Life is about choices

FUNKE ADETUTU

Few days back, I had a slight argument with someone who complained about being swindled by a scheme put in place by her office. She felt thoroughly cheated by the whole process, such that, she exclaimed: “It was sheer robbery. I can’t afford to pay that kind of money.” But she couldn’t help it, because she was already half way into it and as such, there was no going back! When I was therefore confronted by a piece in one of the dailies last week Sunday, I was amazed at the person’s level of reasoning and how quick, people are wont to jump to conclusion. The columnist made a satirical comment on the private jet allegedly said to belong to Pastor Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. It was really a biting satire, based on an argument between a member of the church and a non-member who felt the member was being “cheated by the many cheap lies” he has had to take hook line and sinker from the church hierarchy. To cut the long story short, the writer tried to lay the blame at the footstep of a church leader feeding fat on the sweat of his followers.But the problem I have with an article like this, especially one with so-much talk about “Pastor Adeboye’s private jet” is that nobody can be too sure that this highly respected man of God truly man bought the jet with other people’s personal money. Not just that, they are not even sure if he used the church’s fund to buy the jet. In fact, all the comments and talks about this jet are merely based on speculations and conjectures.No, please don’t get me wrong, I am not a worshipper at The Redeemed church, and I’m not trying to support a corrupt practice if anyone sees it as such, but let the truth and the whole truth be told without sentiments and emotions, but for the few of us who would not want to be mischievous, the fact remains that the pastor Adeboye we know is beyond the mundane way of life. There are still men of honour and dignity in this country, and Pastor Adeboye is certainly one of them! So, for anyone to think Adeboye used the church tithes and offering to buy the aircraft, is ridiculous and absurd. People need to do their investigations rightly before casting aspersions on other people’s reputation. We all can’t be thieves! And I beg to disagree that this country is no country of rogues!! Whatever the ignoble activities of a few unscrupulous Nigerians may have cost us.For me, what some people fail to understand is that paying tithe or offering is a choice. He or she can decide not to pay the money. In addition to that, nobody can really say if the aircraft was not purchased by the rich members of the church for the church’s missionary activities which span the whole world. For anyone to claim that Adeboye bought the jet for his private use with the church money is most unfair. This man by all standards, represent one of the best things to come from Nigeria. I’m still at a loss how a man reputed to be an embodiment of all that is humble, honorable, just and right would want to be dragged down like this. Cynics should learn to give the man a chance. At least, let the members come to declare that they never authorized the purchase of the aircraft or that the pastor embezzled their church’s fund to solely finance the purchase.The RCCG I know is made up of intelligent, resourceful and highly educated people. Recently, a member of Adeboye’s church told me that he had a change of heart concerning payment of his tithes and offering, on one of the occasions he was at the camp. It dawned on him that some people’s contributions to the church development must have provided the thousands of chairs and generally developed the hitherto “bush” along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway that is today known as the Redeemed Camp. This, for instance, is a personal decision he made, not one imposed.And like a writer once wrote, life is like a road. There are long and short roads; smooth and rocky roads; crooked and straight paths. In our lives, many roads would come our way as we journey through. There are roads that lead to a life of single blessedness, marriage, and religious vocation. There are also roads that lead to fame and fortune on one hand, or isolation and poverty on the other. There are roads to happiness or perdition, to victory and jubilation, and roads to defeat and disappointment.Just like any road, there are corners, detours, and crossroads. Perhaps the most perplexing road that anyone can encounter is a crossroad. With four roads to choose from, and with limited knowledge on where they lead to, I dare ask, which road would you take? What is the guarantee that we would choose the right one? Would you take any road, or just stay where you are: at the foot of a crossroad? There are no guarantees. Hence, every individual must learn to take responsibilities for their actions and mistakes, instead of blaming our misfortunes on others. It’s a food for though!