The Paul Ryan Example

The Paul Ryan Example
By Felix Samari
Paul Ryan is one interesting American Republican Congressman that has continued to attract a lot of attention in the United States’ Politics. Mr. Ryan was elected into the House Representative in 1998; he was 28 years when he was elected “as the U.S. representative of Wisconsin's Congressional District 1.” Since then Paul Ryan was in the house representing his people. He became the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee in January 2015. He was the chairman of the House Budget Committee from 2011 to 2015. In the 2012 presidential election, Ryan was the vice-presidential running mate of Republican nominee Mitt Romney, who eventually lost the election to Democratic President Barack Obama. Ryan latter got reelection in the house 2014 and in the following year he was elected speaker of the House on October 29 2015. Recently Paul Ryan got re-election into the Senate.
Ryan is a Catholic Christian conservative politician who lost his father when he was just 16 years old. He is a graduate of economics and political science from Miami University. He expresses his deep convictions in stance he takes in matters of morality and divinity. For instance he was earlier motivated by the writings of Ayn Rand but later in life Ryan rejected “Rand's philosophy because he believes it's based on atheism.” According to an August 2012 article in The New Yorker, Ryan said of Rand, "I reject her philosophy. It's an atheist philosophy. It reduces human interactions down to mere contracts and it is antithetical to my worldview. If somebody is going to try to paste a person's view on epistemology to me, then give me Thomas Aquinas."
Ryan was not interested in vying for the Speaker when there was vacancy as result of John Boehner’s resigning his position as speaker of the House on September 25, 2015. Paramount among his reasons was that there was faction in his party that might undermine successful leadership. “He said he would run if certain conditions were met, including the need for different factions of the Republican Party to unite and show their support for him.” In a press conference, Ryan said: “We have become the problem. If my colleagues entrust me to be the speaker, I want us to become the solution.”
About his private family life Ryan would not let his political career deny him a real family life. Even when he agreed to go for the Speakership, he clearly stated his commitment to his family when he said "I cannot and I will not give up my family time. I may not be on the road as often as previous speakers, but I pledge to try and make up for it with more time communicating our vision, our message."
When the US president-elect Donald Trump was nominated to be the candidate of his party in the presidential race, Ryan was not quick to indorse Trump. In fact some commentators suggested that Ryan was hesitant of the candidacy of Trump because he openly disagreed with some of the campaign policies of Trump. “Many people called for him to step down from his post as he showed lukewarm support for his party’s presidential candidate.” For instance on the issue of Muslims in America Ryan openly expressed his view that it was unfair to generalize that living with Muslims was unsaved for America. He said, (countering Trump’s proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States following the terrorist attack on an Orlando nightclub on June 12, 2016.) "This is a war with radical Islam, It's not a war with Islam. Muslims are our partners. The vast, vast majority of Muslims around this country and around the world are moderate. They're peaceful, they're tolerant.”
On morality stance, Ryan was disturbed by the spate moral questions on Trump, when another scandal came out early October, 2016, where “The Washington Post released a 2005 recording in which he lewdly described kissing and groping women.” Ryan requested Trump not to attend a campaign event the next day, in a statement he said: "I am sickened by what I heard today. Women are to be championed and revered, not objectified. I hope Mr. Trump treats this situation with the seriousness it deserves and works to demonstrate to the country that he has greater respect for women than this clip suggests.”
Ryan disagreed with Trump on serious issues and he never hid his opinion about them, but he did not also recant his support for his party candidate. Even Trump at some point felt that Ryan was “weak” and maybe compromising when he referred to him in a statement as, ““Our very weak and ineffective leader, Paul Ryan…” No doubt the two have different personalities but in politics and in national interest they cannot be too different. When Trump’s victory was announced Paul Ryan in a press conference said, “Let me just say, this is the most incredible political feat I have seen in my lifetime, . . .Donald Trump heard a voice out in this country that no one else heard . . . he connected in ways with people no one else did. He turned politics on its head. And now, Donald Trump will lead a unified Republican government. And we will work hand-in-hand on a positive agenda to tackle this country’s big challenges.”
In Politics one must not lose his individuality and each must understand the power of collectiveness. A nation grows because some persons have realized the way to blend their individual differences in support of their collective interest. Nigeria is a country with many Paul Ryans, young dynamic leaders who have ideas and leadership capabilities but obviously often lack the courage to disagree with either their colleagues or superiors’ lifestyle base on lack of principle or notorious philosophy even when it comes to matters of personal views.
We haves seen that even in advance democracies there are party factions or internal disagreements in political parties, but there are Paul Ryans that would only accept exalted offices if it can bring healing in the party and the nation. When people disagree it does not mean that they should break the pot upon which they are disagreeing. Instead they should find ways to preserve their common interest for the benefit of all.
Political parties in Nigeria have not been very good example in recent times. Trivialities and maters of no national interest which boarders on some personal interest of either who becomes a governorship candidate or who leads where in the party is breaking their common interest to pieces. Every day we wake to a new squabble in this or that party. Time is ticking, less is getting achieved. Nigerians should know that it is time to pick silent lessons from others around the world. We cannot afford to west more time and resources doing nothing but fighting one another and exposing the nation to more disgrace and suffering.
If APC for instance promised Nigerians change, then someone should prove that this change mantra is real. What the president needs now is a team of serious politicians and bureaucrats who know their onus and are ready to stand and defend the ideals of good governance to bring true dividends of democracy to the common man and in order to alleviate the national pains. Nigeria needs leaders with purpose, conscience and wisdom to guide right!

PROPHETS AND PROPHECIES IN NIGERIA

PROPHETS AND PROPHECIES IN NIGERIA

The continuous mockery of Christianity by some desperate individuals who claim to be “Men of God” in Nigeria is a matter of concern. Of late I am getting worried about some of the doings of these so-called prophets and “Men of God”. I wonder a lot if these men’s activities are in line with the Bible. Seeking from Biblical History and teachings, one is left to conclude that they are more of self-seeking individuals who speak what they imagine in their beds to the enticement of unsuspecting congregants and if it coincides with the reality they are celebrated as prophets.

Prophets as I can perceive in their case, they are mere soothsayer s, fortunetellers, mystics or sorcerers. There were such people even in the old. if “a prophet is an individual who has claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and to speak for them, serving as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people” then these guys are less of it. A Biblical prophet must be one who heard from God for the purpose of conveying Godly message either to warn the people of impending danger or fulfillment of a divine promise. It not about foretelling occurrences; Foretelling is what the fortunetellers do.

The shameful development about the recent prediction called prophecy by T.B. Joshua and one Primate Elijah Babatunde Ayodele has revealed how fake many prophecies have been. Unfortunately they have held captive many unsuspecting individuals who have not differentiated between the voice of God (through the Bible) and voice of men. Some of the actions of these men are not far from the African Traditional Religion of soothsaying. They have not even succeeded at what our forefathers did successfully with pebbles.

What concerns prophecy with elections in the USA when souls are perishing? Who among them has ever told what God is saying about the LGBT issue in the USA? Who among them has God spoken to about the corruption going in Nigeria? They themselves are enjoying and wallowing in corruption selling to millions of people idolatrous items, collecting fat offerings and living in plendour.

I pray that Nigerians will realize that these men do not represent God but speaks guesses and predict vanity. The church must also be wary of these men who claim to be pastors. A true pastor speaks only when God asks him to speak and cannot do that to gain cheap popularity or for material gains. If they have ties with the devil to deceive the people God is exposing them and they will not succeed.

On Lonely Bama Road

AT WORK ON LONELY BAMA ROAD
A Short Story By Bbangi dimso
I had just finished patrolling our area of the lonely road. I was waiting to receive the usual evening phone call from my wife Amina. I had expected the call for about half an hour because her calls usually comes in before the Maghreb prayers, she said she always ensure she called me before settling down to pray. She is always doing the calling since I resumed duty at the Bama road block because most of the villages were deserted and nowhere close to get recharge cards for phone until we returned to base. It was a long time I had served there since the insurgence where sent out of Bama area in February of 2015 I was redeployed to work there. It was quiet and quite terrifying out in the field. We lost three of our colleagues in the period of work on Bama road, and you can never know which minutes or from which direction the insurgents will come.
I love to fight for my father land Nigeria and I always remembered what my father who is a devout Islamic cleric told me one day. He said to me, “Bashiru my son, Allah has caused with hell fire anyone who refuses to fight to defend the truth or anyone who did not fight against injustice, inhumanity and all vices either because he is afraid or because he sympathizes with the perpetrator.” I often tune to his voice in my mind as I console myself in this war against the insurgency. My father said, “It is not Islamic to kill innocent people, children and women. Islamic forbids barbaric murder and senseless killing. Jihad is purposeful and so it must be maintained.” According to my father, Nigeria has never witness such brutality and senseless killing like the Boko haram insurgency. He wondered why someone who professes Islam will do such things.
As a soldier in the Nigerian Army I encountered a lot of difficulties in trying to explain what Islam teaches to my fellow soldiers especially those who came from regions where Islam is scarcely practiced. I always recalled with embarrassment what one of our wounded officers said as he groaned, “Islam has caused me all these.” To the hearing of all of us around him trying to help him survive; three of us helping him were Muslims. Ahmed my colleague softly told him, “Sir, some unscrupulous and senseless people who thought they practice Islam caused us this. I am a Muslim myself and I am here making sure you are alive.” He kept quiet for a moment and said, “You want me to believe you? These people shouted the same Allahuhakbar you would say while they shot at me.”  Ahmed unperturbed said to the officer, “Sir only Allah knows his true worshipers and this I am sure you will agree with me that as you are here today God preserved your life, if not so you would not have been alive. I think it will be better if we’d faced our enemy than thinking that some religion is the cause.” The officer nodded in pain and sigh for some kind of relief as we rushed him up the road side and into the truck. I always recall these experiences.
 “Why do you always call me at a particular time in the evening?” I asked my wife one evening when I was on one of those rare casual leaves. We were seated at dinner with my three daughters Aisha, Zainab and Khadiza.  My wife a very deep and bashful Fulani woman, she has a way of showing her romantic façades to her husband. She turned and looked with deemed eyes that portrays are intrinsic love and devotion me and to Allah and said to me, “Amma, (which means Elder-brother, a pet name she calls her husband) Allah is with you and I pray to him all the five times of my daily prayers and I always want to hear your voice to assure me that my prayers are answered. And to know how you are feeling and also find out the state of things in the war front. When I get these details I will take it to Allah in Prayers and I am positive that he has always heard me, that is why you are fine today.” I love to be with my family. My mother had taught us how close family members should live together. My Eldest daughter Aisha who bears my mother’s name is a very interesting planner and her sister Zainab who is only a year younger is very authoritative, Khadiza is her mother’s look-alike. I did not have a male child but my daughters mean everything to me. I consider them equally a great blessing to me from Allah. Whenever I tell them that they should pray that Allah preserve my life to see them all grow up and get married one day, Zainab would look at me straight in the eyes and say confidently, “Baba, Allah will keep you, no evil will happen to you. I have prayed and I am always praying for all of you.”  Been far away from them I felt dejected; sometimes afraid that something might happen to me and if I die what would happen to them. I think every soldier feels that way once in a while.
I was upset, I did not know why. Could it be because I had not heard my wife called or what? I could not tell. I went out of our tent on the lonely Bama road. I took some water to perform ablution and observe my prayers. As I began the ablution on getting to where I will wash my feet, my phone rang. I left the ablution process and picked the call, “Asallam mualeikum Bashir” I heard a familiar voice from the other end. “Salam aleikum” I replied. “It is your brother Abdullahi.” The voice continued. “Abdu, hope all is well?” I asked. Abdullahi my brother does not communicate when it is not very crucial.
“Baba has died this afternoon. May Allah reward him Al-janatul-Firdausi”
“Amen” I said. He told me they were about to go and bury him at the time he called and said the old man died peacefully in the room. I was pained that I could not hear a last word from my father. I was pained that I will never share in the blessing of burying my father. My father a very old man died a peaceful man, about that I was pleased. My late father preached that Islam is peace and that Muslims are supposed to live in peace with people of other religions. His parents brought him up in Lafiya town. He a Fulani man has a lot of friends from other tribes in the area. David Saba a Christian, Egong by tribe is one of my father’s closest. They spent a lot of time together. Since the dead of Mr Saba three years down my father has been practically a lonely man. But now he was gone. I prayed for him all through the night.
In the morning I heard a child’s cry but it was faint. I have heard it before in the night so I told my colleagues I was going to check out where the child’s cry was from; after I observed the Fajir prayers I went down a bush path. After walking about three kilometers on the pathway I found a woman laid under a tree with two children. A little boy of about two years was hitting her to wake up while the other child who was about 7 years was seated some yards away from the woman. The little boy was drawing the mother’s breast to feed on it in the morning. When I got closer I noticed that the woman was laying still. I called out to see if she could respond, no response. I called the bigger boy and he calmly came to me and tearfully said in Hausa, “Ta ki ta tashi.” (Meaning she refuses to wake up). I moved and touched the woman, behold she was stone cool. The woman was dead. I stood there the ground seemed disappeared under me. I have seen people died and I shot enemies to dead but I could not stand the dead of a mother with two young children. I felt dejected for the children and burdened by the dead before me. I just lost my father less than 24 hours ago. But my father died a peaceful dead that was why I could not weep for him. My wife called earlier in the morning weeping because her husband will not partake in the blessing of burying a father. But to me in the service to my nation and to mankind Allah will reward me.
I asked the boy how and when they got to the place. He said two days ago. “Where are you from?” I asked. “Gwoza” he answered. The woman must have followed a bush part running with her two children to get to Maiduguri but she could not make it. She came close to where she could get help but died. I wept. I thought of how this woman has been on this lonely and risky path and through the bushes she had passed through. I thought of many things including the little boy who was sucking the breast of a dead mother without him knowing. I became so sad and weakened. I have never felt that way before. I asked the small boy what his name was and told that his name is Dahiru and his brother Bukar. He said their mother was Mairo. From the names I knew they were a Muslim family. I held the little boy up and told him that his mother has gone to Al-janatul-firdausi.  I thought the boy did not understand what I said but I was not bothered whether he understood it or not. I was telling him my conviction as a Muslim.
I carried Bukar and asked Dahiru to follow me. Dahiru turned to me and asked, “Soja, what about my mother.”  “Your mother is dead.” I told him. The boy looked at me and said, “I know it.” I looked at him as never before. He said, “She told me she was dying and asked me to pray for her. I did. She said I should stay here until someone gives her a befitting burial like she did to our father. I joined her in prayers when my father was killed by Yan mallam (referring to Boko haram).” The boy looked at me as if to say, I am not scared again. After all, the worst have happened. He said, “You are a Muslim right?” I nodded in tears I could not look at the brave young boy. “Please help me let’s bury my mother. Allah will reward us.” I walked closer to Dahiru and patted him on the back and told him we shall bury his mother but we must first get to the checkpoint where my two other colleagues are so that Kabir (my colleague) who is also a Muslim will join us in burying his mother. He agreed I should go with his brother to the checkpoint while he stayed back to watch over his mother until I returned.
I returned to the checkpoint with the little Bukar, he cried all the way. When I got there I narrated the whole story to Kunle and Kabir. Kunle asked us to go and burry the woman while he stayed with the boy Bukar.
We went and gave Mairo a befitting burial according to Islamic rites. After the burial I was consoled that at last I did not miss the blessing of burying my father. I knew my father will be happy that I rendered such service to poor Mairo a brave widow of insurgence victim.
After the burial, we got back at the tent Bukar had slept. Kunle had given him hot tea and bread; I guess the first descent food he has eating in a long while. I sad at tea with Dahiru and he narrated his story which he punctuated with questions about my work and the life in the bush. He said they stayed in the open for days before they got to the tree under which his mother died. He said at the place where his mother died he would go to a stream (about four kilometers away) to bring water for the mother and his younger brother since the mother could no longer walk. He would also pick some wild fruits for food. “She said her chest was paining her, she was not breathing well and she told me she was dying.” Dahiru finished sobbing tensely.
I promised Allah that I will take care of Dahiru and Bukar and I will give them same love I would give to my children. Insurgency has exposed small children to brutal life. They saw how people died and how human beings were slaughtered like animals. Dahiru said many people were slaughtered like animal. When my wife called at Maghreb I told her about the two boys and how I was willing to do everything possible to get them to my care