known before as a God-fearing Nation. In fact, it is no more so today. Many of us have turned their backs on you. Materialism is fast overshadowing your people. Neo-paganism is on the increase all over the country. The idols abandoned by our forefathers are now being revitalized. Our youths, who are the future hope, are champions in this case. Where are you God of Elijah?
Lastly my God, do not be annoyed. I want to ask you a question. Why is death so rampant all over Nigeria nowadays unlike before? Many incurable illnesses are the order of the day. Many go to hospital and end up in the mortuary. There are more painful deaths than joyful deaths. Many go too soon. Few go late. Every week we hear the blaring sirens of ambulances conveying corpses here and there. Also those who died and were buried immediately are countless.
Finally my eternal Father, are there more departed souls in Heaven than in Hell? We have indeed sinned against you. Even some of us have lost the sense of sin. Some do not believe in eternity. Please temper justice with mercy. If you mark all our guilt, then who will be saved? I know that nothing impure will enter your Kingdom. Kindly purify us with your grace so that we may enjoy eternal life with you in your Kingdom when the bell of death rings.
Thank you my dear God. I am stopping here till I hear from you
