THIS CURSE NOW PLAYS IN OUR TIME..
Introduction;
A sour grape tastes bitter and causes a harsh, tingling sensation (“set on edge”).
The proverb narrated the previous generation (the fathers) sinned—or tasted the “sour grapes”—but the subsequent generation (the children) is the one suffering the painful consequences.
2, Biblical background ;
Jeremiah 31;29
Ezekiel 18;20
During the Babylonian exile, the Israelites felt they were being unjustly punished for the idolatry and sins of their ancestors.
By using this proverb, the exiles were doing three things:
A, Exonerating themselves: They claimed they were innocent victims rather than participants in sin.
B, Dodging responsibility: They avoided repenting for their own current actions.
C, Questioning God’s justice: They complained that God was being unfair by punishing the innocent children for the guilty parents.
3, Intervention by the Prophets;
Ezekiel 18;20
Through the prophets, God firmly rejects this proverb and corrects their theology.
In Ezekiel 18:20, God declares: “The one who sins is the one who will die”
A righteous child will not be held guilty for a wicked parent, and a wicked child will not be saved by a righteous parent.
In Jeremiah 31:30, God promises an era where this proverb will cease. Instead of a national or corporate standing, God establishes a direct, individual relationship with every believer.
4, THE CASE OF NIGERIA FATHERS PUTTING THE CHILDREN TEETH ON EDGE
The political situation of Nigeria has been that of reckless executive corruption, leadership irresponsibility, abandonment, economic decline and structural decay since the first Republic 1963, worsened by the military take-over in 1966.
The military dictatorship in Nigeria was a period when members of the Nigerian Armed Forces held power in Nigeria from 1966 to 1999 with an interregnum from 1979 to 1983 of the Shagari regime.
Through all these periods, a high level of corruption was permitted both in military and Shagari administration on the premise which the 1999 constitution is in force till date.
The 1999 Nigerian military fashioned constitution still in place is uncivilized, corrupt and not democratically legitimate.
Enacted into law as Decree No. 24 on May 5, 1999, by the outgoing military government of General Abdulsalami Abubakar. Because it was promulgated by a military decree rather than a public referendum, it remains a subject of ongoing debate and calls for constitutional restructuring.
The Constitution faces widespread criticism and structural challenges. Other major issues include an over-centralized, exclusive legislative list, non-justifiable socio-economic rights, and ambiguous powers regarding local government autonomy and state policing.
The Presidential system of government is one of the most expensive and corrupt in the world and too costly for a struggling democracy like Nigeria to thrive.
The constitution made billionaires of only the players, widening the social gap to the extreme and completely eliminating the middle class amidst government instability.
The rich are getting richer and the poor are becoming poorer.
Leaders and their families and friends benefitted immensely from the misdemeanor of an individual by virtue of political office as House member receiving billions of naira monthly as constituency allowances. This, in the midst of large numbers of unemployed graduates, living from hand to mouth, and many adults in penury.
Some unemployed youths are unable to access loans for their dwindling businesses due to uncertain policy measures while three square meals become luxuries to many homes as many youths take to crimes, others visit religious centers for prayers and miracles when they should be productive for better future.
This trends collapse the needed values for industry and corrupt the integrity of our youths.
Lust for quick wealth has become a fashion that turns many youths to internet fraudsters and others into ritualists, kidnappers, drug dealers and politicians agents to be used in fueling thuggery and banditry.
As our youths become disillusioned so also leaders take to various ways of more crimes like subsidy scams, diverting public assets to personal wealth through dubious privatization policies.
Unfortunately in recent times, terrorism increased in Nigeria to make situations worse in a way that hijacks the available peace and security of the citizens.
Among the worst hit nations by terrorism is Nigeria with so terrible rate that destroys tens of thousands while in the same vein, hundreds of thousands are regularly displaced from their homes.
Not so much has been achieved to tame this trend in an economy that has been badly looted with no foresight for security gadgets for the armies and the security agents.
Nigeria governments has sought solace in the American government’s intervention but that cannot be adequate with endless surging attacks of banditry and terrorists .
In recent times, citizens are unable to travel safely through the express roads in-between states to an extent there have been occasions many homes are ransacked and victims carried inside forests for ransom that cannot be met.
This development builds up unrest in many quarters with pockets of demonstrations springing tensions.
The worst in recent times are the plights of random kidnapping and massacre of young babies in their kindergarten and nursery schools in the forests while many children have been held down under the intense scorch of the sun, heavy rain and darkness unprotected, struggling with mosquitoes infestations, without food and water with poor health now growing pale and weak on daily basis.
The worst of this evil is to realize that group of Cabals are often behind using kidnappers to score political points.
The Nigerian fathers who ate sour grapes causing the children’s teeth to be set on edge. The Nigerian children in the forests are defenseless and hopeless victims and are being used as experimental pigs for partisan interests .This is evil!!!!
Nigerian children are dying and drying up to their death since three weeks and still counting with no vissible plan to rescue them.
The fathers have looted national budgets supposed to be used to procure arms and ammunitions, as our streets mourn, the children schools are forced to close down to identify with the Islamic terrorist Boko Haram ( Education is forbidden) agenda and more attacks of kidnapping are endlessly carried out.
What is going to be the fate of the suffering children whose lives are tickling to the end in minutes and what is the fate of many parents whose only hope for their future are the new generations dashing away at their sight?.. What is the hope of many teachers in the wilderness being held down under guns and machetes and the throats of their members slaughtered in their very eyes? What is the fate of free Nigerians whose livelihoods are premised on travelling through the highways of flowing tears and blood with high probability of becoming victims?
What is the hope of all of us going out and coming in to our homes where many are kidnapped right in front of their very homes as if there were no security arrangements but the police stations do not have vehicles and working tools?
It is actually not about a curse but about natural laws of sowing and harvesting. Sowing and harvesting seasons warrants that fathers sow good seeds that when it will be harvest, the children will have reasons to rejoice and not to cry .
Which way Nigeria?
The fathers ate sour grapes and are still eating the sour grapes to let the innocent children’s teeth continue to be at edge.
