“Deconstructing To Reconstruct!”

“Deconstructing To Reconstruct!”(Jer. 1:4-10).
Some years back Christian Cardinal Tumi of blessed memory convened a meeting of religious personalities in regards to the “Anglophone crisis.” (Ambazonia was not yet a catchphrase- even though Fon Gorji Dinka had intimated it years earlier). I was present and was the one who read the press release on the outcome of the meeting. Highlight was an envisaged Anglophone General Conference to be held in Buea. The envisaged meeting turned out to be “A revolution that never was!”(title of one of my childish books).
The AGC flopped because there was mixed reactions from both sides. The masses were enthusiastic about the AGC. On the side of some anglophones abroad, we were a bunch of griots put in place to sing the master’s praises; meanwhile on the side of government we were just a bunch of idle loafers seeking cheap popularity.
I recall that in a subsequent meeting where I was absent the decision was taken for me to take over from Dr Simon Munzu who was rapporteur as he was going back to his workplace. I turned down the offer and Mr Ellis Smith had the pirtfolio.
At the time there was a lot of pressure on me with threats from abroad, threats from within, but worst pleas from relatives who begged me on their lives to stay clear of the AGC. They needed me alive as their father, grandfather, greatgrandfather, etc! So I chickened out!
Our father Cardinal Tumi had all the good intentions, but it seems to me he was putting the cart before the horse. We were engaging in reconstruction when we had not yet completed deconstructing!
The call of prophet Jeremiah was a call to deconstruction and reconstruction. God told Jeremiah, “See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”
These few verses is God’s itenary for reconstruction. J.N.K. Mungambi, an African advocate of reconstruction theology argued that with the end of the cold war it was time for maybe world reconstruction. On his part, Villa Vincecio, a South African advocate of reconstruction theology argued that with the end of apartheid it was time to opt for a theology of reconstruction. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was probably one way of putting an end to deconstruction so that reconstruction could begin.
Just like Cardinal Tumi and the rest of us who welcomed the AGC, government came up with a Reconstruction plan. (Ironically few years after the Reconstruction decree, those who have felt the pinch of deconstruction are yet to know if there is any reconstruction going on). Both ways we were putting the cart before the horse! Reconstruction is not about structures and fixed assets. Reconstruction is about first deconstructing. That is, uprooting and tearing down, destroying and overthrowing all edifices of sin, oppression and suppression, injustices and corruption etc, and then building and planting anew! That was God’s charge to Jeremiah.
I live in ground Zero. From the day of our dream AGC, to when the Reconstruction plan was launched, deconstruction is still taking place. But hope is returning, so hope is rising if there is a genuine Negotiator.
The time for reconstruction is now! As it stands, the Church in this triangle are the ones to rise and lead in this reconstruction process.
Reconstruction takes place at three levels: individual, ecclesiastical and social. As individuals we must use God’s word to rebuild ourselves morally, ethically and spiritually. At the ecclesiastical level the Church must first put her house in order if she must be the conscience of society, the watchdog of society, the voice of the voiceless and the mouthpiece of the oppressed in society.
Of recent the scandals rocking the Church has caused her to lose her voice and she may not claim divine authority to decide on issues of conflicting interests within the society where she operates.
Lastly when the Church has removed the log on her eyes she can then be able to bring the people to a roundtable where supposed enemies can look each other in the eye and tell them what they expect.
It is also important to note that reconstruction like conflict resolution is about making concessions. To reconstruct we must be ready to shift from our positions – to our disadvantage!
Summarily, let us first tear down individual sins, pull down all the structures of sin that hold the masses in bondage for the benefit of a few. Let each one of us as individuals remove the log in our eyes before being concerned with the speck in our neighbours’ eyes!
Prayer: LORD put your words in my mouth so that I can speak for you without being afraid. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.