“On Being A Good Shepherd!”

“On Being A Good Shepherd!”(Ez.34:1-10).
In the days of old some fathers with may sons used this simple way of determining their successor. In those good old days children ate from one dish; notwithstanding the number of children in the compound. During meals a father would ask one son to share the meat to his siblings.
Those who shared and took the first portion were ruled out as potential successors. Whoever shares something and insists on taking his share first is a greedy and selfcentred person. If made a successor such a person would want to horde family inheritance.
It beats my imagination that in African democracy people joyfully elect leaders who eventually take delight in molesting and mistreating the very people who voted them.
The person is right who said election is a time when people decide to vote the people who will molest and mistreat them.
Democracy has not worked in Africa and the old systems of governance have been distorted, such that every governance is turned into dictatorship.
In the past the kings sat in council. The reason why in the Nyonga kingdom (fondom) it was said that when the calling drum in the Fon’s palace sounds, it says, “The Fon has his people and the people have their Fon.”
Fons have become strangers to their Fondoms because of partisan politics. A Fon is not supposed to be too attached to any particular Ndakum because he belongs to all of them. So too he rises above partisan politics. He is the Father of all children. But partisan politics is about taking sides.
Fons may say it is good to join the winning team and get your fair share of the national cake. That may be the reason why a son of the North West region called the Fons “Royal Beggars!” God forbid! By the way, no condition is permanent; not even politics! To join the winning team may cause you to become a political flirt since a winning team today may be a losing team tomorrow! Except that we have been programmed not to change a winning team. Sad for the continent!
Leadership begins from the home. Parents play leading roles to their children and as the circle expands, so too the number of people one leads expands.
To groom children in leadership we have class prefects, school prefects, student presidents, etc.
It is unfortunate that those elected to lead quickly become rulers. Leaders are shepherds who lead. Leaders are pathfinders. Leaders as shepherds ensure the welfare and security of the people(sheep).
To say “good leaders lead from behind” is to advocate for servanthood leadership. Through the prohet Ezekiel God spoke bitterly against the shepherds who rather than taking care of the flock instead exploited the sheep to their own interest.
My friend, there is hope for the plundered sheep. There is consolation for those who suffocate under the heavy load placed on them by despots and dictators.
“Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock, therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:…I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.”
One day, in God’s good time, all those whose leadership style is to foment wars, divisions and dissensions all over the continent will be flushed out!
Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd and all who call on his name should shepherd as leaders and not rulers!
Prayer: Holy Spirit help me to be a leader shepherd and not a plunderer ruler. Amen!
Have a blessed day! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.