THE 'PRAYER' THAT CALMED THE STORM
At a lecture that was organized by a group of lawyers (hereinafter referred to as "The Class") who had graduated from a University somewhere in West Africa 20 years earlier, the compere, a member of The Class, announced that the lecture would commence with the rendition of the National Anthem after which the opening prayer would be said.
A mild drama ensued almost immediately when another female member of The Class verbally objected and insisted that the lecture must commence with the opening prayer before the National Anthem or any other aspect of the programme. The mild drama soon degenerated to a shouting match as more members of The Class added their voice for and against the objection.
The once happy reunion atmosphere soon turned to a theatre of a very aggressive verbal war which did not only threaten the commencement of the proposed lecture but also potentially threatened the continuation of the series of events lined up to commemorate the graduation of The Class two decades earlier.
Several minutes later, the two individuals and their "camps" continued with their attempts to overwhelm each other with loud, desperate voices. While the compere insisted that as the compere, she has the mandate, power and right to determine and flow with the Order of Programme, the opposing camp demanded that the lecture must commence with an opening prayer.
It was a heated display of constitutional rights, human rights, activism and a strong will to win what had turned out to be a serious case.
Unfortunately, there was no official judge to overrule or sustain the objections; rule in favour of or against the opposing camps, neither was there a court clerk to shout and, perhaps, restore "order in court."
After a while, some members of the reunion planning committee who had earlier been divided along the lines of the argument decided to passionately appeal to the compere to allow the opening prayer to be said before the National Anthem for the sake of peace and the achievement of the purpose of the event which had been planned for about three years.
Peace won!
A Professor of Law, who represented the Dean of the University's Faculty of Law, was mandated to say the opening prayer. Everyone in the venue of the Lecture Theatre was apprehensive about the next potential time bomb - in whose name or religion will the prayer be said?
It was a nonverbal question in the minds of many of the participants as the Law Professor walked towards the podium for the opening prayer. Within seconds, the body language of some participants expressed the concerns in the minds of many who anticipated a more aggressive war if any of the two major religions which majority of the participants adhere to is presumed to be sidelined. Some even whispered their fears as the atmosphere was still very tense.
On getting to the podium, the middle-aged Professor of Law, who had quietly observed the aggressive altercations earlier on, appeared to read the minds of those in the heated atmosphere. As the microphone was handed to her, there was a sudden quiet in the Lecture Theatre such that you could hear the drop of a pin. It was as if the final verdict of a Presidential tribunal, an impeachment proceeding or that of a very sensitive referendum was about to be given.
After handling the microphone, the Law Professor announced that she would recite the second stanza of Nigeria's National Anthem as the opening prayer.
She went on, "O God of creation, direct our noble cause
Guide our leaders right
Help our youths the truth to know
In love and honesty to grow
And living just and true
Great lofty heights attain
To build a nation where peace and justice reign."
It was a display of wisdom, tact, sensitivity and knowledge of crisis prevention and management technique.
There was calm and relief in the atmosphere!
The second stanza of the Nigerian National Anthem has been noted for its religious neutrality as well as its capacity in uniting Nigeria in view of the sensitivity of religion and the age-long rivalry of religious way of praying at public events in the country.
Editor's Note: Rev. Edosa writes from Warri, Nigeria
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