Dear Dr. Oby Ezekwesili,
I appreciate your recent invocation of scripture from 2 Chronicles 14:11 as a source of encouragement for Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. Indeed, the Word of God is timeless, and Asa’s earnest cry for divine intervention remains a powerful testament to faith in times of adversity.
However, I must inquire: are we interpreting the same Bible, or has a new edition surfaced—the Oby Standard Version (OSV)—in which certain uncomfortable truths have been conveniently omitted?
For instance, does your OSV include the Ninth Commandment, or has that passage mysteriously disappeared? “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour” (Exodus 20:16, KJV). Are we to believe that bearing false witness is acceptable if it garners sympathy from the media? As a maternal figure to Natasha, have you ever addressed the Reno Omokri incident with her, encouraging her with Proverbs 12:22 (KJV): “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight”? Have you guided her towards repentance, or are these verses absent from the OSV?
Does your OSV also omit 1 Corinthians 14:40, which states: “Let all things be done decently and in order”? Surely you recognize that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended not for her gender, but for her persistent disregard for the order and decorum of the Senate—refusing her assigned seat, interrupting proceedings unrecognized, and directing insults at the principal officers.
Furthermore, perhaps your OSV has also edited out Deuteronomy 19:15: “One witness is not enough to convict anyone… A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” Yet, we witnessed none—only drama, denial of due process, and defiance when asked to substantiate her allegations of sexual harassment.
Moreover, your version appears notably silent on idolatry. Does the OSV now condone the veneration of river deities, as evidenced by Natasha’s public homage at Osun River? Or has idol worship been sanctified in your narrative because it serves a convenient political agenda? Have you ever engaged her in a discussion on this matter?
Dr. Ezekwesili, you have long been no stranger to scripture—or so we believed. Yet, your recent selective interpretations of the Bible seem to reflect manipulation rather than ministry. Have you taken the time to impart truth to Natasha, or are you merely playing the role of a spiritual cheerleader in her descent into moral ambiguity?
You speak of conscience, yet a conscience unanchored from truth is merely ego cloaked in ecclesiastical garb.
Let us speak candidly. You once stood on a pedestal of public credibility. However, somewhere along your journey, your moral compass appears to have lost its true north. While contemporaries such as Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala navigate the global stage with purpose and poise, you have opted to become a town crier in a narrative that demands discernment.
The harsh reality is that Nigeria has moved on from Dr. Oby Ezekwesili. And you are acutely aware of this.
Your infamous “shut up!” outburst directed at a sitting senator was not an act of bravery; rather, it was an exhibition of brashness, and you are now reaping the consequences of your actions. The public’s indifference to your outrage serves as a stark reminder that relevance cannot be demanded; it must be earned and renewed through substance, not mere volume.
Now, you find yourself shouting into the void, grasping at moral causes in a bid to reclaim a lost spotlight. Yet, the tide of history does not pause for those who have failed to seize their moments.
You proclaim, “This injustice shall not be sustained.” However, the true injustice lies in weaponizing womanhood to shield indiscipline. It is the call for conscience while trampling upon the truth. It is the misidentification of noise as influence and bitterness as boldness.
If you must quote the Bible, do so in its entirety. If you are to champion justice, let it be comprehensive. And if you are to walk with God, traverse the entire path, not merely the segments that resonate with your personal grievances.
Respectfully,
A. John Ukpe
