Fides Media Living the Faith
By Pat Amobi Chukwuma
An egg is an oval roundish object laid by female birds, reptiles, fish and the invertebrates, which contains a developing embryo. The eggs of birds are enclosed in a chalky shell while those of reptiles are in leathery membrane. As far as fowls are concerned, it is the hen that lays eggs. Eggs are potential offsprings of the fowl family. They also serve as source of protein to human beings. In other words, eggs are for reproduction and for protein. The vulture said that he is happy over his wife’s pregnancy. If she gives birth successfully, he will be happy to have an offspring. But if she gives birth to a still baby, he will enjoy it as meat. Likewise, the egg serves two purposes: offspring and nutritious food.
The egg is very delicious and appetizing. When we were little children, our parents told us that children do not eat eggs because they will develop long-throat, which would lead them to stealing. Thus, when the adults were eating eggs in those days, we looked sorrowfully at them and salivated. Often we picked up the tiny pieces that fell on the ground and ate. It was when I was of age that my parents started giving me just an iota of egg while they ate the whole. The deliciousness often made me to nearly eat the shells. Also it made me to salivate whenever I saw a boiled egg. The white membrane enclosing the egg-yolk is delicious. The egg-yolk itself is super delicious. Egg can be eaten raw or boiled. The raw one does not give wonderful taste, but it is more medicinal. The boiled one is an assemblage of deliciousness. A person who consumes an egg has indirectly eaten a whole chicken. Is this assertion true or false? Give reasons to substantiate your answer. Scholarship to Heaven awaits the best answer.
The egg is very delicate too. If it falls on the ground, especially on hard surfaces, it breaks into pieces. A broken boiled egg can still be picked up and eaten systematically. On the other hand, when a raw egg falls on hard surfaces, it becomes useless. There is no remedy to broken raw egg. Eggs, whether raw or boiled, must be handled with utmost carefulness to avoid irreparable damage.
In human reproduction, women release eggs known as ova from their ovary monthly. The eggs are transported naturally to the fallopian tube. The male semen known as sperm fertilizes one egg or more during sexual intercourse. When the eggs are not fertilized, they die off and are exported outside the woman’s body during menstruation. Women do not lay eggs like birds. Instead, they become pregnant for a period of nine months after the fertilization, whereby the fetus develops stage by stage. When it is fully developed, the woman gives birth. A woman’s pregnancy does deter her from carrying out the house chores and cooking for the husband. But if the woman lays eggs and incubates them like the fowl, the husband may be overburdened in doing everything in the house alone. He will also not experience the companionship of his wife because she would be incubating her egg(s) most of the time. God is wise by exempting women from laying eggs like the hen. The human egg would have been bigger than a giant water melon. The egg of twins, triplets, quadruplets, etc would have been as big as a dome. It would also have been very delicate and risky to lay and protect.
Where am I going? Human life is more delicious than egg. The deliciousness lies in the fact that we were created in the image and likeness of God. Secondly, the life of brutes ends at death. But human life is transitory. We die like all living things. However, we pass from the state of mortality to the state of immortality. Being immortal is more than deliciousness. Beholding the Beatific Vision in Heaven is double deliciousness.
Human life is also delicate. It must be handled reasonably from infancy to adulthood; from birth to death. Instinct guides animals while reason guides humans. Every human person is made of body and soul. The body is material while the soul is spiritual. We need materials that help the body remain sound. The soul needs spiritual nourishment to help it attain eternal reunion with the Creator. We nourish the body by eating balanced diet, doing physical exercises and having enough rest. On the other hand, we nourish the soul by praying and living good life. Sin harms the soul just like poison harms the body. Jesus Christ warns: “What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his soul?” (Luke 9:25). We are in the world but not of the world. Hence St Augustine asserts that we are dual citizens – citizens of the earth and citizens of Heaven. The type of life we live in this world determines if we shall become citizens of heaven or citizens of hell. When someone is sick, he or she goes to hospital for diagnoses and treatment. If the patient recovers, he becomes happy. He is unhappy if the sickness persists. As future citizens of heaven, we ought to lead good lives and repent when we fall into sin. No sinner is internally happy. Sin is digression from grace to iniquity.
Creation has come to an end. Procreation is on-going. Marriage is the union between man and woman. In other words it is a covenant relationship. It is love that brings a man and woman together. The love must not be conditional. Each of the two parties must enter the marriage with good intention and free consent. Diriment impediments are those factors that render marriage invalid, such as consanguinity, deceit, lack of consent, previous bond, force, impotence, crime, etc. Marriage is a life-long contract. Since marriage is for better and for worse, the lovely union of husband and wife is delicious as well as bitter.
Marriage is also delicate because if it is not handled with care, it breaks down. Today we have many broken marriages. Most men and women nowadays prepare for wedding and not for marriage. That’s why they crash sooner or later like broken raw eggs. Often, animals are wiser than human beings. The frog says that husbands are very scarce. That’s why she carries her own on her back always. Someone else says that marriage has no definite formula like Mathematics. Therefore, happy marriages or sad marriages depend on how the couple involved handles it. If you come across a lovely and peaceful couple, then you experience the deliciousness of marriage. But if you see an unhappy and wicked couple, you better remain single. I saw an inscription somewhere which says, “Marriage is delicate. Therefore marry with care and love.” A marriage of convenience is useless.
God blessed our country Nigeria with abundant human and natural resources to make us enjoy deliciousness. But our problem is bad leadership. Hence the country is very volatile and delicate as of now. She is gradually disintegrating for selfish reasons. We are more divided now than before. The various tribes of people living within the River Niger area were amalgamated in 1914 by Lord Lugard and called Nigeria. It was done for the economic benefit of the British Colonial Masters. Nigeria is made of about 250 ethnic groups and languages. The three major languages include Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba. We inherited English Language from the tongues of the British who spoke through the nose. After the inheritance we now speak through the mouth, often with local ascents. Please pronounce ‘umbrella’ before proceeding so that I can determine your tribal ascent.
On 1st October 1960 when I was still in the World of Ideas and in God’s mind, Nigeria got her Independence. In 1963, we became a Republic and got a Constitution with real Federal Character and Autonomy of the component Regions. That Ideal Constitution was abrogated in 1966 when the Military seized power. Then the unfortunate genocide called Nigeria – Biafra Civil War broke out, which ended on January 15, 1970. It was verbally said that there was no victor and no vanquished. We disagreed to agree to forge ahead as One Nigeria. The love of God and love of one another ought to bind us as a Nation. It has not been disputed that Nigeria is the most populous black nation in the world. Equity and justice bring peace. When injustice sets in, things begin to fall apart and the centre will no longer hold.
Today, Nigeria is sitting on a keg of gunpowder which can explode if care is not taken. She is like a raw egg about to fall into pieces. If the Federal Government has a listening ear, let her implement the decisions made in 2014 National Conference by the generality of Nigerians as a way forward. To ignore the CONFAB decisions is to take the country backwards. Likewise, ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo has just written an open letter to President Buhari on the state of the Nation and insecurity. The baby and the bath water should not be thrown away. Even if Obasanjo’s face is ugly, his pieces of advice should be taken into consideration. Actions speak louder than words. President Buhari should act wisely with dispatch before Nigeria breaks into pieces like a raw egg.
The 2019 Presidential Election result is being contested in the Election Tribunal. Will justice prevail at last? If not, what happens? Are the three Arms of Government (Executive, Legislature and Judiciary) truly independent? Does the Executive usurp the powers of the other two Arms? Some Nigerians are of the view that the leadership of the present 9th National Assembly seems to be a rubber stamp of the President. Without Checks and Balances among the three Arms of Government, we are heading to ruin. Also, the Rule of Law is in shambles by the disobedience of Court Orders by the powers-that-be. Some notable Nigerians are languishing in custody despite the granting of bails by competent courts of jurisdiction. It is regrettable that some magistrates and judges are bought over. Therefore they pronounce false and unjust judgments.
Blood is flowing so much in this country for some years now. Human life has been disvalued. The life of cattle is now more valuable than the life of Nigerians. People are being sacrificed at the altar of cows. Indeed, God is angry with Nigeria and her leaders. No wonder the Super Eagles crashed out at the 2019 semi-final football match of African Cup of Nations in Egypt. Nepotism has been enthroned very high in the present federal administration. Appointments are no longer considered on merit. The Federal Character has been unjustifiably jettisoned. The suspended RUGA settlement is still raising a lot of dust nationwide. The Sambisa forest is large enough to settle the Fulani herders and their cattle. Let’s give peace a chance to reign in this country. Instead of patronizing the herders and consuming beef with high cholesterol and then die by their bullets, is it not better to abstain from beef and live?