By Gbemiga Olakunle
Psalm 42: 1, KJV. “As the heart panteth after water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O GOD”
Apart from our faith and trust in the existence of GOD- the Maker of Heaven and Earth and everything therein ( including human beings), Hope is another vital ingredient that keeps us going in the journey of life as individuals or societies. And if for whatever reason, that hope is dashed, it can spring up crises that can make the journey of life unpleasant and sometimes come with dire consequences.
As individuals, a man can invest his life- savings to sponsor his fiancee’s educational pursuits with the hope of getting married to her after graduation. But if the lady later opts out of the relationship and dashed the man’s hope, it means she has caused heartbreak for the man. And it can be vice-versa too.
The same thing applies to people who invest in some seemingly lucrative business deals that turn out to be bad investments or outright scams.
Hope also plays a vital role when people are choosing or electing leaders to govern them either at micro or macro levels.
Electorates at all levels of governance do place their trust in certain individuals hoping to get some measure of good governance from such people when they are elected to power. But if such leaders fail to meet up with the high expectations that are expected of them, the electorate will automatically feel disappointed in such leaders.
For instance, the current Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu came to power on the Mantra of Renewed Hope. Encapsulated in that Slogan is the promise to make life better for most of the populace in Nigeria. Although the Administration had hit the ground running by convincing foreign investors to do business with Nigeria, the Administration seems not to be doing enough to reduce incidences of high poverty rate in the country.
During the immediate past Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, the Nation occupied the ignoble position of being the World’s Poverty Capital. Whether Nigeria has vacated that position or not is immaterial as long as abject poverty and incidences of grave hunger are still prevalent in the Land amid the flagrant display of wealth.
Until the issues of poverty and acute hunger are properly addressed and solved, the Government’s efforts to attract billions of dollars worth of foreign investments have no meaning to ordinary Nigerians.
Closely related to this, is the issue of insecurity where this Administration is yet to measure up to the Electorate’s expectations. Our Security Agencies may be doing their best to tackle this hydra-headed monster, but they still need the political will of the Politicians to succeed.
Recently, our Chief of Defence Staff had accused a section of our Judiciary of setting at liberty known terrorists who were caught in the act. And if the Military needs to borrow a leave from Burkina Faso to solve the issue of banditry and terrorism in this Nation, so be it. If the issue of insecurity is not properly tackled, the issue of Food Security will be a mirage and a window-dressing policy.
People can now begin to renew their hope of getting good dividends of democracy if this Administration through GOD’S grace, can squarely tackle and solve the challenges mentioned above that are making most Nigerians’ hope to be waning in this Government.
Nonetheless, while we are still praying for this Administration to succeed and meet up with the electorate’s expectations, we should continue to keep our Hope Alive in GOD.
He is the Omnipotent and the only Potentate Who can never disappoint or dash the hopes of those who may trust Him. And as we do so, we shall never be disappointed in JESUS’ Name. Shalom.
‘ Gbemiga OLAJUNLE, JP is the General Secretary of the National Prayer Movement.