Religious people often claim that “One with God is a majority”. But I disagree with such claim, not in the import of the statement in a qualitative sense but in its quantitative meaning. They are wrong because the word “majority” means “the largest part of a group of people or things” (See: Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary).
But in my opinion, “One with God is not a majority but a minority. Yet a minority with a difference and power to succeed in spite of all odds. A minority imbued with infinite ability, courage, dedication, understanding and resilience. A minority with unlimited access to both temporal and earthly resources, both visible and invisible, tangible and intangible assets.
A minority with the ultimate veto power over life threatening situations. A minority that triumphs over the manipulations, machinations and deceptions of the majority”. Yes, I am happy that I am one of such a minority in the scheme of things in Nigeria. Otherwise, I would have been dead before today. This is my story:
On Sunday June7, 2007 at about 4.00am early morning, I woke up with a sudden gastro-enteritis ailment prompting me to vomit. Consequently, I went straight to the wash hand basin. My saliva had a salt taste so I suspected the presence of blood and had to hold my touch light (As usual the national power supply system was not available).
As I spit, I could see traces of blood. The blood flow increased one after the other until I was getting weaker and became frightened that death was by the corner. Suddenly, I summoned up courage and left the place for the kitchen, took a bowl of water from the plastic water drum and drank it. Then I told God that I was ready to die and that I had no confessions to make if He had decided to take me back.
But I also added a caveat that He should safe my life if the sudden ailment came from my enemies, especially those who might want to suppress the truth as well as the sufferings of the poor and the underprivileged that my articles have chosen to represent. From that moment, I started to regain my strength and the vomiting ceased.
Then I switched on my mobile phone and sent messages to loved ones in case I was dead before dawn (A colleague had died at Ado-Ekiti within 30 minutes of having such an experience sometimes in 1988). But I survived it!
Exactly twenty-one (21) nights after the first incident, at about 2.00am on Sunday June 28, 2008 I woke up from bed and rushed to the water closet to ease my bowel. Suddenly, I realised that my stomach was nearly empty and I became very hungry. Incidentally, I could not finish up my bowl of eba (hot water stirred cassava flakes) at about 10.00pm, four hours earlier before going to bed. I went for the remaining and finished it.
Surprisingly, my body started to shiver. I added a mug (because I do not use tea cup) of hot beverage. Yet no relief! Thereafter, I opened a bottle of Cocacola and forced myself to drink a little. Subsequently, I had a little strength to switch on my phone and reach out for help through both calls and messages. Two of my medical doctor friends in the adjoining residence rushed in and suggested examination / treatment against both malaria and blood sugar.
As we discussed, my health suddenly improved and they went back to sleep. I too slept and later got treatment as recommended. But by Thursday, July 3, 2009 night, my situation seemed to have degenerated again. I ate at about 10pm but by about 10.05pm, five minutes after, I was very hungry again. By 10.20pm I rushed out of my residence to sleep with my medical doctor friends, but they were both out on duty. I went back home and lied down almost helplessly.
Then I called on God once more. The result was a surprise. I started to sweat profusely until it was past 11.00pm. I did not know when I slept off but I woke up at about 4.30am and the intensity of the hunger had diminished. I called on God again and slept off only to wake up at about 6.30am on Monday morning.
Each time I walk or stand up for a long time of say five (5) minutes or more since then till Tuesday, August 4, 2009 I would become dizzy as if I was going to fall down. But since Wednesday, August 5, 2009 the situation has changed for good. Today, I can state that God has been wonderful to me. He was on my side all through the period of my need.
He knows that I harbour no personal animosity against any public figure to whom any of my articles as well as this one might have castigated or condemned. He knows that I have burnt my oil, spent my money, time and energy to get all my articles out without any financial inducement or related reward from any quarters.
He knows that in Nigeria sycophancy is the general stock in trade of the majority because that is what guarantees that each of them gets a fair share of the loot from the national treasury. He knows that the enemies of the nation are in the said majority, and anyone who opposes them is a minority. Because I am opposed to their ways of lives like a few others, I am in the minority camp too.
I pitched my tent with God and became a minority with a difference, a minority empowered by God to overcome and effect a meaningful change in our society not by wrong association with religious leaders (whether Muslims, Christians, Herbalists, etc), militant groups (through use of machetes, guns, bombs, etc), pressure groups (carrying placards, postals, etc to protest) or even litigants (lawyers, human rights associations, etc) but just through writing and leaving no stone unturned in an attempt to let reasons prevail.
With Him on my side, I have seen wonderful results too numerous for me to list in any piece of article.
Throughout my ordeal, I called on God not from any known shrine (church, mosque, tabernacle, etc) but from my bedroom and on my own, and with my simple language. He saw my nakedness or the veil I put on, my sincerity or insincerity, seriousness or unseriousness, pride or humility, faith or the lack of it, purity or filthiness of my heart, among others.
He embraces me for what I am, and decides to lengthen my days on earth. Hence my ability to write this article! Now I realize the import of what Jesus said in Mathew 5:5 that “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God”. God is sufficient for me. What about you?
As usual, I welcome criticism(s) and comment(s) both publicly and privately. However, those criticizing must arm themselves with more facts lest they become objects for further critical review. My email address remains the same: jaomotayo2(at)yahoo.co.uk. Although it seems to have been compromised or attacked, I hope to get it restored as soon as possible.
God bless Nigeria.
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