limits Ways, Means borrowing

The Senate on Tuesday proposed a six-year single term for the Governor and Deputy Governors of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The Red Chamber also sought to limit amount the Federal Government can borrow from the apex bank under the Ways and Means Advances.

For external Directors appointed on the board of the CBN, the Senate proposed that they should hold office for a non-renewable term of five years (one year less than the six-year tenure of the Governor and Deputies).

This followed the second reading a Bill which seeks to amend the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act

The Bill, among others, also seeks to make the CBN comply with the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, Senator Adetokunbo Abiru (APC – Lagos East), and 41 other lawmakers sponsored the Bill, titled: “A bill for an Act to amend the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Act No 7, of 2007.”

On Ways and Means Advances, the Bill proposed that advances the apex bank can grant the Federal Government should not exceed 10 per cent of average government actual revenues during the preceding three years.

“For the purpose of determining the government’s actual government revenue, proceeds from asset sales shall be excluded to avoid capturing revenues from exceptional items.

“Also, such temporary loans should be repaid in full within three months from the date it is made available. In order to minimize default risk, any sum which becomes outstanding at the end of the expiration of the credit period should be held against and recovered from the proportion of the Federal Government’s FAAC Receipts,” he said.

Abiru, in his lead debate, noted that the current CBN Act of 2007, which charges the Bank with the overall control and administration of the monetary and financial sector policies of the federal government, “has not been amended for over 16 years despite growing changes to the Bank’s Balance sheet as well as challenges in monetary policy implementation occasioned by fiscal dominance and the rapidly changing financial landscape.”

The proposed amendments, according to him,

are aimed at strengthening the bank “to discharge its primary mandate of maintaining monetary and price stability in support government’s economic growth objectives as well as align its governance mechanisms with global best practices.”

According to him, “Section 8 (2) of the CBN Act currently grants the Governor and Deputy Governor’s tenure of five years and they are eligible for re-appointment for another term not exceeding five years.

“The Bill proposes to amend this provision to provide a single non-renewal term of 6 years for the Governor and the Deputy Governors.

“This is the practice adopted by many independent Banks such as the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank where their Chief Executive Officers serve only one non-renewable term.

“Empirical evidence shows that a single term for the members of the Executive and Board members of central banks helps to reduce political influence on monetary policy decisions and the time inconsistency problem associated with non-independent central banks.

“In addition, the Bill proposes that where a vacancy is created by the death or resignation of a CBN Governor or Deputy Governor, the President can appoint an acting Governor in the interim pending the appointment of a substantive Governor or Deputy Governor.

“Where a substantive appointment is made, such appointment will be for a fresh term rather than serving the tenure of the previous Governor or Deputy Governor.

“It can be observed that there is no mention of gender as part of the factors to be considered by the President in the appointment of the five external Directors. In line with inclusivity in the governance of the Bank, the Bill proposes to insert the word ‘gender’ in this provision.”

He added: “Section 10 (3) of the current Act stipulates that each Director appointed shall hold office for four years (one year less than the tenure of the Governor and Deputies) and shall be eligible for re-appointment for another term of four years.

“It is therefore proposed that the five external Directors should hold office for a non-renewable term of five years (one year less than the six-year tenure of the Governor and Deputies).”

For proper alignment of monetary and fiscal policies, Abiru disclosed that the new bill has proposed a Coordinating Committee for Monetary and Fiscal Policies to set internally consistent targets of monetary and fiscal policies that are conducive to controlling inflation and promoting financial conditions for sustainable economic growth;

“Applying caps to any fiscal deficit at a level that can be financed without having recourse to direct monetary financing from the Bank, that is Ways and Means; amongst other necessary measures,” he said.

Senators in their contribution supported the Bill and approved that it be read for a second time when it was put to voice vote by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Akpabio thereafter referred the Bill to the Senate Commiserated on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions for further legitimacy action and to report back in four weeks.

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts (PAC) has invited the Central Bank Governor Yemi Cardoso to appear before it on Tuesday, March 5 unfailingly over issues with leakages on the REMITA platform.
The Committee’s Chairman, Hon. Bamidele Salam, conveyed the invite in a letter to the CBN Governor titled RE: INVESTIGATION OF REVENUE LEAKAGES THROUGH REMITA PLATFORM AND NON-COMPLIANCE SUBSTANTIVELY WITH STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE AND OTHER ALLIED SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT 2023 (HR.373/11/2023).

The PAC Chairman stated that the CBN Governor’s failure to appear before the Committee and address the issues has significantly hindered the investigative process on revenue leakages through the REMITA platform.

According to him: “You are strongly advised to take advantage of this invitation and appear before the Committee on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at 10:00 am in Meeting Room 446, House of Representatives’ New Building, to respond to the issues that will arise during the hearing session.

“You are also advised to bring along all relevant officers familiar with the issues at stake who may assist you in providing answers to any questions that could arise during the session.”

“Please refer to your representation before the Public Accounts Committee on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, by an Assistant Director without a written letter to that effect. Be advised that the Committee does not allow representation; all Chief Accounting Officers are to appear in person to defend their office.

“You will also recall that the Committee has sent several correspondences to your office on the same subject with Ref. Nos: HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/HR.373/11/2023/1/2, dated December 8, 2023; HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/HR.373/11/2023/1/31, dated January 19, 2024; HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/HR.373/11/2023/1/60, dated January 25, 2024, and HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/HR.373/11/2023/2/84, dated February 19, 2024. We observed your absolute disregard for its Constitutional mandate. Please find copies of the letters attached.

“Your failure to appear before the Committee and respond to the issues has significantly stalled this Committee’s investigative process on revenue leakages through the REMITA platform.

“Consequently, the Committee wishes to draw your attention to previous letters on various subject matters, to which you are yet to respond. Please find references below:

“HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/QUE.2/29 dated January 23, 2024; HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/FA/1 dated January 23, 2024; HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/SE.3/34 dated January 30, 2024, and HR/PAC/SCO5/10NASS/SE.3/35 dated February 22, 2024. Please also find copies of the letters attached.

“The Committee frowns at this and wishes to remind you of the relevant constitutional provisions in Sections 62 and 89(1) (a, b, c & d) & (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). The Public Accounts Committee has the power to summon any person in Nigeria to give evidence, produce any document in his possession and under his control.

“It may also interest you to note that under Sections 89 (1) (d), the Committee has the power to issue a warrant to compel the attendance of any person who, after being summoned, fails, refuses, or neglects to do so.

“Failure to comply with this civil invitation may leave the Committee with no choice but to issue a warrant of arrest against you in line with Legislative Houses (Powers & Privileges Act 2017) (Sections 2 & 3) and the 1999 CFRN (as amended) in line with House Procedures.

“Consequently, the Committee resolved to grant you one last opportunity to appear.”

The Senate on Tuesday, February 27, urged the federal government to introduce the Nigeria version of the food stamps programme as an interventionist measure to cushion the effects of food insecurity/shortage in the country.
This is even as the red chamber mandated the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to liaise with development partners and other relevant stakeholders, especially the Lagos Food Bank Initiative, which introduced Temporary Food Assistance Programme (TEFAP), few years ago.

“This is with a view to working out practicable templates and implementable modalities for the actualisation of the programme,” Senate said.

These resolutions of the Senate followed its consideration and adopted of a motion titled: “Introduction of food stamps in Nigeria as an interim measure to address imminent food insecurity in the country” sponsored by Senator Ali Ndume (APC – Borno South) and co-sponsored by Senator Mustapha Saliu (APC – Kwara Central).

Ndume in his lead debate, said the Senate has noted that at the unveiling of the October 2023 Cadre Harmonise Analysis on food insecurity, it was projected that in 2024, Nigeria is expected to see about 26.5 million people, grappling with high level of food insecurity.

He further noted that the reason for the above projection was not far-fetched, “as several indicators, which include but not limited to the ongoing conflicts across the country, climate change impacts, escalating inflation as witnessed in recent time, and rising costs of both food and essential non-food commodities, due to fall in value of Naira in exchange market.”

He said he is worried that many hungry and angry Nigerians have been expressing their frustration and anger over the recent increase in food prices by demonstrating on the streets in several cities across the country.

According to him, the Senate is also aware that in other countries, like the United States of America, Food Stamp which is a government-issued coupon that is given to low-income and non-income persons and is redeemable for food, “have been used since 1933 to date as a measure to cushion the resultant hardships and sufferings on the poor/less privileged as well as low-income earners.”

He expressed concern that the clamour for wage increase and work support cannot alone guarantee a more effective way of addressing food insecurity without the introduction of time-tested public assistance programme, “as contemplated by this motion with particular emphasis on the need for immediate food support across the country.”

Senators in their contribution supported the motion.

On his part, Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong, described the initiative as laudable.

He however demanded that measures be put in place to guide against abuse.

Senator Abba Moro noted that “there is no better time than now to devise ways to deal with food insecurity.

“There is dire need for us to provide a system that is fool proof to provide for ordinary Nigerians. Let us give serious thought to this document and encourage the Executive to adopt it as a working document.”

Senator Suleiman Sadiq (APC – Kwara North) said: “This is so apt and we should encourage Mr. President. But we should ensure that people don’t take advantage of it. We should have a fool proof programme to ensure that only those who need the food get it.”

Senator Solomon Adeola (APC – Ogun West) called for deployment of modern technology to curb potential abuses.

“The question is how do we achieve this for over 200million population. Our data must be in place, to ensure that the real vulnerable Nigerians get it. I am in total support of this to take care of the vulnerable Nigerians.”

Senators approved the two prayers of the when they were put to voice vote by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin over presided over plenary during debate on the motion.

The Federal Government said it has fulfilled about 90% of the agreement it had with the organized labour last year.

Minister of Labour, Nkiruka Onyejeocha disclosed this in an interview with Channels Television on Tuesday.

Onyejeocha said, “We’ve done virtually everything in agreement. 90% of everything.”

According to the minister, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (TUC), Joe Ajaero, told government representatives at a meeting on Sunday that the protest was not about the government’s commitment to the October agreement but food inflation.

She said food security and economic prosperity were two of the priorities of the Bola Tinubu administration.

Onyejeocha appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the new government as the administration is in its planting season with harvests on the horizon.

She said the Federal Government had ticked about 90% of the 15-point memorandum of understanding it signed with the organized labour in 2023.

On the provision of high-capacity CNG buses for mass transit in Nigeria, the minister said funds had been released for the purpose, but “there are certain things you cannot control; you cannot control the number of days a shipment or a container will stay in the port.”

Recall that some of the agreements include granting a wage award of N35,000 to workers, the inauguration of a minimum wage committee, and the suspension of the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on diesel for six.

The Federal High Court in Lagos, through Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, has restrained telecommunication operators in Nigeria from deactivating or barring any line or SIM that has not been linked to the NIN by their subscribers.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa ruled on a suit filed by lawyer Olukoya Ogungbeje, who sought to stop the move to disconnect subscribers over NIN–SIM linkage, stating that it infringed on his fundamental rights.

Ogungbeje, in a suit numbered FHC/L/CS/667/23, named the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, and Airtel Networks Nigeria Limited as respondents.

“That the respondents are aware of the appellant/applicant’s appeal to the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, as the respondents have since been duly served with the appellant/applicant’s Notice of Appeal.

“That despite the pendency of the appellant/applicant’s appeal, efforts are underway by the respondents, specifically on the 28th of February 2024, to ensure further and outright barring, deactivating, and restricting of SIM cards and phone lines of the applicant and that of Nigerian citizens.

“That the appellant/applicant’s appeal to the Court of Appeal of Nigeria has a high degree of success against the respondents.

“There is a need to preserve the rest of the subject matter of the appeal pending the hearing and determination of the appellant/applicant’s appeal at the Court of Appeal of Nigeria.

“That the appellant/applicant is desirously interested in diligently pursuing the instant appeal that has raised a novel and recondite issue substantially jurisprudential, constituting an exceptional circumstance in which this Honourable Court can grant an application of this nature.

“That the court has the power and jurisdiction to grant an application of this nature in the interest of justice,” he stated.

The naira gained against the dollar as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) took more measures including delivering a massive hike in its benchmark interest rate on Tuesday in a bid to rein in rising inflation so as to stabilise the economy.

Following the conclusion of the two-day Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday, the CBN hiked the monetary policy rate (MPR) to 22.75 percent from 18.75 percent.

The central bank also raised the cash reserve ratio (CRR) to 45 percent from 32.5 percent. The asymmetric corridor was widened to +100-700 basis points around the MPR from +100/-300 basis points set in July 2023. However, the liquidity ratio remained unchanged at 30 percent.

The naira strengthened to 1,420 per dollar at the Bureau De Change segment of the foreign exchange market from over 1,800/$. In the parallel market, commonly known as the black market, the dollar closed at N1,550 as against N1,900 on Friday.

However, at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market, naira depreciated to 1,615.94/$ on Tuesday from 1,582.94/$ on Monday, data from the FMDQ indicated.

Bismarck Rewane, managing director/CEO of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, said the CBN was aggressive in its tightening and that this shows that the country is now in a high interest rate environment.

He said this development will strengthen the currency, deflate the stock market in the next few days, and bring some level of sanity in the markets. He expects to see massive appreciation of the naira in the FX market.

A former top official at the CBN said quick execution and steady nerves should bring inflows to stabilise currency and moderate inflation.

He said: “Now deputy governor in charge of financial system stability needs to keep a close eye on bank balance sheets. Higher lending rates may lead to higher loan defaults at a time of reduced real disposable incomes. Higher market rates may lead to losses due to market risk in the event of sell offs to shore up liquidity by marginal banks.

“But priority is to stabilise the macro and this decision is excellent. We just need to keep an eye on risks to bank balance sheets as we move from excessively loose monetary conditions to a more responsible stance.”

According to Abiola Rasaq, former economist and head investor relations at United Bank for Africa Plc, these transitory monetary policy measures reflect the inflation-targeting orientation of the new leadership at the CBN and overall monetary policy committee.

He said this would increase the cost of funds of banks and shrink net interest margin, albeit the MPC’s overarching interest is to stem the pressure on exchange rate and consumer prices.

He said the MPC sought to gradually narrow the negative real interest rate to attract foreign portfolio investors while also incentivising domestic investors as a way of stimulating appetite for naira-denominated assets.

Rasaq said: “It’s a double-edged sword that will hurt money supply and consequently undermine employment creation, but the MPC may have limited options at this time, hence I consider this measure as transitory douses to stem the current crisis.

“Banks profitability will be challenged, and indeed, the policy measure increases the probability of loan default in the banking sector, nonetheless, it’s a short term measure that hopefully will help to cool-off pressures and allow the monetary and fiscal policy authorities some time to reset the system and implement sustainable long term measures relevant for economic growth and development.”

Razia Khan, managing director and chief economist for Africa and the Middle East Global Research at Standard Chartered Bank, emphasised the critical need to stabilise Nigeria’s FX market as an immediate priority.

She highlighted the importance of fostering a better-functioning official FX market before considering the adoption of a formal inflation target.

Analysing the policy response, Khan questioned the adequacy of the tightening measures implemented.

She said the increase in the CRR to 45 percent, acknowledging it as a meaningful tightening move, particularly with the central bank shifting away from ad-hoc CRR debits.

However, Khan raised concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding the previous CRR regime and its effectiveness, making it challenging to assess the true impact of the tightening.

“The Monetary Policy Rate itself was raised 400 bps. The signal on the tightening intent that this sends is important, and we expect that markets will not dismiss it,” she said in an email to BusinessDay.

Reacting to the MPC’s decision, Kingsley Moghalu, former deputy governor of the CBN, said on X: “Correct move by the Monetary Policy Committee to dramatically hike the Monetary Policy Rate by 400 basis point to 22.5 percent. The situation calls for nothing less if we are to check inflation over 12-18 months. We did the same a decade ago to bring inflation from 14 percent to 8 percent.”

Muda Yusuf, CEO of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, said the outcome of the MPC meeting would hurt the real sector of the economy that is already contending with numerous macroeconomic challenges.

He said the increase of MPR and CRR posed a major risk to the financial intermediation role of banks in the economy.

“The increase would constrain the capacity of banks to support economic growth and investment, especially in the real sector of the economy because the increases are quite significant,” he said.

At least 20 students of some boarding public schools in Potiskum, Fika, and Fune local government areas of Yobe State have died from a suspected Meningitis outbreak.

It was learnt that the deaths were recorded in Government Science Technical College, Government Girls Science Technical College, and Federal Government Girls College, all in Potiskum LG.

A source in the town told our correspondent that at least 20 students died, adding that most of the affected students had been admitted to the Specialist Hospital in Potiskum and were responding to treatment.

When contacted, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Muhammad Sani Idris, confirmed the outbreak, saying 20 students were killed by the disease suspected to be meningitis.

He said Governor Mai Mala Buni had directed the state Ministry of Education to temporarily relocate to Potiskum in response to the outbreak.

The commissioner also confirmed that several students had been admitted to Potiskum Specialist Hospital.

Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, yesterday, rejected an allegation of negligence in the death of Mr. Olaleye Adenibuyan, who died at the facility while receiving care from a critical fall.

While commiserating with the family of the deceased, LUTH management explained that the late Adenibuyan, who was admitted unconscious into the facility on January 15, 2024, was attended to at the Emergency Department and stabilised by a team of neurologists and neurosurgeons.

In a statement, the Chairman, of the Medical Advisory Committee, Dr Ayodeji Oluwole said: “In the ICU, his care was coordinated by a team of neurosurgeons, intensivists, and ICU nurses. Throughout his stay in the hospital, the managing team was in direct and constant contact with Mr Adenibuyan’s immediate family, including his wife and son.

“Our records reveal that he was given prompt, appropriate, and professional care for his condition by senior medical professionals.

“In situations when hospital equipment experiences downtime, the hospital policy is for an ambulance and appropriate healthcare professionals to be made available to take the patient to a sister facility for the required procedure to be carried out.

“This was communicated to Mr Adenibuyan’s family when he needed a repeat CT scan. For the records, LUTH has functional imaging facilities including MRI, X-ray, ultrasonography, fluoroscopy, and mammography machines.

“Deployment of equipment such as the intracranial pressure, ICP, and monitors requires consumables such as probes. Such consumables are supplied by private vendors, and the costs are borne by the patient for which they are used. It is these consumables that were required to be made available in this case. The decision on the timing of deployment of the ICP monitor was taken by the Neurosurgeons, with due consideration given to the potential benefits of ICP monitoring versus the potential risks that may arise from placing a foreign body within the brain.”

[Vanguard]

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has suspended its two-day nationwide protest.

The NLC had declared a two-day nationwide mass protest for February 27 and 28, over the economic hardship confronting millions of Nigerians since the removal of the petrol subsidy in May 2023.

The NLC and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), had on February 8, given a 14-day ultimatum to the federal government over the rising cost of living in the country.

A late night meeting on Monday between the federal government and NLC was not enough to convince the latter to shelve the nationwide protests.

On Tuesday morning, the protesters began their marches from the Labour House in Abuja and the Ikeja under-bridge in Lagos, while chanting solidarity songs and slogans.

Joe Ajaero, NLC president, and Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 election, led the Abuja rally.

But in a communique at the end of its national executive council meeting on Tuesday, the NLC said the objectives of the protest were achieved on the first day of the demonstration.

“Consequently, NEC-in-session resolved as follows: to suspend street action for the second day of the Protest having achieved overwhelming success thus attained the key objectives of the 2-day protest on the first day,” the communique reads.

“However, Nationwide action continues tomorrow with simultaneous Press Conferences across all the states of the federation by the state Councils of the Congress including the National Headquarters.”

The NLC NEC also resolved in its meeting, to “reaffirm and extend the 7-days ultimatum by another 7 days which now expires on the 13th day of March, 2024 within which the Government is expected to implement all the earlier agreement of the 2nd day of October, 2023 and other demands presented in our letter during today’s nationwide protest”.

“To meet and decide on further lines of action if on the expiration of the 14 days Government refuses to comply with the demands as contained in the ultimatum,” the communique reads.

[TheCable]

I wish to know today which type of life my readers will prefer to live: Abraham’s or Lazarus’s? Biblical Abraham was wealthy, was richly blessed and lived life to the hilt here on earth. He died and went to paradise or heaven. Conversely, Lazarus was poverty-stricken and lived a life of penury on earth but when he died, he, too, went to heaven or paradise.

Now, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus as told by Jesus Christ Himself in Luke 16: 19 – 31 was that there was a rich man who, while he lived, did nothing to help Lazarus, a desperately and multi-dimensionally poor beggar, such as we have in tens of millions today in Nigeria, the widely acclaimed poverty capital of the world. The poor man died and went to heaven, where he was seen resting at the bosom of Abraham but the rich man who had neglected to help Lazarus died and went to Hell.

As he suffered torture in Hell, the earthly-rich man looked up and saw Lazarus enjoying in paradise and beseeched Father Abraham to send help unto him (the rich man) through the same Lazarus but his request was rebuffed. You can read the entire story in the bible passage quoted above.

I came across a post on social media days back that got me thinking about life, death, heaven (paradise) and hell. I also remembered RCCG's Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye once saying that whether you land in heaven like Abraham or you elect to take the route followed by Lazarus is a matter of personal choice - but he warned that poverty is not a good thing! Now, to the post, which was about the Jamaican reggae king, Robert (Bob) Nesta Marley; when I return, I will draw some conclusions.

Titled “The Biblical Story Behind ‘Three Little Birds’ by Bob Marley & The Wailers”, it reads: Peace, love, and social justice were at the heart of the messages Bob Marley spread through his music. His lyrics could have profound political connotations yet be about the mystical beauty of his surroundings. His celebration of the human condition resonated with people from all backgrounds. The consciousness and profundity of his place in the universe make us still interested in his songs today.

Marley’s spirituality is evident in each one of his albums. In 1999, Time magazine called Exodus the best album of the 20th century. Let’s look at the story behind a song from that album, “Three Little Birds,” by Bob Marley & The Wailers.

Don’t worry about a thing/Cause every little thing gonna be alright/Singing Don’t worry about a thing/Cause every little thing gonna be alright

A simple observation of nature, or Is It? The idea of birds singing in the morning is nothing unusual. But Marley brings the moment’s beauty alive in the verse of the song. His friend Tony Gilbert told author Vivien Goldman in The Book of Exodus: The Making and Meaning of Bob Marley and the Wailers’ Album of the Century, “Bob got inspired by many things around him. He observed life. I remember the three little birds. They were pretty birds, canaries, who would come by the windowsill at Hope Road.”

Marley himself told Sounds magazine in 1980, “That really happened. That’s where I get my inspiration.”

Rise up this mornin’/Smiled with the risin’ sun/Three little birds/Pitch by my doorstep/Singin’ sweet songs/Of melodies pure and true/Saying, (This is my message to you).

Another account of the inspiration comes from the trio of background singers, the I Threes. Marcia Griffiths claimed, “After the song was written, Bob would always refer to us as the Three Little Birds. After a show, there would be an encore. Sometimes, people even wanted us to go back onstage four times. Bob would still want to go back, and he would say, ‘What is my Three Little Birds saying?'”

Singin’ Don’t worry ’bout a thing/Cause every little thing gonna be alright/Singin’ Don’t worry (don’t worry) ’bout a thing/Cause every little thing gonna be alright

Griffiths continued: “Three Little Birds’ was our song, officially for I Threes. It was more or less expressing how we all came together when he said, ‘Rise up this morning, smile with the rising sun.’ We loved it. Even when we were recording it, we knew that it was our song.”

Rise up this mornin’/Smiled with the risin’ sun/Three little birds/Pitch by my doorstep/Singin’ sweet songs/Of melodies pure and true/Sayin’, This is my message to you.

Marley’s awe and wonder of his surroundings tap into the mysticism of nature. In a bigger sense, his message praises God’s creation and conveys his thoughts of truth and hope. He would strike out around the world, sharing his songs with different cultures and people from different backgrounds.

Singin’ Don’t worry about a thing, worry about a thing, oh/Every little thing gonna be alright. Don’t/worry/Singin’ Don’t worry about a thing I won’t worry/Cause every little thing gonna be alright

The song has nothing specific about theology, yet it touches on the theory of God being all around us. Whatever God you believe in, it’s all around us in everything we interact with. The beauty within a moment of a trio of birds singing their song. On one hand, it’s just what they do. Birds sing. On the other hand, it’s a powerful, beautiful moment to be treasured and studied. The wonder of nature humbles us all.

Singin’ Don’t worry about a thing/Cause every little thing gonna be alright, I won’t worry/Singin’ Don’t worry about a thing/Cause every little thing gonna be alright/Singin’ Don’t worry about a thing, oh no/Cause every little thing gonna be alright

Although the lyrics are clearly not stolen, there is a vivid parallel between the lyrics of “Three Little Birds” and Matthew 6:25-27 from the American Standard Version of the Bible: Therefore I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment? Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value than they? And which of you, by being anxious, can add one cubit unto the measure of his life?

When Marley was asked about the Bible and how many of his listeners didn’t believe in it, he responded, “Because the way they have been taught about the Bible, that is not the way of the Bible. You know? I mean, because if I was living in that world where the everyday interpretation of the Bible goes on, then I would adhere to the Bible, too. But know that we have found the right way of the Bible. The Bible is to be loved because the Bible is a record of man’s creation. It is the only book (that) can make, (that) can show you how mankind began without any prejudice, or anything like that or any boastfulness, pride, or anything like that. Just our God and that’s it.

“Well, all Christian people, not only Christians, all the people who go to church interpret the Bible as the preachers tell (them). That is not the right way,” he continued. “Because the greatest thing is life…and the preachers read the Bible and tell you, you have to die to go to heaven. That means he’s not really reading the Bible. Because the Bible tells you, you have to live in a heaven. You don’t die and go to heaven; you have to live in a heaven. A lot of places on Earth could be, but Africa is our heaven. Because that’s where we come from. Maybe you’re a Swiss. Maybe you come from Switzerland, and the people know God then, maybe you could live in peace, unity, harmony. But people are stubborn on this Earth because of material vanity.”

Imagine how revolutionary Marley’s interpretation of the Bible is; especially dying and going to heaven! We do not have to die before we go to or live in heaven; we can, and should, as we live here on earth also live in heaven or in a heavenly-like place! That is really impactful! Don’t postpone heaven; bring it down here right now! Don’t wait until you die before having the chance to live in a heavenly-like place.

Many of those who preach that we need to die first before having the chance to live in heaven themselves live in heavenly-like places right now here on earth. We have also seen the efforts of different parts of the world who, apparently, believe in this Bob Marley philosophy as they make their country look like heaven on earth; whereas our own place looks more and more like hell. We “japa” as we try to escape hell on earth in our own country to live in paradise on earth in other people’s countries! Otherwise, for many, maybe two Hell; and not a single Paradise!