PREDETERMINED JUDGEMENT: THE ERROR OF GENERALIZATION

Not everyone who has the opportunity to judge cases has a sound mind.

Interestingly, no two cases are alike. Therefore, every good judge must avoid walking on eggshells by refusing to look at different cases with the same lens.

Several years ago, a Pastor's daughter was showing tendencies of being wayward, steadily tending towards being promiscuous.

His pious dad won't allow her to stray.

In no distant time, they were at each other's necks. Sadly, she was 'waywardly' clever than her father.

This young lady connived with her boyfriend. They both agreed that her boyfriend should always dress in ladies' dresses and disguise himself as a female friend of the Pastor's daughter.

Her manipulative boyfriend soon became a regular face in the Pastor's house. At about the time this clergyman was celebrating her daughter's positive transformation, the saddening news of her daughter's pregnancy abruptly shattered his joy.?

People started throwing glances at her stomach, questions hovered around her protruding belly, and she became a talking point for gossipers and rumour mongers.

Finally, the church summoned the family to investigate the not-too-pleasant news flying around the town.

In response to some probing questions that were hurled at her, the Pastor's daughter reminded the church's elders about her father's stay-at-home law. Since she was not permitted to leave the house, who else would have impregnated her other than her father?

Upon hearing this, the Pastor's wife flared up uncontrollably, and the Pastor utterly lost the composure to defend himself. As a result, the meeting degenerated into a mess.

Consequently, the church sacked the Pastor, and her wife packed out of her matrimonial home.

Two years later, the Pastor's daughter could no longer endure the weight of guilt she carried daily. Finally, she confessed that her father was innocent, but she only punished him for his harshness.

Pathetically, the Pastor's seemed to have lost it all. After her public confession to concerned stakeholders, the Pastor's daughter became a lunatic – she ran mad.

The church heartily pleaded with this humiliated clergyman, but of what use is their apology?

Sometimes, 'sorry' is not enough, and an apology fails to be an appropriate reparation.

Do you know you have no business judging a case until you have acquired sufficient pieces of evidence?

Kindly note that emotional outbursts by complainants and correlating a current case with other related cases are not evidence. If you premise your judgement on these, you will become a pain-inflicting judge.

Additionally, whenever you enter the chamber of justice with a biased mind, you will knowingly or unknowingly execute wickedness – punishing innocent people.

Why is it that whenever an accident occurs between a car and a bike (okada), the predetermined judgement is that the car driver is at fault? But we all know the recklessness often exhibited by 'some' bike men.

Why is it that whenever a sexual squabble occurs between a male and a female, the predetermined judgement often favors the female?

As a male lecturer, I have severally passed through "The valley of the shadow of death," courtesy of sexual baits craftily set by some female students. But God has always delivered me.

If not for God, favourable predetermined judgement awaits such promiscuous female students. Then you start seeing eye-catching headlines from hungry bloggers in the name of breaking news.

I'm not writing this piece to you as a reader but as a leader. Wherever God has placed you as a leader, kindly know that people can lie and falsify facts against others!

Accuracy of speech is not the same as consistency of truth.

As a leader, be informed that there are anointed liars. Don't consume their sweet poison!

The church's elders fell for the properly curated lie the Pastor's daughter told, and the aftermath was pain spiced with sorrow.

As the year steadily glides to an end, beware of anointed liars.

Intentionally enter 2023 with a resolution to always speak the truth and carefully judge matters evidentially.

Finally, it is not a sign of weakness when you say, "I don't know." When matters beyond your capacity are placed before you, kindly pass them over to more competent individuals or seek knowledge/clarity.

As anyone ever lied against you that almost ruined your reputation? Share with me in the comment section.

Kindly connect with Olusegun (Hon. Minister) Olawumi and follow my hashtag #honminister to read more of my content.

I'm open to offers, writing gigs, collaborations with international organizations and NGOs, and joint scientific research.