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Who
Will Pray For This Country?
-
Oliver Mbamara
In a previous editorial (Killing another; is there a consequence?), we talked about the consequences of killing (or instigating the killing of) another. The article generally addressed the issue as it pertained to all and sundry around the world. It did not pick any particular country, religion, or group of people for emphasis. However, since then (a few days ago), there has been another mayhem in Nigeria. People have gone out in droves to maim, kill, or murder their neighbors and wantonly destroy properties. Again, there are fresh orphans, fresh widows, and many more jobless, homeless, and helpless Nigerians to add to the already high toll so far. Once again, hatred seemed to have prevailed over love.
The story is that some influential people called upon the general population under their political or religious influence to react against a purported religious provocation and disagreement. In the fracas that ensued, over 200 people were killed. That is said to be under investigation. Meanwhile, this piece will not take sides, and will neither support the purported provocation nor the mass murders and wanton destruction of lives and properties that ensued.
However, a few questions beg to be answered. If men purported to be “men of God," "lovers of God," and "worshippers of God," burn down churches and mosques “in the name of God,” what is expected of atheists or non-believers? Would such actions encourage the non-believer to embrace God and the religion, or would it encourage him to stay aloof of God and religion? Does God or any religion encourage murder, hatred, violence, vengeance, and wickedness, instead of love, peace, forgiveness, kindness, and regard for human life? Are we fooling ourselves in our beliefs? - This is just a question.
Our heart felt condolences go out to those affected in one way or the other by the anti-Miss World tragedy in Nigeria.
Who will pray for this Country?
Like a familiar song,
Once again it croons.
Like a familiar scene,
Once again it plays.
New ascending smoke,
And littering corpses.
Like to a fairy tale,
The world listens
In bemused silence,
As mayhem plays
Another tragic tale
Of this “giant” nation.
Another once again,
Children are orphans,
Wives are widows,
Breadwinners gone,
Families are torn,
As mourning reigns.
The writing and killing,
Sensible or senseless,
I will not judge, but
How shall I answer
The query of friends?
Asking why it did happen?
So I search myself,
To find some answers,
But deep as I dig,
I am lost in thought,
About hateful anger,
And contempt for lives.
So I take to street,
For a prayer house,
But the churches are gone,
Like a few mosques burnt.
The ones still standing,
Stand idle and empty.
So now I wonder,
If leaders and clerics,
Discard their roles,
And choose to join,
The murderous crowd,
Who will pray for this country?
So now I wonder,
If leaders and clerics,
Choose to inspire
The evil in men,
To hate and kill?
Who will pray for this country?
THE EPILOGUE
But I am bent on praying,
So I must find a holy house,
But how long shall I search?
And when I do find one,
Who shall lead the prayers?
With clean hands and heart?
But I am bent on praying,
So I must find a holy man,
Sworn to lead in peace and love,
But all I see are tainted men,
So called leaders and clerics.
Who will pray for their flock?
But I am bent on praying,
So I must find the word of God,
To help me know how to love,
How to be kind, and to forgive,
How not to judge or condemn,
But to see God in all and sundry.
© 2003 Oliver Mbamara Esq.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Oliver Mbamara is an Administrative Law Judge
with the State of New York. He is also a filmmaker and a Published Poet
and playwright. For more on Oliver, please visit www.olivermbamara.com
For
background/research reference on this piece, click on this link
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