Wrigtheous Preacher

" Were ni oma ba Gari binu, ti a so pe yanrin di jije" Haruna Ishola, Baba Ngani eto in his Album Oroki Social Club meaning :
"It is only a mad person who in their anger with Gari (Cassava cereal) decides to replace it with eating sand"


As usual Haruna Ishola's wisdom is so apt in general but also specific to the recent actions of Reverend Wright at the NPC. There is something egomaniacal about most Pastors that is rarely challenged by their congregations. I used to go to Church where one of the assumptions is that the Pastor is a man of God but i always thought that every human being was created in the Likeness of the almighty and that it is sinful to elevate anyone above you in your relation to the God. A very intelligent friend of mine always said in surprise at my critical dissection of sermons that once the Pastor says God revealed something to him he could never do anything but accept it in its entirety. I think this kind of subservient relationship which is quite peculiar in the Nigerian Pentecostal churches and reflected in some of their American relatives creates the Pastor as a Prima Donna. In a world where no one challenges your views and you have a platform to express them as you wish then it is almost inevitable that you do not know when to stop.

I remember in February whilst visiting Orlando, Florida hearing a skit on the Steve Harvey show which is quite appropriate to the Former Reverend of Trinity Church Chicago. In the skit the character talks about having 'Holds up', he used to copy a friend of his in class until a particular Test and then he had an 'holds up' moment that maybe he should just give it is best shot . When he did he graduated and the person who he always copied was repeating the same class. More interestingly he was coming home from work and he planned to enter his house naked and give his wife a powerful sexual discovery well he had an 'holds up' and when he walked into the room fully clothed his wife was in the middle of a church book club meeting. It was very funny but back to Reverend Wright where was his 'holds up'?

Is it not madness that a man that has fought for Black empowerment all his life was too blinded by his pain and disgust at being stereotyped by the media and reduced to a marginal bigot that he stepped to the plate to destroy the one man who could bring his aspiration into fruition. The problem for `Dr Wright is that victimhood has so become the metaphor for Black Life that when we wrap ourselves in its fond embrace it justifies any behaviour. It is as we Yoruba's say that what family members know as an illness is just sheer madness to outsiders. No country will ever vote into power anyone who is characterised as hating the very government he seeks. The funniest thing here is that Minister Farakhan who was directly denounced by Senator Obama had the wisdom not to make himself the news thereafter but Dr Wright was too seduced by the need to be right and in fact righteous that he has now created a lose-lose firestorm for Senator. It reminds me of the old Story of Ida and his master/ mentor who originally was given him as a slave but brought him up as his son. One day the King invited the master/mentor and as usual he had Ida with him. they were both feted as father and son as usual with everyone congratulating such a fine and well behaved young man . Ida started drinking heavily and he shortly started speaking loudly until he gave out the secret that he was originally a slave. His master was humiliated and exiled , ida once again became a slave. In my version Dr Wright like Ida does not have the wisdom to keep his mouth shut. Shame


Ire O