Between Rev. Patrick Edet, Governor Udom Emmanuel and the Mason

REV. PATRICK FALSELY ACCUSED UDOM OF BEING A CULTIST

 

By Osondu Ahirika

In a video that has gone viral, the Rev. Patrick Henry Edet of Grace Family has seemingly called out Governor Udom Emmanuel over alleged prevalence of members of Freemason in his administration.

Here is an abridgement if that sermon. Rev Edet stated: "With even a Christian Governor calling the name of God, many people have been initiated into Freemason than ever before, and nobody is talking about it. It no longer shooting of gun, its now shooting of souls...''

One cannot but infer the deep sacarsm and and mockery in Rev. Henry's choice of diction. Governor Emmanuel is haplessly harassed as the 'Whipping Boy' for people joining Freemason.

So if I decide to join Freemason or any other group howsoever, Governor Emmanuel should be held accountable.

He should be questioned for not detecting my decision and preventing me from joining the occult. We should all clap for Rev. Edet. Until now, I never knew a Governors job description includes stopping people from worshipping what they please.

You can't condemn vice when you never comnended virtue. Where was this audacious Rev. Patrick Henry's voice when Governor Udom Emmanuel outlawed 65 Secret Cults in Akwa Ibom State?

As early in his tenure on May 27, 2018, while delivering his speech to mark the Children's Day celebration, Governor Emmanuel pronounced as, Cursed, any politician, who henceforth, causes supporters, Party delegates, or the electorate, to swear to fetish oaths, known in Local parlance as, 'Mbiam', as a means of obtaining assurance of their bond to his political ambition.

On Friday, August 21, 2020.

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel administered Oath of Office to Hon. Nsikak John and Hon. Sunday Isokobo as Chairmen Eket and Ibeno Local Government Councils and inaugurated Members of Boards and Commissions.

As part of his remarks at the occasion, he tasked politicians to desist from fetish practices such as swearing to diabolical oath as precondition for political appointments or to secure endorsement to contest in election, arguing that such practices do not end well .

The warning was hardboiled and stern. Repeatedly, Governor Emmanuel dared aspirants and stakeholders that the party would disqualify anybody who gave, or swore to Mbiam for the election.

Here are his exact words:

“Akwa Ibom, please the era of Mbiam is gone. I stood here, I promised the stakeholders, once we hear even as a rumour (that you have made people to swear to fetish oath) we will disqualify you. It is governor’s election. You can take me to court that I have disqualified you because you swore an oath or gave someone oath to swear."

On March 16, 2020, Governor Emmanuel became the first and only Governor in Nigeria to prohibit cultism coming under the enabling Criminal Code Law Cap. 38, Laws of Akwa lbom State, 2000.

Accordingly, under the CULTISM AND OTHER VIOLENT BEHAVIOR (PROHIBITION) ORDER, Governor Emmanuel proscribed 65 cult groups and criminalised membership thereof. That courage and political will has never been acknowledged by Rev. Edet.

He has awoken the religious ethos of the State and revoked the propensity of our youths to hooligan traits and cultism.

He redirected their youthful energies and passion to God and the abhorrence for violence.

At the end of his full tenure, I wager that, Governor Emmanuel's greatest reform will be the overthrow of cultism as a hobby and the forbidding of 'Mbiam Politics'. The light of his principled politics will remain undimmed.

Why has Rev. Edet been mute without amplifying the relentless onslaught of Governor Emmanuel on the evil of Oath taking known in local parlance as Mbiam administration by the political class on vulnerable citizens?

The Governor has used every platform including the Church for his intense and immense advocacy against the two pronged evil the desecrates our political culture.

The Fathers of Faith have reinforced that campaign that no cultist will succeed Governor Emmanuel with the weight of their voice and moral authority of their calling. I want to hear Rev. Patrick Henry's take on these.

Rev. Edet cannot claim clairvoyance that he can ferret and sieve out members of his Ministry who got initiated or are members of one occult group or the other. Fact is they abound in every religious organisation or human community.

Should anyone harass Rev. Edet for such failing by any of his members? That would be an unkind judgement because he is not omniscient and therefore limited and powerless to prevent any of them who fancies in his heart to do so.

Besides, Rev. Edet should know better that Masonry for hundreds of years has existed as a religion on its own. The Constitution which Governor Emmanuel swore to uphold guarantees freedom of religion. Should the governor outlaw or criminalise their/religion?

As ministers of the Gospel we should and ought to speak truth to power. No! It should not however be with malice, prejudice, holier-than-thou grandstanding or playing to the gallery.

Rev. Edet should proffer solutions to help Governor Emmanuel successfully berth the war he has since waged on cultism and associated vices.

If by some psychic powers he knows and can identify those who are masons in Governor Emmanuel's administration he should relate same to him and advise him on how to checkmate them.

Above all, he should start this fumigation from within his organisation and ranks for i can swear not all there under his mentoring are saints.

Governor Emmanuel should however reflect on the theme of this message albeit presented in an inexpedient way and see how to fumigate his inner circle if need be.

Let's blame him for the things within his power which he can or ought to do but abdicates responsibility and spare him for things way beyond his purview of control. Membership of Freemason is far beyond his regulation.