Nwidadah As Metaphor For The Methodist Character

It was as if all roads led to the heartland and the traditional headquarters of Ogoni Kingdom,  Bori, on February 19, 2012, as Hon Legborsi Nwidadah, representing Khana I State Constituency at the Rivers State House of Assembly, celebrated his election victory. The event was the first ever official reception of any public officer, and specifically, a member of the state legislature by the Bori Diocese of the Methodist Church of Nigeria. Indeed, the Bishop, Diocese of Bori, for the Methodist Family, Rt Rev Innocent Saro Ndinwii, was right in making the decision.

It was, indeed, a rare event that brought together a huge collection of the crème-de-la-crème in Rivers State, including but not limited to politicians, government officials from all tiers, business moguls, captains of industry, technocrats, women, youth and people from all walks of life. And as if to consummate the church’s foresight in organizing the reception, the massive turn out and convivial atmosphere that characterized the Khana Local Government Council Lodge’s circumference, were an obvious statement to those who needed a visible evidence to convince them that God truly choose Legborsi Nwidadah to represent the constituency in the House of Assembly at this time in history.

This is why the decision of the church to honour the lawmaker with a rare reception requires serious interpretation. Not just because the lawmaker is a worthy ambassador of the church but because Nwidadah has wittingly or unwittingly become a metaphor for the Methodist character in Ogoni. Besides, Nwidadah’s thought-provoking speech and Senator Magnus Abe’s insights into the inner callings of humility, perseverance, hard work, determination and above all, the fear of God, need no less a critical examination and analysis because there impinge on the very reason why the Ogoni’s quest for development deserve attention.

First, let’s take a critical x-ray of the reasons adduced by the church for organizing the first-ever reception in history for a member. The Bishop of Bori Diocese of the Methodist Church, Rt. Rev. Rt Rev Innocent Saro Ndinwii, elucidated this much during his inspirational sermon at the church service. Rt. Rev Ndinwii, noted that that was the first time in the history of the church that a member would be honoured with a reception. He said that the decision was informed by Hon Nwidadah’s humility, long-standing and unblemished service to the church and fellowship.

Rt. Rev Ndinwii, added that as one of the longest serving ushers in the church, Nwidadah was an epitome of exemplary character, commitment to selfless service and an extra-ordinary ambassador of God and the church in the quest to re-order society and transform it for the better. He was particularly enthralled by the fact that the lawmaker continued with his role and duty as an usher in the church even after he had been elected into the state House of Assembly to represent the Khana 1 constituency. The church leader emphasized that Nwidadah’s total submission to the service of God and humanity was a character template worthy of emulation by both adults and the young ones still struggling to make their mark in the state. But above all, the cleric tasked all public office holders to emulate Nwidadah’s public and private lives.

For the reverend bishop, Nwidadah’s unassuming character, humble beginning, records of achievement in learning and leadership, are some of the triggers that pushed the church to initiate a precedential reception for a member in government. The man of God noted that the first-time lawmaker was an institution the youth must learn from, if they are to be relevant in the state’s effort to assert itself as the fastest growing economy in Nigeria and the hub of excellence in human capital development and infrastructural transformation, adding that the ills of society today are mountainous because the youth have failed to learn lessons of good character, discipline, determination, humility, and Godliness imbued in Nwidadah.

Indeed, the significance of the church’s decision is the unlined immortalisation of the lawmaker, who the bishop aligned as the beacon of hope for the realization of the church’s dream of building a new cathedral. According to the bishop, the lawmaker is the face of the church and the conduit through which the church may climb the ladder of prominence as a leading example of a soul-redeeming and reassuring place of worship for the people.

But more reawakening are Nwidadah’s thought-provoking reminiscences into the very heart and soul of the state and nation, and the disturbing plagues and vices that have tormented the fabric of society for decades. His emphasis on the need for moral rebirth, re-orientation, discipline, hard work, and perseverance reminds many of the petit refrains that have continued to haunt us as a people: indiscipline, criminality, cultism, corruption, examination malpractice, abuse of due process, favouritism, nepotism, godfatherism, among others. Thus, his recipes for a better tomorrow are an anecdote for peace, friendship, success and sustainable development.

Nwidadah’s prescription for a stable, virile, progressive and peaceful Ogoni is encapsulated in an entreaty of sort. Delivered amidst hard-to-reach grassroots persons, dignitaries from the Senate, the Rivers State House of Assembly, top officials of some local government councils in the state, notable clerics, public servants and politicians of all stripes and colours who gathered to celebrate the epic occasion, Nwidadah said every Ogoni must work hard to be successful, disciplined, committed and determined to make progress, and protect the peace and sanctity of the land.

He thanked God for His favours in seeing him through the heat and toils of the elections. Specifically, he lauded the Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, whom he said, took special interest in him and assisted to mobilise the people of Ogoni who voted en-masse for the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) to guarantee his victory.

Perhaps, there could not have been a better forum to publicly appreciate not just the major people who mentored Nwidadah to the status he now wields, but also the ordinary grassroots people, who did extra-ordinary things, blended in political subterfuge, to ensure that he represents Khana people in the state Assembly. This is even so because the church provided a formidable platform for a humble and genuine expression of true appreciation and thanksgiving to man and God for the manifestation of the lawmaker’s destiny.

It was indeed the humble expression of this appreciation and thanksgiving with a sincere and genuine spirit of love that now defines Nwidadah as a colossus among men acknowledged by God, the church and the people. He gave this colouration when he sincerely thanked the distinguished Senator Magnus Abe for making it possible for the Methodist Church to honour him. “Without his support, I will not be in the assembly today. He led me from nowhere to become somebody in the state”, and it is the result of his support that necessitated the celebration in the first place.

“I also thank the Chairman, Khana Local Government Council, Gregory Bariledum Nwidam, who has assisted me since 2006. He particularly encouraged me to leave the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, publishers of The Tide newspapers, and to contest election into the local government council as councilor in 2007. Since then, the chairman has never abandoned me,” Nwidadah publicly acknowledged.

He also thanked the entire Methodist Church for organizing a reception in thanksgiving to God for his victory, observing that that was the first time the Methodist Church was honouring any of its members in such a grand style. For this reason, Nwidadah stressed that: “All I need and still ask for is your support. My mission is to achieve adequate and effective representation for the people of Khana Constituency I and the entire Ogoni people. Until that is done, the mission is not fulfilled. I assure you that I will not disappoint you.”

Nwidadah took opportunity of the reception to counsel the youth of Ogoni on the noble way forward and to challenge them to play their part in the socio-political and economic development of the local government and the state. He counseled the youth, saying: “All I want to say to the youth of Ogoni is that hard work and humility pay.”

So for Nwidadah, “the youth should learn to be submissive, humble and obedient. Neither militancy nor armed robbery pays. It is only humbleness, humility, discipline and hard work that pay.” The lawmaker appealed to the youth of Ogoni to draw back, come back from where they have gone wrong and make humbleness, discipline and hard work their hallmark.

On the new face of politics in Ogoni, the first time lawmaker said emphatically, “It has changed drastically for the better. It is no longer what it used to be before. Before this time, you will never see a senator come down to the grassroots to talk with the people.

“But today, the distinguished Senator Magnus Ngei Abe comes down to discuss with the people. You can see how at ease he was with the people. He comes down to hold town hall meetings with the people. It is the same thing we are all doing. We are in constant consultation with the people, on whatever is going on. From village to village, we attend even marriages and burials so that we can feel the pulse of our people. For me, Khana politics has changed from what it used to be for the better,” Nwidadah said.

For Senator Magnus Abe, “Nwidadah is an example of what a true friend should be, very humble and trustworthy. He knows the benefit of showing gratitude to God, being a pastor’s son, and showing gratitude has uplifted him

However, Senator Abe did not stop at highlighting the sterling qualities of Nwidadah. He also noted the challenges facing politicians and the role the people play in making their representatives ineffective in delivering on their mandate. To correct this situation and create a veritable platform for good service delivery that would usher the dividends of democracy to the people, Abe advised the people to “stop asking for money from politicians so that they can concentrate on carrying out the demands of their mandate,” saying that, “when politicians give out money, they may think you have been settled, and then you do not have the moral justification to ask them to perform their duties.” The senator stressed that, “when you do not collect money from politicians, government’s power resides with the people who can recall non-performing representatives.”

Senator Abe used the occasion to call on the civil service to uphold the ethics of public service by guiding politicians in their service to the people, saying that in Britain, the civil service does not joke with the principle of “Speaking Truth to Power”, where a senior civil servant can walk up to the prime minister to advice the him when he goes wrong, whether what he says is pleasing to the prime minister or not.

While challenging the civil service to be bold and show wisdom in their calling to guide the state on the path of honour and development, Abe noted that the peculiar stage our politics may make that task daunting. But he found succor in the church as an impartial and independent moderator. This is why Abe called on the “church to fill the vacuum by boldly Speaking Truth to Power”. He also admonished the church to do so with compassion and love for those in government.

“When you support those in power, they will do well. If we are doing well and you support us, we will do better. But if we are not doing well, and your support appears to be in vein, your power speaks at election,” Abe counseled the church and the sea of heads at the Khana Council Lodge venue of the reception.

As envisioned by the church, the reception was also used to launch a cathedral building appeal fund. And taking advantage of the cream of politicians, business moguls, captains of industry and government officials who graced the occasion to up available money for the cathedral project, the church made no mistake about its intention to squeeze out sufficient money from its friends.

It is indeed not in doubt that the core of the church, Abe and Nwidadah’s presentations is the very irrevocable value of discipline, humility, sacrifice, industry, hard work, cooperation and mutual understanding to the peace, development and prosperity of Ogoni. In fact, all these values and attributes are already a metaphor for Nwidadah, the quintessential character of the Methodist Church in Khana, the epicenter of Ogoni culture and tradition.

Joseph Nwankwor & Susan Serekara-Nwikhana