Obi! A liberation Theologian?

By Jarlath Opara

Growing up, the many things I learnt from my brother Larry who is now Fr. Larry was his literary flare, power of engagement and use of words. From him I had a faint knowledge of the machiavellian principles, liberation theology etc.

The name Frantz Fanon for the first time resonated through him. Why go this memory lane one may ask? Our mind is so fertile and impressionable it can be used as tools for either good or bad.

My point is, through this mind game and indoctrination, we got sold and the dormancy we exhibit at the face of danger one that probably has some generational curse of colonial manipulations.

When Frantz Fanon was hitting hard on colonial inhumanity on Africa posing an existential challenge on the race, he never for once thought that a day would come when Africans would become theatre of injustice, subjugation and oppression by their fellow Africans.

In his grave, he possibly had seen the Nigeria drama of Afri-colonianism, when dogs eat dogs to grow fat without scruples.

What is liberation theology? It is a religious movement arising in late 20th-century in the Catholic Church, centred in Latin America. It sought to apply religious faith by aiding the poor and oppressed through involvement in political and civic affairs.

Nigerian version of liberation theology was therefore born out of pity for the obvious degree of deprivation, denial, oppression, suppression, injustice, corruption etc that an average Nigerian face daily. It came as a movement or struggle to liberate Nigeria and Nigerians from all sorts of oppressions found among them and from outside of Nigeria, be it from political, social, racial, or economic oppression.

This liberation theology song started in 8th of October 2020 through endsars demonstrations to the 2023 Obident movement ,still moving, gaining traction, momentum, trending like gwo gwo gwo ngwo lyrics of Mike Ejeagha. Nothing would possibly hedge or stop it until we are liberated.

It is like a diarrhea, so chronic nothing stops the pupu until it finds expression. The crime of his Excellency Mr. Peter Obi wasn’t corruption.

It wasn’t embezzlement. It was not forgery of documents. His crime is, why would he be an Apostle of Liberation theology? Why would he be so obsessed with the welfare of the dying poor masses?

Why would he be against impunity, nepotism, extravagance and mindless display of ostentatious lifestyle with government fund while the poor masses wallow in the whirlwind of poverty. That is his crime and his head must be brought on a golden platter.

Nigeria community has reached its base of debasement. A rock bottom base of depravity and mindless destruction of anything good, decent and focus. It has become an animal farm, where the strong turn the weak into meals and whoever stands against it becomes a terror, a traitor whose heads must be brought on a platter.

Obi is just a man whose past is so decent, his detractors can only get him by demanding for a litre of palm oil to chew a palm nut. Isn’t that laughable? Mere “goatscapism”

The truth is, nobody stops an idea whose time has come. Until one realises the folly trying to cover the shining light of a moon with bare hands, one would forever be denying oneself peace of mind, for the wickedness of a man’s heart would forever hurts and hunts him.

Peter Gregory Obi the liberation Theologian of our time! “Ukwa ruo odaa”( At the nick of time, destiny is unvelied)

Those looking for Obi’ head on a platter should look elsewhere. His head isn’t John’s!

Jarlath Uche Opara Jarlathuche@gmail.com