Too White for the Black

Talk is cheap. Reason is costly because it walks a talk. Since Benedict XVI announced his intention to abdicate papacy and did follow it up with February 28, 2013, historic resignation, six centuries after a reigning pope last followed that step, The Dragnet, has not rested. Calls and text messages have not just been raining but pouring urging the column to say something on the issue. Knowingly or unknowingly, one wanted to indict me with his complex question: ‘Fr, ought a good shepherd to abandon his flock?’  To say yes, I have people to fear because they know a good shepherd does not abandon his flock. To say no, I would be condemning the papal decision. Papacy, I know, does not doublespeak. If Benedict XVI said he could no longer carry on due to age concerns, he didn’t mean otherwise. Any interpretation is inadequate and does not represent him.

My concern is not whether a good shepherd has a right to abandon his flock and still retain that noble title. It is rather text message presumed to have emanated from a PDP die-hard challenging me to join the cause for the election of a Black Pope. My response was rather advisory: ‘wise men do not mingle in affairs of gods since gods are wise and old enough to fight their wars’. Every Nigerian thinks politically. To be sure, Federal Character Commission is not in Vatican dictionary and papacy has no zoning arrangement. Right or wrong, my opinion is that I cannot be an umpire in a match I have called upon to officiate; fools rush where angels fear to tread.

In my inbox is a message that came after Pope Francis emerged as the new Supreme Pontiff. It has a disappointing tone. ‘This Vatican politics is always European. Why is it that none of the African cardinals were found worthy? Fr, you people should say something about this. We need a Black Pope.’ Do we need a Black or a good pope? By the way, why Black? Black has a negative connotation. I had expected him to say African Pope; but this too is laden with its own problems.

The quest for African pope is disgusting. We want to reduce everything to politics. But wishful thinking is worth entertaining sometimes. Before then let us bear in mind that only a Pharisee would rush to take the seat a German finds too hot to sit on. And if self-justification, intellectual snobbery and moral pride were the three qualities of a Pharisee, Africa has cause to worry.

Finding an African, a good leader and a pope in one existent is rare in a world where good leadership is becoming exorbitant. Leaders are now reluctantly bearing witness because authorities are becoming more pre-occupied with self-protecting procedures than with the needs of the citizens they serve. If you are constantly subject to a scrutiny which tends to see you as guilty unless you are proved innocent, you will become more and more risk-averse. If you always have to look over your shoulder, you cannot look forward. This is what media freedom has done to leadership generally. This should be another worry of an African aspiring t high position because her irregularities pass unnoticed; we have learnt how to take misbehaviours for granted because Africa is synonymous to Third World mentality.

Come to think of an African Pope of our campaign! His reign would be historic. His first assignment will be church’s constitutional reform. The reform must reflect ways to address the marginalization and injustices of yesteryears where African church has been sidelined to spectators’ role. It must allow a new pope to appoint his own cardinals and if possible sack former ones to pave way for smooth conclave. There must be provision for consensus candidate. Some offices must be occupied by his cronies like that of a cardinal who announces the next pope.

Should African Pope not succeed in claiming that office before he dies and should conclave end without the emergence of another African to succeed him, the overwhelming African cardinals will hatch a plot to short-change their colleagues by going to the air first before the Cardinal charmenlengo to announce their own candidate. The minutes usually wasted to announce the new pope after the appearance of the white smoke looks attractive for manipulating result in Africa. While others will be busy asking the new pope the name he will like to be called, sharp Africans who had gone with a name already in mind will come out and welcome cheers from awaiting faithful. The outcome will be two people making claims to papacy. Then, Africans will call for a coalition papacy.

An African Pope may also think of relocating Vatican to Africa. He will acquire a new land and name it after his pontificate and build a city gate with a monument showing him in handshake with Saint Peter.

African Pope will never resign because a good shepherd does not abandon his flock. Should he faint during a papal angelus, he will call a press conference from his sick bed and faithful to remember that sick and health comes from God. He will claim he is full of life and a sick politician he will say ‘I was conscious that I was unconscious.’ Should he be forced to resign, he will not abandon office until new pope is elected. And if the election does not favour him, he will refuse to handover; let those who can take to the street.

Nonsense! No African is ready for these insults because none of them is dignifying of this noble office. An African can be a pope but African mentality stands in contradistinction to papacy. But if the later is what largely prevails among us, papacy is still too white for the black.