A Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Augustine Ebido, has warned
Nigerians to be wary of what he tagged ‘political scholarships’ reports ITREALMS.
The priest, who spoke on the second week of Lent B, decried the fact that many politicians forget beforehand their pronouncements often contributes to the ills of the society.
He cited an instance of a certain politician who gave him
scholarship in 1983 based on the fact that he had one of the best WAEC results
the previous year but indigent; with nobody to pay for his university
education.
“So I was excited about the scholarship,” he declared.
Unfortunately, he said, when on 31st December, 1983 the
military took over government after a coup, the scholarship died with it
because it meant the end of political privileges.
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“The politician didn’t consider what his scholarship meant
to me beyond his politics,” he bemoaned.
Pointing out that meanwhile, he had to resign his job at the
Federal Ministry of Commerce and Tourism in a bid to take up the scholarship.
“But then, not only did I not get the scholarship, but it
also cost me my job! The politician did not have a clue what that simple act
did to a poor African boy,” he lamented.
Emphasising that was the case then, and is still the case
today.
“They have no clue what the average person suffers as a
consequence of their actions. Does that describe you? If yes, you still have a
slim chance to change from your ways,” he counselled.
Buttressing his point, Fr. Ebido said that in the Gospel the
day “Jesus warns us about doing ‘good deeds’ only to attract attention or
praise from people.”
Such ‘good deeds’ he condemned as empty because they do not
go deep and are products of vainglory.
“Many priests lament about people who come to ‘harvest and
bazaar’ and buy things running into millions of Naira (local currency); they
enjoy the applause of the people, but once they get home, they forget to pay!
“Vainglory will publicly spray money running into thousands
or millions at a given celebration of a friend, but will not give N1 to a poor
neighbor whose child dropped out of school.
He elucidated that Prophet Isaiah invites people like this
to repentance; “even if your sins are as red as crimson, they will become white
as snow…” God is offering us another day on earth to repent of our sins and
live a life worthy of our calling – sons and daughters of God.”
Further, he pray for the act of silent giving, for that is
the only proof it comes from the heart.
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