“Until You Pay  Debt To God, You Will Not Get What You Want” – Archbishop To Ndigbo

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Until Ndigbo reflect, become sober, and seek the face of God, their serial marginalization in the political, and economic equation of the country will persist.

According to a retired Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace, the Most Rev, Amos Madu, the Igbo race is indebted to God, and without paying the debt ,its joy, happiness and sense of dignity will never be restored.

He spoke at a solemn Convocation organized by the  “Igwebuike Alaigbo” a Think Tank group at the weekend in Aba.

Speaking at the event which attracted many religious business political and traditional leaders from across the South East geo-political zone, Archbishop Madu, who delivered the keynote address insisted that tye problems of Ndigbo are rooted more in spirit than politics or any other perceived variables.

Most of the problems, ranging from marginalization, hatred by other components of the Nigerian project, and non recognition according to him are all direct consequences of the ingratitude displayed towards God by the Igbo who, against all evil plans, preserved them throughout the grueling Nigeria bloody civil war.

Speaking further at the solemn assembly which held at the Aba Town Hall the Headquarters of the Aba South Council, retired Archbishop Madu maintained that the travails of the Igbo race will come to end the very moment they rediscover themselves and make peace with God.

“The Bible says that we shall know the truth and the truth shall set us free. Whenever a man is sick, the first thing he does is  for diagnosis.

“It is only when the problems are diagnosed  that the doctor will prescribe drugs and the sick person will be well .

“There is time for everything. The time for war is gone. We now have a different time for peace. God has shown us what our problems are and we have to face the truth. The major part of the problems is our neglect of and ingratitude to God” Madu  stated.

He said that the Igbo displayed the highest act of ingratitude by pushing God to the background after graciously saving them from extinction during the civil war.

“On January 15, 1970, God remembered Ndigbo who were dying in large numbers during the war. Parents were crying on to God to bring the war to an end as they were watching their children die of kwashiorkor.

“The Children were crying, asking for God’s intervention. The cries were much.

“Nobody then was thinking about how to build factories, hotels, skyscrapers,and all that. We were only begging God to end the war.

“We ate things that were not initially part of our food as a people. After the cries, on January 15,1970, God ended the war.

“Take note, and let no body deceive you. It was not the Igbos that ended the war, and it was equally not Nigeria that ended the war and it was not any foreign power either.

“I tell my children today that it was God Almighty in his infinite mercy that heard our cries and ended the war just to preserve us.

“I plead with you to realize that God remembered us just as he remembered Hannah, Israelites and Noah”

Regrettably ,he noted that the problems of the people began as soon they placed material things above their respect for God.

“However, our problems started with our ingratitude. Igbo began to chase money and general wealth to endure they replaced what they had lost during the war.

Desire to meet up with material things of the world, made us forget what God did for us on January 15,1970” the Archbishop noted.

According to him,for the Igbo, to stand and be counted again in Nigeria, they must do the needful, by way of setting aside a special day of reconciliation with, and thanksgiving to God.

He insisted that Ndigbo, as a matter urgency need to make peace with God, and appreciate Him for not allowing them to be annihilated during the civil war.

“I tell you today that the Igbo are owing God. Hear me today. Ndigbo are heavily indebted to God, and we must pay that debt or we will never get what we want as a people.

“Yes individually, our people getting well educated, making money and acquiring wealth ,as well as making impacts in different walks of life owing to the grace of God.  But collectively, we are no where in Nigeria.

“Go to major cities across the globe ,you will see our wealth everywhere . But look at Nigeria of today, Igbo are not counted as anything.

:What is our crime ? What have we done to warrant being treated like nothing today despite all our efforts to make Nigeria better .

“The answer is that we have forgotten God and we are facing the consequences of ignoring God,” Archbishop Madu stated.