The Countdown Begins!
Greetings from God’s own country, Nigeria!
So we had our general elections postponed last week. And as Saturday 23rd February draws near, we are preparing to vote again. This morning, the Federal Government announced Friday, 22nd February, as a work-free day. Is that good or bad? It’s really hard to say at this point.
Our hopes are up. We hope that this time around, the voting actually takes place. Then, we wait for the outcome. Generally, there is a strong sense of hope and anticipation. We are not discouraged.
It can be interesting how life unfolds! I was stating on Monday, that life is full of uncertainties. It’s at times like this that we realise how fleeting life truly is. In it all though, we believe that God is faithful. He is taking us on a journey and we will arrive according to His perfect plan.
I noticed in these few weeks of election fever that governance is an issue in different parts of the world; what with the Venezuela case, America’s issue with Trump and the UK with it’s Brexit issue. That is just to name a few. So the Nigerian issue is not unusual. We have always had governance issues in this part of the world. It has become the norm. While other countries in Europe and North America have a relatively stable democracy, we in Africa have always struggled.
I believe democracy is difficult to accept here, because we grew up largely on the monarchical system of government. The king is the final authority. His word is law. Whether he’s right or wrong, we have to obey him. He rules for life, and usually, no one challenges his rule until he dies. When he dies, his son takes over. The king owns the whole land and everything and everyone! So, his family enjoys the wealth of the land without question.
Contrast this with the idea of a democracy where an elected president is expected to be accountable to the people of the country. Hmm. Well, that is talk for another day.
Today, we are waiting, watching, praying and believing. Will there be voting tomorrow? Hopefully, Yes. What will be the outcome? That is still up in the air.The coming days will reveal it.
There are so many rumours and false news going around, it is best to just shut out the noise! For now, I am concentrating on getting work done and taking each day as it comes. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is fighting for us. We will be still and see His salvation!
Shalom!