The Cry of Wastage In Governance, By Poju Oyemade

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Reflecting on a very profound speech given at last edition of The Platform on October 1, I came to the conclusion that Mr. Peter Obi (whom I only met for the first time two hours before the speech) in speaking of wastage, touched a very deep nerve when it comes to the art of governance.

I strongly believe that the political elite will be making a big mistake if they think the landscape remains the same.

Why is an accusation of wastage so significant when it comes to governance? In Luke 16:1, Jesus tells the story of a certain rich man who had a steward accused of wasting his goods. The Lord called him and said unto him, ‘how is it that I hear this of thee? Give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.’

Once it is established that a steward is a waster, he loses every moral authority to govern. This is one of the hidden laws through which our Creator governs the affairs of men. Jesus just came to show us the hidden laws of God.

There is something about God in His dealings on the earth, particularly with the ruling class, which is, if the people don’t cry out to God, if He doesn’t hear their voices crying unto Him, He doesn’t get involved. However once a legitimate voice is heard in heaven, God begins to show His hand in the affairs of men, showing to us, as He did with Nebuchadnezzar, that He reigns in the affairs of men.

Historically, the political class in Egypt went untouched until God said He heard the groaning of the people:

Exodus 6:5,6

5 And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.

6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:

Judges 2:18 “…for it repented the Lord because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them”.

Job 34:28-30

28 So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.

29 When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only:

30 That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.

We can go on and on in the Scriptures to show that it is only when the people cry out that God gets involved showing His hand. Even in the story of the unforgiving servant, it took others to report to the master for the master to have gotten involved.

The cry of wastage in governance is a cry the Lord responds to, it is not about the perfection of the one who cries, but the perfect timing of an accurate cry. It must be clear to every Nigerian at home and in the diaspora that a sound has gone out into all the earth.

The steward i.e. the political office holder, understood what a voice of accusation concerning wastage meant when the Master of the earth in which we live in hears it. He knew in very clear terms he was going to lose his position so he started weighing other options available to him.

His response was Luke 16:3

“Then the steward said within himself, what shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed”.

The steward was left with two options, to become a digger or a beggar. One was a life of labour another begging. The steward knew that the cry accusing him of wastage was guaranteed to take him out of office and make him lose political power.

Let all office holders hear what the Spirit is saying, the cry of accusation in the area of wastage is an accurate voice that changes the game; make the adjustments before the Lord shows His hand in the political equation of Nigeria and it becomes too late to change.

God bless Nigeria.