LEAN NOT ON YOUR OWN
UNDERSTANDING
A SHORT DRAMA BY THE ROYAL AMBASSADORS DRAMA UNIT OF THE HOSPITAL CHAPEL,
UNIVERSITY OF ABUJA TEACHING HOSPITAL, GWAGWALADA-ABUJA, FCT, 902101, NIGERIA,
WEST AFRICA
ROYAL AMBASSADORS, HOSPITAL CHAPEL, UATH, GWAGWALADA
JANUARY 2022
SYNOPSIS:
A well-known professor who preaches that one does not need God and all the whole spiritual
and religious stuff to succeed but that all one needs to succeed and have rest is to be
hardworking and to be intelligent, was caught up in a complicated puzzle for which many
were expecting his solution towards creating some economic market change for a renowned
company. He struggled and battled for many days, until his assistant, who is spiritual and
religious, showed him the solution in a very unusual way.
Scene 1:
The interview room of one of the TV stations in the country. Professor Maxwell is being
interviewed on the current hardship in the country and what he thinks people can do to get out
of it.
Interviewer: Hello viewers. Welcome to another session of our program, YOU AND THE
ECONOMY. As we all know, the economy has been taking a very downward ride over the
past few years and this has really drawn a lot of concerns and put all of us in very hard times.
However, we are here with one of the most renowned economist and financial experts of our
days.
This is a man that has seven first degrees, ten masters’ degrees, fifteen doctorate degrees,
and is a professor in over five major disciplines. He is a fellow of several international
associations, the chair of a lot of economic and financial organizations, an economic analyst
with the United Nations, the African Union, ECOWAS, and even a consulting economic analyst
with the EU. A recipient of the Noble Prize for Economics.
Please join me to welcome to our program for today, Professor Maxwell Harrison Uchenna
Nwaturuocha.
Prof. Maxwell: Thank you very much, John. I am glad to be here.
Interviewer: So, without wasting time, Prof, we would like to know what you think is the
solution out of the current hardships we are facing and what you think people can do?
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Prof. Maxwell: Thank you for the questions. Actually, our major problem is that people are
lazy. Yes! Our people have become very lazy all in the name of religion and being spiritual.
The only way people can make their way out the current situation in the country is to work
hard, and keep working hard.
Interviewer: Are you saying that there is no need for us to trust in God or to pray for solution
from God as our people do?
Prof. Maxwell: Yes! And an emphatic YES! I mean see countries like China, Singapore, Japan,
and the like, do they follow God? God does not help anybody. If we take our time to work as
hard as we spend time doing all the whole God stuff, we would have changed a lot of things
about this country. So, if people want to get out of the hardship and have the kind of rest they
want, then they must learn to work hard. If you don’t have anything to do, go and learn. Stop
thinking that God will do all of that for you. Just go and WORK HARD! Simple.
Interviewer: But there are people who are working hard like you are suggesting, but are
still not able to make ends meet or to go far in life, what do you have to say about that?
Prof. Maxwell: They are not working hard very well or they are working hard in the wrong
place.
Interviewer: Okay, but what if you work hard and still depend on God to help give success
to your hard work? After all the Bible says, “It is for man to work hard or to plan to work
hard, and for God to make those plans succeed and to make his hard work successful”.
Prof Maxwell: It is such motivations that deceive people. All you need is to work hard. You
don’t need God at all. Can God solve some economic equations needed to bring financial and
economic change to a nation? No! It takes an intelligent mind like ours to do that.
Interviewer: Thank you very much Prof. We will take a short break now and get to other
matters. Once again, we are happy to have you here.
Scene 2:
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ROYAL AMBASSADORS, HOSPITAL CHAPEL, UATH, GWAGWALADA
JANUARY 2022
Professor Maxwell is met by two government officials who wanted to know how far he has gone
with a very urgent and important economic solution there are expecting him to resolve.
First Official: We are happy to be meeting you at such a short notice, Prof. The President
would like to now how far you have gone with the solution.
Prof. Maxwell: I am still on it; actually, it is coming out a bit tough, but nothing we cannot
handle.
Second Official: I know you can do this, Prof. We are very much aware of your reputation
and successes over the years and we really believe in you. In fact, you came highly
recommended to the President and he wants you to know that he believes you can make this
happen.
Prof. Maxwell: Thank you very much for your confidence in me. I promise that I won’t let
you down.
The officials left. Prof. Maxwell sighed.
Scene 3:
Prof. Maxwell’s assistant met him in his office, sweating profusely and being very agitated. The
Prof confided in her that he is finding it difficult to find a solution to the problem he is working at.
She suggested taking it to God, the Prof bluffed. The assistant went ahead to pray about it and was
able to help the Prof see what was wrong with the problem and to find a solution.
Christy: Good afternoon, Prof, sir. I can see that you are still here. Did you even go home at
all?
Prof. Maxwell: How can I go home when I have not yet found a solution to this. I don’t know
why this is really giving me a tough time. I have done all I know, applied all the formulas I
know, and yet nothing seems to be coming through. Worst, the President is already getting
angry and tells me that I have till this evening to resolve this, else he would get someone else
on it. I can’t allow that. It will be a taint on my reputation. Over the past few weeks, I have
not been able to find time rest at all.
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Christy: Maybe we should commit it to God in prayers and seek solution from the Holy Spirit.
Prof. Maxwell: You have started with all these spiritual stuffs that makes no sense and is not
helping us in any way.
Christy: Well, the Scriptures say, “Whoever lacks wisdom should ask God who gives
generously and He would give him the wisdom that he seeks”. That might just be all you need
now – Wisdom from God.
Prof. Maxwell: (mockingly) Since you are already into God, why not ask Him for wisdom so
He can show you how to solve it for me.
Christy: Sure. Let me have a copy of the problem.
Prof. Maxwell: There is copy in the printer. Help yourself.
Christy reaches to the printer and grabs a copy and lifts it up
Christy: Father God, thank You for this problem, and that You have the solution to it. You
said if we lack or need wisdom, we should ask you. This problem has been giving my boss
serious headache over the past weeks. Please LORD give us wisdom to solve this in Jesus’
name. Amen.
Prof. Maxwell: (laughs) You are so funny. So, God will now give you, with your little
knowledge of the matter at hand wisdom to solve something that even me with all my
knowledge, studies and achievements have not been able to solve? I will like to see that
pulled off.
Christy: Anyway, sir, that is for God to do. I am off to Prayer Meeting. I will see you soon, sir.
Christy walks out, leaving the Professor on stage still trying hard to solve the problem
In a few minutes, Christy rushes back in excitedly!
I have seen the issue, sir.
Prof. Maxwell: What is wrong with you? You startled me and made me miscalculate now.
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Christy: Sorry, sir. But I have found the issue with what you have been trying to solve. (She
bends over the table placing the paper in her hand on the table). This is where the issue is, sir.
This element should not be here and if you take this one here, and bring this one here, it will
give the solution you have been trying to get.
Prof. Maxwell gave a stern look at the paper, working on what his assistant just said, his face
beamed!
Prof. Maxwell: Wao! You are right! How did you arrive at this?
Christy: God showed me. While I was praying about it, my eyes suddenly caught that element
and suddenly the whole thing became clear to me. So, you see, sir, God is able to give us
solutions to our problems and rest from it all.
(Turns to the audience)
As we look forward to having all round rest this year, let us be aware that one of the ways to
achieve that is to depend on the LORD and look to Him for wisdom to guide us and lead us in
all that we do. When we do that, He give us wisdom for solution to all that surround us and
rest from it all.
[Curtains]
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