Brace for Impact

Remember the good old 'Our Daily Bread' devotional? The one for Sunday Jan 15 2012 made an impact (pardon the pun) on me.

I remember watching the news on CNN in 2009 about the 'near crash' of the US Airways Flight 1549, in which the entire 155 passengers and crew survived. A miracle indeed!

The plane had hit a flock of geese upon take off, causing both engines to disable. Just before the plane landed where it did, the pilot had announced to the passengers, and I am sure this is standard protocol in a crisis; 'brace for impact.'....get ready, do whatever you have to do, hold on to whatever/whomever, say your (possibly last) prayer...anything at all, just get ready!

It seem to me that the entire situation in Nigeria right now is much like the scenario of that US flight! The 'plane' taking us to our destination have hit (dare I say) a 'flock of geese,' crippling both engines and the pilot, who, unlike in the situation above, was put there through a deliberate process of election by the people,  seem unable to maneuver in order to land as safely as he possibly can.

This is day 6 of the strike protesting the (unceremonious and impromptu) removal of the oil subsidy, so much have come to light since then concerning the state of governance of our country; more, Nigerians have risen up as one man to protest this 'unilateral' decision by taking to the streets, everyone is expressing their views through every means. Unfortunately, the  pilot and his government have refused to be swayed. The news that hit Nigerians (as of this morning) is that this supposedly democratically elected 'pilot' has announced the pump price of fuel to be N97 going forward, he has also flooded the streets with armed soldiers, policemen and security agents to stall the protests...what picture does this singular action depict? That things are about to take a turn for the worse, because Nigerians (note I didn't say NLC) are bent on fighting to the finish.

But we have prayed! And still are! Our eyes are on God to save and deliver and take control. However, having said and done all that, I say to you, 'brace for impact' because we have no idea where and how this plane is going to land! More, as one of the passengers of the US Flight said, would we be given 'a second chance in life?' In order words, are we going to come off the plane to see the birth of a new (better) nation? Would we, like those survivors, have boats and ferries waiting to 'rescue' us when we finally land God-knows-where? Who knows? God does, but on our part, as we pray and take the necessary practical steps to make our voices heard, BRACE FOR IMPACT!

...And...be free oh.