No Orchids for Mallam Sanusi: Whose Orchids and who cares?

No Orchids for Mallam Sanusi: Whose Orchids and who cares?

This must be a carefully written prose. Otherwise, cynics, faultfinders and self-proclaimed rhetoric extractors would craft and establish severe cases of vilification on the person, expressions, memory and intelligence of the original author of this subject. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that I hastily declare as follows:

            “This piece is not a response in whatever sense, be it ordinary or extraordinary, to the original article of a most revered nationalist, Dele Momodu, titled NOORCHIDS FOR MALLAM SANUSI. Neither is it an acknowledgement, a rejoinder nor a rebuttal to any of the claims and historical facts expressed therein, in parts or as a whole. The purpose of this article is to refresh the reader of facts that recent narrations, following the controversial suspension of Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (SLS) as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, are trying to distort, misconstrue, and mutate. I have read and listened to a number of historical lies in passing comments by numerous commentators in recent times, which need correcting and, if necessary, challenging.”

SLS, no doubt, attracted many destructive critics, opponents and even enemies in his administration of our commonwealth. As much, he equally attracted a number of admirers. As clearly stated in one of his open lectures, he is not unaware of the dangers (and benefits) of fighting corruption at its very core. He made it abundantly clear in his statements every time that he wasn’t one to be cowered; neither by intimidations/threats (dangers) nor incentives/baits (benefits). He wasn’t one to be quietened either. This uncommon bravery and courage exuded by a public servant, are what many doubters, who fall short in their stance, tagged ego!

I have read recent posers that suggested that under the watch of SLS, many banks folded up and thousands of jobs were lost in the same industry he was supposed to protect. They insinuated that the hard work, sweats and investments of business promoters/shareholders were allowed to go down the drain during SLS’ witch-hunting proceedings. In some quarters, Sanusi had craftily edged out some Managing Directors under the pretext of prolonged leadership at the saddle.

Some even went as far as claiming that SLS had some clandestine programs to “Islamise” Nigeria. They drew up some anti-south, or worse off anti-Christianity, hypotheses about his reforms and sold them to gullible emptors who bought all the prevarications hook, line and sinker. Some cynics even complained about his “Hollywood” accent and oratory acumen. That is the last item I will comment upon. That is just laughable!

To start with, how many banks folded up under Sanusi? ZERO! To SLS, it was a matter of principle that “No Bank must be allowed to fail” and in deed, none failed. It is a distortion/misrepresentation of facts to equate the acquisition of a financial institution by the government to failure. For clearer understanding, one might need to dig the archives on National and Savannah banks where depositors’ funds (and lives) were lost while the promoters/shareholders of such ventures became eternally rich(er). Banking business, in Nigeria, had become no more than other fraudulent ventures like 419 (Advanced Fee Fraud).

We need not riff through the act that setup the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) to know that “if a bank fails today in Nigeria, no matter what amount of deposit anyone, irrespective of social or economic status, might have in such bank, (s)he would be obliged a first (and probably a final) withdrawal of N150 thousand only until a total and thorough reconciliation of the bank’s books is completed and the bank handed over to NDIC”. This exercise itself would naturally take several months to conclude, if not years. At the end of it, depositors are still not guaranteed. I cannot recall this happening under Sanusi-led CBN. This is what bank failure means in Nigeria today.

Many of the “monumental” job losses that were unfortunately suffered during the financial fiasco had no scientific linkages to “Hurricane Sanusi” that swept across the industry. In fact, it was the result of the power tussle between the regulator and the regulated. Banks needed to create a scarecrow for the CBN to abandon its reforms and policies, and to return to business as usual. This scarecrow, was the massive job losses. It is needless to state that most of the banks who wickedly and loudly retrenched their staff members had since quietly and massively recruited their replacements.

We need not dwell and waste our times on witch-hunting the moment answers are provided to this simple question: “Were these bank directors culpable in the crimes levied against them by Sanusi-led CBN?” I do not consider it praiseworthy that depositors’ funds be squandered on personal properties across the globe. Like Sanusi, I consider it criminal!

A more critical point for examination is the postulation of the “Islamization” of Nigeria by Sanusi through his policies and vindictive reforms. On this issue, traducers base their arguments on two weak premises. First, they claim that southerners’, or worse off Christians’, banks were the main targets of his obnoxious revolution. Secondly, they suppose that the introduction of Non-Interest banking (otherwise widely known as Islamic banking) in Nigeria, would undermine Christianity and strengthen Islam. They argue that such banks might be used to fund Boko Haram and any such terrorist organizations. The latter is profane, absurd and bereft of any logical & intelligent reasoning.

Does a bank need special appellations or classifications for it to commit financial atrocities?  It is just ridiculous how cynics think – pathetic! With all the insinuations, one is made to believe that an Islamic bank in Nigeria is not connected to the rest of the industry. It operates in isolation and governed by acts different from CBN and the BOFIA. How silly? For the records, it was Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo, a Christian, who mooted the ideas and ideals of non-interest banks modelled after Islamic financial principles. Not SLS. He merely implemented it.

As much as I do not like to draw comparison between Sanusi and his predecessor, Soludo, it becomes a thing of necessity to examine some historical facts and the rhetorics cooked up by cynics thereafter.

At the inception of Soludo’s tenure, there were about 82 banks in Nigeria, which were reduced to 25 at expiration. With mergers and acquisitions, Soludo had created rock-solid financial institutions that were supposedly capable of lending funds to the Federal Government had it been in distresss. He was praised to high heavens. The consolidation exercise of Soludo was announced on July 6, 2004 and it elapsed in December 2005. By January 2006, Societe Generale Bank of Nigeria (SGBN) founded by late renowned policitian, Dr Olusola Saraki in the late 1980s was shut due to its supposed failure to meet the requirement of the new Capital base for National banks – N25 billion. Then, that was the reason!

No one at that time insinuated that either the North or the Muslim community was been pointedly targeted and undermined by either the Federal Government or the CBN, both at the time led by Southern Christians. It was a holier-than-thou exercise! The moment Sanusi stepped out to challenge “alleged corrupt practises” of some fund managers, who coincidentally are Southerners and mostly Christians, the news about attempts by this Northern Muslim to islamize Nigeria broke out. It became the bad name by which a dog must be called for it to be hung. They are quick to forget that BankPHB, also affected by the reform, was partly owned by a Northern Muslim and then sitting President of Nigeria, late Umaru Musa Yar’adua.

SGBN had since reclaimed its ill-seized license in December 2012 through a prolonged judiciary process as a regional bank and has re-branded as Heritage Banking Company Limited. Would SGBN’s victory be a proof that Charles Soludo, a Catholic Christian, was vindictive against Northerners and by extension, Muslims? And was he also trying to “Christianise” Nigeria with his reforms that “maliciously” targeted Northern/Muslim banks? NO! I believe that by the facts available to the CBN Governor at that time, SGBN did not qualify for a National Banking licence. Period! I might be wrong but the facts do not say so.

It is on this similar vantage that I have obliged Sanusi Lamido Sanusi all the benefits of the doubts on the accusations of Islamising Nigeria. He clearly made it abundantly clear that among other things, the financial recklessness of certain flamboyant fund managers was the reason for his actions. It was also on the premise of the gross misconducts and poor Corporate Governance in the Banking Industry that he, SLS, thoughtfully entrenched a policy that ensures no Managing Director dominates over a delicate constituent of the economy eternally. The timeless lordship over banks by its MD/CEOs is a major reason for the downward thrust on Corporate Governance.

Would it be out of place for a Central Bank Governor to address and mitigate rots in the system he regulates? I guess not! Let us not forget that for every time a bank is allowed to fail for any reason, especially in a country like ours, depositors suffer the most. The mass of peasants and middle-class citizens are the focus of Sanusi’s philosophy of “Sustained Banking principles and practises”

Since this fiasco started, I have listened and read, till this moment, ALL available interviews he, Sanusi, had granted. Contrary to some opinions that he is banking on the support of the people in his fight against the government, he portrays to me a man of rare courage and mettle, who would rely on no one to except his conscience, in his battles. He is ready to sacrifice everything including his life. He also did not sound like he was unaware of the possible backlashes. Needless to remind the public that Sanusi was an active member of the defunct National Democratic Coalition (NADECO). Battles likes this are not rare events for a combatant.

Nigerians, and generally human beings, are very difficult to please. Imagine what the populace would have said had Sanusi known and kept quiet about the misdemeanors and the gargantuan racketeering in the Oil Industry. Would it be appropriate to postulate therefore that, we have devolved and become inherently resentful of patriots for their unusual attributes of courage, bravery, intelligence, commitment and sacrifice; partly, due to our seclusion from people of such great nature and largely, to our daily condemnable sybaritic romance with corrupt public officers and politicians?

While it is true that Jonathan might have made some superstar martyr out of the Mallam, I do not think Sanusi acted in the ways and manners he did to attract public commendations and praises. The events that occurred were, by themselves, breaking news. Impunity of such giant statures dwarfs previous accounts.  Rhetoric of his expressions suggests a man who attempts to forestall clairvoyant calamities by instituting ethical precedence. He said he would seek justice in a competent law court to forestall recurrence of this fascist-like tendency of a president.

Of orchids, SLS had his abundant share long before this controversy broke out. If the hat-trick of his recognition as the global Central Bank Governor of the year for 3 successive years and the conferment of a National Award, Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), by GEJ do not count, his place in the economic history of Nigeria as a reformist, who radically opposed public impunity and whose deft maneuvering saved the masses from financial/economic carnage led by banks’ chiefs and politicians as slaughterers would surely earn and guarantee him an orchid plantation.

In the face of the debauching allegation by Sanusi-led CBN against Diezani’s NNPC, I least expected that the Federal Government, the parent body to whom both agencies report to would pitch its tent with one against the other. As a responsible and respectable umpire, it was supposed to take a backseat until the issues are resolved; especially with the initiative and leading interest of National Assembly to unravel the mystery that saps our federation monies.

Taking Sanusi out of the ring against Diezani, is rhetorically tantamount to fastidious efforts by the Presidency to cover the tracks that requited to it, stolen portion of our commonwealth. Having read the “political” reports of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, there is nothing in the allegations raised against CBN and Sanusi that cannot be uncovered and thoroughly dealt it without suspending the Governor. Looking through this spectacle therefore, I do not see how SLS deserves the withered orchids of a biased umpire; even if its sentiments were to be in his favour.

If this fascism is allowed to pass, like Sanusi rightly pointed out, no Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria would henceforth discharge his duties and responsibilities as the Chief Financial Analyst of the Federation without fears of being vilified and obnoxiously persecuted by passing and corrupt politicians.

Let’s not lose focus of the main issue: Diezani, where is our $20 Billion Oil proceed?

-          Aare Ago | @aareago  | aareago@gmail.com

"Nitwitted" Evidences: Of Sanusi/Yaro Sex Scandal

There used to be an "era" in this country when Journalism was Altruism. It was bold and purely truthful. It was the career for many brave and patriotic citizens, who were resolute in the defense of not just Nigeria, but also of every national whose image had been presented under the searchlight of public opinions. Irrespective of the persona of the histrions, the truth (and nothing but the truth) formed the crux of every news item that was ever served to the public. What mattered was the story. Not the hits. Not the money. Not even the showered accolades by the public. As luring as it was to present hit stories, writers were brave to either walk away from debauching pieces or stick to the end to unravel the truth. Many techniques, such as deductive reasoning where validity and soundness of argument parts are important, were used but not the obnubilation of events by media practitioners that is arrantly prevalent today.

Aside a name, the conscience of an author as well as the Syndicate are put on the line in this deadly discharge of public service. The humongous mountain of sound moral integrity built through laborious toils of many years could altogether be blown away in a trice by a turn of backlashes from criticism, counter expositions and even litigations. The Midas touch of elegant writing, intelligent analysis, insightful details that literally placed readers in scenes, evidences and facts used to drip from proses of renowned journalists the caliber of late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the NewsWatch quartet of  Late Dele Giwa, Ray Ekpu, Dan Agbese and Yakubu Mohammad, “original” Reuben Abati to mention a few. Except for the latter, decency was a robe that could never be traded for anything; not even a Presidential appointment. If late Dele Giwa had compromised, he would probably had been on the presidential trail of the “Evil Genius” at the time with millions of dollars sitting quietly in his coffers courtesy one of the (arguably) most corrupt dictators Nigeria ever had.

Being an honourable man, Dele chose an honorable path. Neither enticement nor threats deterred him. He rose several heights above the standards set by many recent journalists. He was a man with a heart mix of steel and diamond: he was prepared for the difficult and unpleasant tasks of unveiling the truth through effulgent investigative reporting devoid of lies, blasphemy, vilifications, prevarications, slanders and profanity. He was a man of honour. And as far as Journalism is concerned in Nigeria today, he is an historic milestone. Dele died, yet he lives! The life of a promising young Nigerian was heinously terminated but the virtue of his existence continues to linger in history through the scribbling in our memories by his own blood. He was a man missed when truth had to be told.

The proliferation of the “blogsphere” by shoddy, canny, unrefined, condescending and uncultured self-styled columnists seeking either cheap popularity, money and/or both had also deepened the rot in the profession. Free and cheap online “resources” like the blogspot and wordpress provide easy and informal entrant into “mainstream” journalism. And with the commercialization of page hits, ills likes gossips, slanders, lies and false accusations without proofs or evidences have become the mainstays of online communities as they race to attract followership and advertorials. It is basically about money and this is especially made easy due to the “security by obscurity” of writers’ identities on the internet. Consequently, anyone with any cheap internet access via any device “qualifies” as a columnist either by his/her real names or some special parody accounts. Hence, it has become easier to lash out at people without concrete and verifiable evidences. 

Currently, news is agog by a twin online publication of PremiumTimes (PT) and SaharaReporters (SR) about an “alleged” illicit sexual escapade between the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamiso Sanusi (SLS) and a Senior Consultant on the NIRSAL Project in Bank, Dr Maryam Yaro. On Sunday June 2, 2013, public attention was drawn to the unethical activities and misconducts of Sanusi in a publication titled “Sanusi Lamido, his CBN mistress and their sweetheart escapades”. The rhetoric of the poorly researched piece, which at the time of writing this article had attracted 232 comments from the public, depicted that it was intended to ignite public annoyance and incite civil actions against the Governor and his “Mistress” who were grossly indicted.  

After reading through the publication many times over, I was stoic and unperturbed due to the incessancy of similar or more heinous crimes perpetrated by people of big social and political statures. I thought a “battle-royale” was in the offing. I was basically waiting for the little spark triggered by PT to degenerate into an inferno in a couple of hours; so big it would burn along and across many social borders: Ethnicity and Religion among others. 

While lounging and waiting, came another sensational publication against SLS; this time, on the almighty SR’s website. The headline was a punch below the belt - Nigeria’s Central Bank Governor, Sanusi, Unable To Shake Off Sex Scandal As More Evidence Surface. Prior to reading the post, I had formed sully and profane images and artifacts in my thoughts. “For a heavyweight e-zine like SR to step in, Sanusi is nailed”, I thought.  But this was not to be. SR goofed; just like PT. The narration in the article is yawns apart from the evidences.

Summarily, the twin reports of PT and SR had accused SLS of 2 major offences as follow:

1. That he, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, a public officer paid by the Federal Government on taxpayers’ money, also a married man, is wretchedly involved in an illicit sexual romance, also funded on taxpayers’ money, with another public officer, Dr Mariam Yaro in same institution (the CBN);
2. That he, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, circumvented and/or suppressed “due process” in the recruitment process that brought Dr. Mariam Yaro into the service of the apex Bank through the NIRSAL Project;

Of these two (2) issues above, the rebuttal submitted by the CBN through its Corporate Communications Director weakly exonerated SLS of the misgiving of the former while it did nothing at all and was utterly silent about the latter. That was not unexpected. The “assertion” by PT expressly quoted contents of the “culprits” communications via SMS. That, seemingly, is very tough to defend. But, on a second thought, unless a blotter obtained from and duly certified by the telecommunication operators is presented, PT accusations could be classified as “blackmails” intended to discredit one of the “best” public officers in recent times.

We know that “when you fight corruption, corruption fights you back vehemently”. So, how are we sure that one or more of the directors or sponsors of the tabloid and/or the news have not been previously and badly hit by “Tsunami Sanusi” that rocked and drowned some “corrupt” banks and their associates? The “Renaissance Group” did many of same in the eye of the storm using the Guardian Newspaper. But while I do not expressly state that this is the case, I do not rule out a possibility. This is just a food for thought and unless undeniable evidences are presented, it remains faux pas!

Of the evidences posted for public opinion by SR, they are the most thwarted exhibits I have read in recent times to nail a public officer. In fact, there are absolutely no links between the evidences provided in the articles and the double allegations of either an illicit sexual relationship between Mr. Sanusi and Mrs Yaro or the circumvention of “due processes” in the recruitment that got Mrs Yaro into NIRSAL/CBN by Mr Sanusi. Without the narrations on the webpages, given those documents alone, how could anyone deduce that the “culprits” are sweethearts? Pretend that you have not read the stories, and then try to concoct “love affair” between any pair amongst all the names you see in the documents. The closest you will probably get is an affectionate relationship between the Honourable Minister of State for Agriculture, Bukar Tijani and Dr Mariam Yaro; because of the way and manner the former wrote highly of the latter. This, except one operates at the same psychiatric frequencies as PT and SR.

Four documents, so far, had been published by SR, outside which I have added no other information. The documents are as follows:

1. Mrs Yaro’s Resume (with no date on it);
2. A letter, dated March 12, 2012, from Bukar Tijani to Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, recommending Mrs Yaro for the NIRSAL Project;
3. An internal memo, dated March 30, 2012, from NIRSAL’s office(CBN) to DG Corporate Services (CBN) praying that Mrs Yaro be hired. This memo, as depicted, got Sanusi’s approval on June 20, 2012; and
4. Finally, an appointment letter, dated July 12, 2012, to Dr. (Mrs.) Maryam Waisu Yaro, signed by the Director of Human Resources Department, Chizoba V. Mojekwu;

These documents obtained from SR, which also goes under another sensational headline – Documentation on Sanusi/Yaro Sex Scandal,- is absolute prevarication. They do not show at all that there is any scandal. This I have explained earlier.

Coming to the claims by PT and SR that Sanusi circumvented due process in hiring Mrs Yaro, I also figured out that there are a couple of assertions in the narration of both tabloids aimed at misguiding and inciting the public against Sanusi. First, it was stated in both debauching articles that the position to be filled by the “sweetheart mistress” was not advertised. While I cannot categorically refute this claim, it is important to draw the attention of the public to the fact that Mrs Yaro was on “Secondment” from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Central Bank of Nigeria for a period of 12-months during which the CBN, among other things, agreed to funding the cost of the transfer. 

See the below image:

and

If the sponsors and the authors of both articles would not be economical with the truth, then I hope I can ask them a question or two. What law, act or policy made it mandatory and compulsory to advertise a “Secondment” position? It is like saying a Professor in UNILAG is going on Sabbatical in UNIBEN and the position to be filled in Uniben has to be compulsorily advertised. What happened to head-hunting? Do Special Advisers’ positions to public officers get advertised? What PT and SR did was to play on the ignorance of the public by not, first, stating that Mrs Yaro was on Secondment to NIRSAL in CBN and, then, not educating the public on Secondment and its guidelines. For an investigative report, this depicts a deliberate attempt by PT, SR and their informants to cheaply discredit a diligent public servant.

Furthermore, I read on SR that “Ms. Yaro’s recruitment process took a matter of weeks, and she received her letter of offer in July 17, 2012…”. This is also a preemptive and presumptuous lie except in a context where a decade can also be expressed in a couple of weeks. From the available documents, right from Bukar Tijani’s recommendation of Mrs Yaro to the issuance of an appointment letter, the recruitment process took 17 weeks (4 months). If the narration in the NIRSAL’s memo to the DG Corporate Services is considered, from December 11, 2012 that a decision was taken, the recruitment process took 7 months (28 weeks). Considering that the recruitment is a “Secondment”, how long would PT and SR think the process should last for? A year or a decade? NIRSAL is not an organization that will chase and hold onto staff forever like most federal organizations. It is a special vehicle that would be decommissioned the moment the business case that set it up ceases to be valid. How long should any recruitment, therefore, take on this vehicle? SR really goofed!

About circumventing a recruitment process, none of these documents show that Mr Sanusi is guilty as alleged. As a matter of fact, the documents showed that he, Sanusi, followed the laid down rules as far as Secondment recruitments are concerned. Apart from the fact that the resume of Mrs Yaro shows that she is qualified for the NIRSAL project, a recommendation from a Minister of State is something most of these “blackmailers” will struggle all their lives to obtain.

Personally, I am of the opinion that both PT and SR, like every professional journalist, have the rights to give the general public a nudge every time a public officer of Sanusi’s caliber errs unethically. In fact, any immoral activity by Sanusi is not a private issue. It is a public issue. Same holds for GEJ and everyone in whose hands our commonwealth has been entrusted. However, it is entirely unacceptable and unprofessional to build up unfounded stories on tangential evidences. In craving for hits, followership and popularity, journalists and their syndicates should realize that it is also unethical to the profession they claim to extol to soil the image of an individual or a group of people without verifiable evidences. The money might be too enticing to reject, but, I guess, a sky-high reputation might be too calamitous to lose as well. Top managements of media outfits, therefore, need to ensure that aggrieved sponsors and frenzy authors do not trade the conscience of their ventures for personal gains. 

Of the commoving Sanusi/Yaro piece, while the public still await strong and irrefutable evidences to buttress your (PT and SR) narrations, so far, your evidences are “nitwitted” and therefore, hold no waters. No wonder no civil group has been able to take any steps by them. Mr Akinbajo, acting Managing Editor at PT, might think “his job is done”, but it is important to know that it is almost impossible for Nigerians to demand accountability from Sanusi following a shoddy work such as this. We might be left with no option than to live with the Sanusi/Yaro situation if irrefutable evidences remain at large. At best, we will ignorantly continue to haul insults at innocent people for baseless allegations as you (PT and SR) continue to smile to the banks following our commercialized hits. I suppose, then, it is all about the money. No pride. No shame. No-brainer!

That God does not exist

Discussions about the existence of God are intriguing as much as they are confusing. With so many arguments to grapple with, this subject is surely not for feeble hearts. I encourage anyone who is not ready to objectively dwell on positions, especially those with discrepant and maybe “divinely” profane postulations, to abstain from this debauching dialogue between atheists and theists. Anyone who will not tolerate his/her “God” being bashed and subjected to various laboratory tests will never survive a round in this sempiternal bout without being libelled “confused” or “irrationally dogmatic”.

In antediluvian civilizations, YHWY was considered (and as it is today) to be the proper name of the God of Israel by Jews. This “all-consonant” word, according to them, is “His” and it was forbidden to either pronounce or write it wholly. They claim that whosoever utters this name in his own letters would have no share of the World to come. Although today, we know that the Tetragammaton is pronounced “Yahweh”, the vowels “a” and “e” do not exist in Hebrew alphabets however. For communication purposes, Jews chose to refer to the God of Israel by another less consequential name in prayers - “Adonai” (meaning My God). “HaShem” (The Name) was chosen to refer to Him in third-person expressions. 

Early German/English scholars found the opinions of the Jews difficult and, somewhat, extreme. They marvelled at the reason anyone would not be permitted to pronounce or write the name of God in full. And so, they decided to create a new name by which the same God of Israel would be referred to. This name would be pronounceable and writable without attracting blasphemous wrath of the Jewish beliefs. Yet, it would carry the same weight as the Jewish ineffable God’s name. The word “Jehovah” was created and ascribed the same meaning as “Yahweh” – “I am that I am”.

“Jehovah” is a composite cognomen resulting from the transposition of the vowels in “Adonai” (My God) to the Tetragammaton. “Y” changed to “J”, and “W” changed to “V”. This is the name that has been adopted by the Jehovah Witness and used by many other Christians as the true name of the only true God. Regrettably, this name is concocted by man and therefore, cannot be assumed to wholly define “Him”; although it is the name that majority have agreed to call Him by – Jehovah.

So what is the essence of this exposition?

First off, let me state that I am neither a theologian nor historian. In fact, from the cursory perusal of the topic above, it won’t take much to deduce that I am not. However, I cherish the aftermath revelations of exhuming “dead” stories. It is my notion that without yesterday, there won’t be today; and to fully appreciate what is today, sometimes we need to know yesterday’s contributions. This is the singular drive behind my fact finding mission into history. So far, though I have many questions unanswered, it is important that I share a few of my recent impressions.

Man has been in an endless search for Divinity. Many claim to find. Some others, who did not find, said it does not exist. A lot are unsure and confused. Those who claim to find have, thereafter, been engaged in arduous campaigns to spread the “Good News” that Divinity exists and purposeful for mankind. Amongst this sect (the theists), there are over a thousand models of Divinity. They also offered deities – some of them intercessors, some themselves divine. But the inability to produce common and empiric basis for their “discoveries” become cataclysmic to the course itself as many conflicting views about divinity have been tendered. Meanwhile, those who did not find, just laugh off the comedy; which leaves the confused worse in their instance. 

The first problem with atheism is its huge (though not total) reliance on the divinity propositions by theists, which are often skewed, inadequate, inappropriate, and biased. Apart from Darwinism, the harbinger of the concept of transmutation of species (otherwise called evolution), which itself has irreconcilable scientific missing links, atheism thrives upon incongruent definitions of god(s) by theists. Without prejudice and eliminating the farce of assumptions it puts forward, (constructive) atheism seems to me like an efficacious verification platform for the many purported models of gods. Although one does not begin to see the grotesque fallacies it accuses theism of until its specious arguments are also examined. Both suffer from drawing conclusions from undecided premises. They usually neglect the particulars that stupefy them and overly exaggerate the ones that exalt them.

But what does or will it take to be an atheist? Nothing; absolute nothingness! While I acknowledge that most of our finest researchers and inventors do not believe in divinity, far too much is required for their academic gymnastics than is required to disbelief in a “God-Figure”. When you consider the emotions and subservience of religionists towards their purported gods, most of which are unseen or worse off, unknown, atheism is a comfort zone and Ground Zero. After all are said and done, nothing exists. If expressed mathematically, all the efforts of all atheists, irrespective of approach, depth and methodology, amount to ZERO since they are exerted to prove NOTHINGNESS! No work done. Therefore, my attention shifts to the theists, who define God in and on their own terms.

God is good. God is wonderful. God is living. He creates all. Nothing created Him. He is the most powerful, the most merciful. He is the start of life and would be its end. Before, with and after Him, nothing compares. He is Everlasting. As He was yesterday, He is today, and so He will remain forever. Religious panegyrics of God are inexhaustible. Although religionists defer on some terms, the baseline assumptions of God across all sects remains intact: God is Supreme!

Every religion proclaims its model of God as superior to all of others whether they believe or not. If the substance of this statement is true, then Atheism is correct – there cannot, possibly, be a God. There cannot be a million and one true God(s). Even if we suggest that different gods have different responsibilities, the question of superiority would mean that some are inferior and thus, subservient to the bigger ones among which we must, again, sieve by superiority. Logically, if this system goes on iteratively, it would make sense to conclude that “If there is ever going to be a God, He must be an Absolute One”. Meaning that amongst the numerous models purported by religionists, only one can be Absolute Truth. The onerous question thence is “Which One”?

As stated earlier, names and attributes are the only elements opened to scientists to put God to test. It is my opinion that if “genuinely” constructive atheism is applied to the purported models of gods, one might be able to deduce the only true one. Most of our expectations of God are based on our perception of Him (and vice versa) rather than how He describes Himself. Irrespective of religion, if we look at the details of His revelations in the scriptures, it won’t be long to notice a God that is fierce in punishment and wrath. Oxymoronically, we would also find a torturously merciful God strengthening us through pains and tribulations. To think and believe that He couldn’t have used other ways are also tantamount to proposing a God limited in powers and options; a God who can’t and didn’t create everything!

And if God is limited in powers and options, cannot and did not create everything, will He still be God, the Supreme? This and many others are questions thrown at theists and religionists about the existence of God. Atheists really don’t have to prove anything. They lurk at the base of known knowledge to disprove your concept/model of God; not God Himself. Although our climacteric position will never ever change the verity of God’s existence or non-existence, it is imperative for theists and religionists to proffer answers to these daunting posers of atheists. 

Until germs were discovered and scientifically proven, there were ceaseless arguments, incertitude and fierce rejection of its existence.  In fact, Pierre Pachet, a Professor of Physiology at Toulouse made a public statement in 1872 (almost recently) that became renowned amongst the doubters of Louis Pasteur (the spotter of germs): 

“Louis Pasteur’s theory of germs is ridiculous fiction”

Regrettably, millions would die afterwards due to denial, disbelief and procrastination. If only the world knew “saint” Louis was right, it would have spent all it could to promote his “gospel”. That Louis Pasteur was deficient in expressing his discovery and would later be struck by paralysis changed nothing about the reality of germs. Early “preachers” like Girolamo Fracastoto, Agostino Bassi, and John Snow, all before Louis Pasteur, proposed the existence of microorganisms by which diseases spread, “atheists” like Pachet would still openly deny the “hypothesis” about 400 years after Girolamo without any proof.

While it is rationale to disbelief whatever lacks proof, it is essential to keep an open mind through the incredulity.   It is absolutely impossible for our mind to receive new facts when it is stone-hard and impermeable. Having stated this, glaring truths are difficult to refute. Hence, the burden of proof continues to rest on the theists and religionists to disarm the atheists; and this journey commences from proper attribution of qualities and names to Divinity. 

Attributes like “the Lion of Judah” suggest armorial bearings of genealogical roots. That God whose patriarch is the fourth son of another man, I believe, does not exist. God, if One and Only, would be of no caste, tribe or nationality. I have read also in the scriptures where tribulations, sickness, diseases and wars were used by God’s men to overcome following divine revelations. Yet, we prefer to describe Him only as “All Merciful” although he also describes Himself as the “Consuming Fire”. Fire is not pleasurable. In our hedonistic nature of iniquities, we love to think of Him wholly as “Forgiving” rather than the “One fierce in punishment”. For Zoroastrians who believe evil come only from “Angra Mainyu”, the poser is 

“How else are punishments meted out to transgressors that would not be evil, if in strict sense, evil means anything torturous and unpleasant to our nature”?

If God punishes, then (good?) evil emanates from Him. These are some of the valid analogies drawn by (constructive) atheists to evaluate our models of God. In the end, it is all based on our  personal (mis)understanding of who/what God is. On personal account, I believe God exists. I believe that:

“He is the Absolute One and Only. The eternally Besought of All. He begetteth not, nor is he begotten. And there is none comparable to Him”. 

That God, from whom no evil emanates at all, I believe, does not exist. He created ALL including Satan, his armies and permitted their evils. Alternatively, He had the choice of either never creating us or making us all saints after creation. Alas! He had other plans for us that are strenuous than the tranquility of Eden.  This is the position I hold today. With new facts, this might change. If it does, I will write about it.

Foot note:

If there is Divinity, “there” (in the irresolvable place and state) He is. Likewise if there exists none, then what else could be said? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It is therefore safe to conclude that the non-belief in “God-System”, when it actually exists, has more damning consequences than a belief in God-System, when actually none exist. This is one of the numerous baits for me to want to accede to the existence of a God-System. In doing so, however, I will stick to that God, whose attributes and definitions make the most logical sense.