Cliche as it sounds, it's great to be back. Really great. In 15 short years, I have moved from being a guy who couldn't stop writing to one who has to struggle really hard to write anything other than emails and short notes. Except of course, when something pricks my soft centre.
My schedule has been horrendous but that's not the main reason why writing for me has become such a struggle. I think I have changed, significantly. These days I find myself being increasingly reluctant to make comments in public space. Opinionated and intense as ever, I have somehow 'evolved' into this guy who really doesn't want to say anything for different reasons at different times. That's until something ruffles and cool and stirs my storm and man, I have to vent to survive the rush.
It's a difficult place to be at. The issues I am passionate enough to flip about are most times over-flogged in my opinion. Some others are matters I can address privately with the prime players directly so I'm very reluctant to make my comments public. This is my dilemma. This is the reason why inking a weekly column for a publication as respected and popular as NET, a privilege I truly cherish, has become such an onerous task.
But I love challenges and making this column a regular feature is one of my chosen challenges for 2014. So here we go!
Of late, few things have pushed my button harder than COSON /BON-IBAN issue and the macabre dance of utterly rudderless Nigerian politicians whose words and actions suggest clearly that they seem not to understand that there has to be in existence, a kingdom first, stable and prosperous before the notion of kingship would assume any meaning.
Late night, Tuesday, January 14 and the perilous posts that populated my yahoo mailbox were battling to kill my calm and steal my sleep. I received a Facebook notification. Jekwu Ozoemena, my roommate, course mate and friend from my Unilag days had dropped yet another dime that was as usual, causing quite a stir amongst his group of friends, fans and admirers. I ordinarily would read and not comment as it is typical of the emerging me but not one this issue. Yes, you guessed right. It is a soft centre.
He posited thus:
"The 2015 Nigerian Presidential Election is about a full year and 4 months away, yet the current drama, acrimony, horse-trading, bare-faces lies, half- truths, polarization and manipulation of the media, manipulation of the masses, treachery, corruption/stealing, cross-carpeting, beatification of Area-Boy politicians, open/closed letters and alleged "Sniper list" all remind me of the run up to the August 6, 1983 Presidential Election. Is it that we have not learnt from history?" -Jekwu Ozoemena
My response:
"It's obvious we haven't. We operate basically on the regular criminal mindset- the guys who got caught were not smart enough- so we learn nothing and consequently make no progress. We always find some excuse to stay immersed in the puddle of collective delusion"
One of Jekwu's friends on the thread "innocently" retorted and re-echoed the sentiments I have heard a lot of Nigerians express. In his words…"Bro are they educated/enlightened enough to read about the history of the failed 2nd republic , that they will learn from history? The only thing 90% of them want to learn about is how to line their pockets"
For the umpteenth time, in public space, I vehemently argue thus:
There's no 'they', this is 'us'. All of us – the assailant, hapless victim, clueless 'bystander', arm chair critic, self serving activist, spineless downtrodden, ignorant common man, hypocritical middle class, oppressor-in-waiting, corrupt civil servant, conniving relatives, whoring traditional rulers, desperate religious leaders, lying, thieving cheating elders, wayward youths all us. This is who majority of us are, this is the country and leadership we deserve.
There's no 'they'! These are our spouses, blood brothers, friends, colleagues, neighbors, clients, customers…this is US!!! We easily and regularly identify the ills that plague our society and one too many times heap the blame on the doorstep of the corrupt and desperate public office holder or politician. After the complaints, what next? A majority of us will never hold a high political office. Even when democracy is entrenched and elections are free and fair, not more than 5% of 170 million people can reasonably hope to ascend high public office. And we don't even have to.
The leadership has a certain degree of responsibility but it is the followers who must hold the leaders accountable. Wherever you find yourself, you CAN, you HAVE to promote propriety. Every one of us has a responsibility to make our little spaces better places.
I hold firm. There's no 'they'. Me, you, my cousin, his father-in-law, his politician club member, your legislator friend, all us. No one owns Nigeria more than another and Nigeria isn't the land mass. It's the people. The people who fail to recognize that our traditions of shortcuts only lead to dead ends.
The 'oppressors' are guilty but who fights 'their' battles as thugs and touts? – the ignorant common man. Who blesses 'their' tithes and offering? Who flood the grounds at 'their' rallies? Who populate 'their' convoys? Whose parties do 'they' bless with 'their' honorable presence as generous guests of honour? Where do 'they' buy 'their' honorary degrees and chieftaincy titles? Whose daughters, sisters, friends get lucky and get 'stepped up' as 'their' extra wives and mistresses? The same oppressed Nigerian who complains about the leadership's gang rape of the nation.
I once asked a mobile policeman who was threatening to shoot at 'us' at one Enough Is Enough rally outside the National Assembly complex in Abuja a few years ago who between both of us was worse hit by the ills plaguing Nigeria? You can guess what his response was. He was following orders. A good number of the guys staging the protest could pay his yearly wages without a wince. Most of the guys who forced positive change in other climes didn't witness a fraction of the degradation, dehumanization and hopelessness he has grown accustomed to but we are what we are – Nigerians! We somehow always find a cogent explanation to postpone the day we have to take that step and make the sacrifice that will engender the positive change we so desire.
We will see change the day we begin to make change happen- one office, bus stop, roadblock, polling station, banking hall, classroom, mosque, church, one transaction at a time. Period!
No comments:
Post a Comment