Patrick Clancy, the ex-husband of a US mother accused of murdering their three children, has said he would have been “eaten up inside forever” had he not forgiven her for their deaths.
In an interview with CBS, he also said he did the best he could as his then-wife Lindsay Clancy struggled with mental illness in the months leading up to the day she strangled their children.
Lindsay has not disputed that she killed them but her lawyers argued she should not be held legally responsible because she was suffering from severe mental illness.
A judge declared a mistrial in the case earlier this month after the jury said it could not reach a unanimous verdict on whether she was guilty of murder.
FAITH & CULTURE
The Strong Thing that 2023 Election Did to Banky W
By Ugochukwu Ugwuanyi
Full disclosure: I had the song “Strong Ting” by Banky W on auto-repeat in my music playlist while in the world. Be that as it may, that’s by the way!
“…But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.” — 1 Samuel 30:6
Nigerian singer and filmmaker Bankole Wellington, better known as Banky W, relived this aspect of 1 Samuel 30:6 after losing his bid for the Eti-Osa Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives during the 2023 general election.
Finding courage in the Lord like David did when distraught and threatened, Banky found clarity amidst the maze and melancholy.
When Political Defeat Becomes a Turning Point
We will get to this momentarily, but not before addressing the elephant in the room. That would be the streets and cynics taunting: “Who send am go run for election?” Or something like, “Couldn’t he have seen that the odds were stacked against him?”
If his instincts couldn’t, how about his spiritual discernment as a man of God?
The comment section also has others asking why he’s giving up so easily by not trying “his luck again” or worming his way into the good graces of the prevailing political establishment.
Politicians, particularly of the Nigerian stock, are Pollyannaish in nature. In fact, it would seem that a major qualification to be a politician in Nigeria is an overbloated sense of one’s worth or extreme optimism. They hardly give up on their ambitions.
Banky W not being on the ballot in this round of elections affirms his epiphany or Road to Damascus experience.
In a post on his Instagram page, @bankywellington, Banky wrote:
“In 2023 I lost an election. And while the experience inspired me in many ways, it also broke my heart into a million little pieces. When the dust settled, I took those pieces back to God. And I surrendered.”
We commend him for turning to God like David did when he seemingly lost it all.
How great is the Lord to have successfully mended a heart shattered into a million fragments!
This is why, upon life’s billows, people should run to, not away from Him.
Perhaps those jostling for political positions in Nigeria’s 2027 election will, by Banky’s testimony, learn how to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat when the chips are down.
When God Turns a Mess into a Message
It is in the character of many to pick a quarrel with God when things don’t work out as planned.
Such persons should heed the admonition to acquaint themselves with God and be at peace, so that good can come unto them (Job 22:21).
If only the aggrieved had a sense of the big picture, they would see that the good Lord has not called the seed of Jacob to seek Him in vain.
Even when you have acted in spite or volitionally, the loving Father’s penchant for turning a mess into a message makes Him bestow on you “a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair” (Isaiah 61:3).
From Political Ambition to Divine Assignment
Banky W is, by his own testimony, better off in his present spiritual journey than he might have imagined after his electoral defeat.
This isn’t merely about him working as a teacher and leader at Union College in the United States, but about what his koinonia with the Holy Spirit can spring.
We congratulate the music label boss, who significantly propelled the career of Grammy-grabbing Wizkid as the EME honcho, for his testimony of hearing from the Lord and aligning with the Almighty’s will for his life.
Hear him again:
“One year later, I’m reminded that sometimes what feels like the end of your story is really just God turning the page. The election didn’t go the way I hoped. But God’s plans for my life are bigger than the plans I had for myself.”
We can now see that all things work for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.
Banky’s account suggests that his loss at the polls became an opportunity for a better and more beneficial understanding of God.
This brings us back to the question of whether he didn’t get Heaven’s green light before initially throwing his hat in the ring.
That could also have been God’s means of helping the prodigiously talented celebrity actualise destiny.
Notice that while acknowledging God’s expansion of his assignments, politics wasn’t listed.
As it were, not even the “P” in his P.Banks moniker was cited as representing “politician.”
“I used to joke that the ‘P’ in P.Banks stood for Professor, not Pastor. I guess God heard and said, ‘Why not both?’” he wrote.
It pays greatly to know and follow the divine will for one’s life.
Surrendering to the One Who Knows the Road
The consciousness of God in your corner would never allow you to turn the curveball life throws at you into an own goal.
But this requires subjecting your will to His on every matter.
That word “surrendered,” as used by the former secular singer, is basically what is needed.
So many people have missed it in life and destiny because they couldn’t yield.
We advisedly used “couldn’t” since there are persons eager to be led but don’t know how.
Come to think of it, how can someone not desire being led by the Lord?
The fact that politicians are no longer making a singsong of “follow who know road” in this electioneering season doesn’t mean that the street wisdom is no longer valid.
How much more the privilege of having to follow the Road (no pun intended — John 14:6).
King David absolutely knew what he was talking about when he declared in Psalm 23:
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
The ensuing verses list other amazing benefits.
God remains a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Graciously, He is not hard to find.
Verses in the Old and New Testaments affirm this much.
Jeremiah 29:13: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Matthew 7:7: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
In reality, He is the One actually doing the seeking.
This is why He said in Revelation 3:20:
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”
From the Known to the Unknown
Nonetheless, without bothering ourselves with the semantic symmetry between seeking and following God, the Good News is that both spiritual endeavours are enabled by the same manual — the Bible.
You seek and know God by studying and meditating on His Word.
For sure, there are Sons who can hear God directly and clearly; they all started from somewhere — a hunger for the Word of God.
You’ve got to begin from the known to the unknown.
In the main, be sure not to dissent as you discern!
Editor’s Note
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Mirror African Diaspora. Articles published in our Faith & Culture section are intended to encourage informed discussion, critical reflection and the exchange of ideas. They are published following editorial review for clarity, style and journalistic standards while preserving the author’s voice and perspective.
About the Author
Ugochukwu Ugwuanyu is a sage, storyteller and branding specialist. He welcomes feedback at nmiringwu@gmail.com.
