The Messenger Must Never Become the Message: A Historical Reflection for Today’s Vigilance

THE MESSENGER MUST NEVER BECOME THE MESSAGE: A HISTORICAL REFLECTION FOR TODAY’S VIGILANCE



History has a cruel pattern: the moment a messenger becomes the message; the cause is lost. The revolutionary is no longer a voice for the oppressed but a hollow idol—worshipped by ignorant foreigners, manipulated by cunning elites, and abandoned by the very people they were sent to liberate. From Jesus Christ to Nelson Mandela, we see the same tragedy: the messenger, once feared by the powerful, is rebranded into a harmless symbol, stripped of his true mission, and used to perpetuate the very oppression he fought against. The people get a hero to admire, while the system remains untouched.

From Jesus (rejected by the Jews but adored by the Romans, who crucified him) to Mandela (abandoned by his cause, turned into a global mascot for "peace" without justice), the pattern is clear.


Jesus began his ministry with a clear mission. He declared:

"I am not sent but ONLY unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Matthew 15:24, KJV)

This statement reflected his prophetic calling—to restore the covenant between God and the Jewish people. His teachings in synagogues, his healing of the sick, and his challenges to religious elites aligned with the expectations of a Jewish prophet. His mission was well-defined.

But as his influence grew, the focus shifted from his message to his person. In Luke 4:16-23, Jesus stood in the synagogue, read from Isaiah, and declared:

"Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

The Jews, recognising the gravity of his claim (fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy), questioned:

"Isn’t this Joseph’s son?"

At first, they believed—because his words came from a trusted prophet. But as his ministry expanded, his claims grew bolder, alienating the very people he was sent to save.

In John 14:6, he declared:

"I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

This was no longer just prophetic—it positioned him as the only path to God, a direct challenge to Jewish monotheism. The result? Rejection.

As John 1:11 records:

"He came unto his own, and his own received him not."

The Jews rejected Jesus not only because of their disbelief but also due to their inability to accept such an audacious claim from someone they considered ordinary.

Today, Jesus is worshipped globally, except by the Jews he was sent to. While a small minority (Messianic Jews) accept him, most reject his deification because the message got lost in the messenger.

Nelson Mandela: From Revolutionary to Symbol of Compromise

Mandela's journey follows a similar path. He spent 27 years in prison fighting apartheid but emerged not as a militant liberator but as a symbol of reconciliation, manipulated to maintain the status quo.

South African activist Andile Mngxitama noted:

"People celebrate the Nelson Mandela who went to prison, not the one who came out."

Upon his release in 1990, the struggle shifted from justice, land redistribution, and dismantling white economic dominance to focus on Mandela himself. Pressured to distance himself from Winnie Mandela, portrayed as "unruly" to undermine the ANC's radical vision, Mandela complied, moving from Robben Island to the homes of his former oppressors.

The media hailed him as a symbol of "peaceful coexistence", overshadowing the unmet promises of the struggle. Consequently, South Africa remains one of the world's most unequal societies, where people have a symbol of freedom but lack real justice.

As more South Africans realize this reality, Mandela's supporters diminish. If he had remained resolute, there might not be a need for someone like Julius Malema today.

Conclusion: The Danger of Idolizing the Messenger

When the messenger overshadows the message, movements are co-opted.

• · Jesus' teachings were watered down into a religion serving an empire.

• · Mandela's revolution was simplified into a heartwarming tale of reconciliation devoid of justice.

True liberation demands vigilance against idolizing individuals and distorting movements into cults of personality. Elevating the messenger above the message jeopardizes the cause, with history demonstrating that it is always the people who bear the consequences.



~MAZI OGBUEFI ©2025~

The Misplaced Priorities of Igbo Elites: Ego Over Progress

 The Igbo community, often celebrated for its entrepreneurial spirit and resilience, is once again shooting itself in the foot with a display of shortsightedness that borders on absurdity. While the world moves toward innovation and economic transformation, some of our so-called leaders, are busy chasing vanity projects that stroke egos rather than uplift our people. The recent controversy surrounding his alleged plan to build a 50-acre “Igbo Village” in Old Ningo, Ghana, is a glaring example of this misguided obsession with personal glory over collective progress. Meanwhile, the Chinese business community has quietly acquired 125

acres in Adenta, Ghana, to build a one-stop industrial and market area with a tech hub—a move that screams strategic vision while our own “big men” play in the sandbox of self-aggrandizement.

Let’s be clear: the idea of an “Igbo Village” reeks of a lone-wolf mentality that prioritizes cultural showboating over economic empowerment. Mazi Ihenetu, crowned in 2012 as the symbolic leader of Igbos in Ghana, has defended this project as a way to preserve Igbo heritage, complete with a palace, a 2,000-seater auditorium, and streets named after Igbo icons. Sounds noble, doesn’t it? But dig deeper, and it’s a hollow gesture—a shrine to ego disguised as cultural pride. 

While the “Eze” insists his role is ceremonial and unifying, the backlash from Ghanaians, who see it as a foreign intrusion on their chieftaincy system, exposes the disconnect. 

Contrast this with the Chinese, who aren’t wasting time building cultural monuments in foreign lands. Their 125-acre acquisition in Adenta is a masterstroke of economic foresight. This isn’t about erecting statues or naming streets after ancestors; it’s about creating a hub for industry, trade, and technology that will generate jobs, foster innovation, and integrate Ghana into global value chains. The Chinese understand what many of our Igbo elites don’t: real power lies in economic infrastructure, not in parading titles or building villages that serve as little more than photo ops for the wealthy.

This isn’t just about Eze Ihenetu. It’s a symptom of a broader disease among Igbo elites—a braggadocio culture that values flash over substance. We see it in Nigeria, where rich Igbos pour billions into lavish village mansions that stand empty most of the year, and Hotels to aid their illicit activities, while our markets, schools, and industries crumble. 

The same mindset drives the Eze’s vision: a 50-acre monument to Igbo pride in Ghana, while Igboland itself bleeds from neglect, insecurity, and lack of investment. 

Why build a village in exile when our homeland desperately needs factories, tech hubs, and infrastructure? 

Why channel resources into projects that glorify individuals when we could be creating opportunities for the masses?

The Igbo spirit of independence, often our greatest asset, becomes our Achilles’ heel when it morphs into this selfish, lone-wolf mentality. We’re so busy proving we’re “better” than others that we forget to collaborate for the greater good. 

The Chinese in Adenta aren’t just building a tech hub; they’re building a legacy of economic dominance. Meanwhile, our elites are stuck in a cycle of one-upmanship, where the size of your palace or the grandeur of your title matters more than the number of jobs you create or lives you transform.

It’s time for a reality check. If we, as Igbos, want to compete in a globalized world, we must shed this obsession with ego-driven projects. Let’s take a page from the Chinese playbook: invest in systems that empower communities, not individuals. Let’s build factories, not palaces; tech hubs, not auditoriums. Eze Ihenetu and his ilk need to wake up. The world isn’t clapping for our cultural displays—it’s moving forward while we’re busy stroking our egos in villages that lead nowhere.

~MAZI OGBUEFI ©2025~