MY GRIEF-STRICKEN HOPE
I woke up this morning
apprehensive with the small burden of satisfactorily and accurately deciphering
a scientific paper before a predominantly Caucasian audience made up of
individuals who are vast in the subject I had to discuss. I have not really had
sufficient sleep over the past few days; over the past one month in fact
largely due to writing and doing a few unprofitable things which have in effect
drained me. I was aware this morning that today marks the 54th year
of Nigeria’s independence but I was significantly distracted by the academic
task before me to be bothered about depressing National news and other
seemingly intellectual discussions initiated on social media. I am yet to even
get wind of whatever the president of Nigeria must have shared to his people
this morning.
I really wanted to
write something well processed and constructed leading up to October 1st
but a combination of my first nephew arriving on Sunday and self-inflicted
spiritual exile have basically shut down however temporarily any ideas I may
have had; that is if I had any at all. It is important for me to be constantly
reminded that any rumblings in the mind can never be attributed to any acquired
skill alone; the struggle I have had just to process a thought over the past
few days is testament to that. I now understand better that it is indeed the
breath of the Almighty that gives understanding to the spirit within; many
refute the potency of that breath and the inherent ability to do far beyond the
best of human capacity. It is clear to me that I do not just write for myself;
I write to become better. I write so that we can become better; so that we can
be truly alive and responsive to eternal stimulus.
Reflecting on Nigeria
should be able to instantly trigger a cardiovascular accident and deflate any
hope in her existence and survival. This nation is in corruption induced
multiple organ failure with clear evidence of her poor status; ulcers caused by
ethnic, religious and political pathogens spot the entrails of this potentially
great nation. The persistent internal and external hemorrhaging afflicting this
nation is enough to submerge a substantial number of justice-deficient
countries; we are absolutely in a class of our own. I was talking geography and
government with a young British-Indian female student the other day and she
went on and on about how corrupt the government in India was and I just simple
laughed. I then asked her if her country of origin has anonymous men who fly
across lands and seas with non-virtual American currency to purchase weapons of
moderate destruction aboard consecrated private jets. She was of course
speechless and even more baffled when I told her about a few other absurdities
that are normal occurrences in the giant of Africa. I assured her that India’s
situation was far better than ours because the people seemed capable to mount
consolidated mass action to demand and also effect change. The regular
relentless protests to unfortunate gang rapes and murders get to the global
front pages and headlines. A seemingly comfortable and under-performing government
was recently sacked in the last vote due to the force generated by the
people.
I have thought
severally about the exact problem that limits Nigeria. It may be safe to say
that the etiology of our problems is multifactorial but I will stick out my
head and say a very important deficiency is “understanding” especially on the
part of the people. The people are seemingly very religious but may be actually
far from the source of all inspiration. It is a deficiency of understanding
that will make anyone suggest that Nigeria is not faced by real life
threatening issues. It must have been a lack of understanding that caused grown women and a few men with posters and branded outfits to storm the
“#BringBackOurGirls” protest site in Abuja chanting dissenting and inappropriate
slogans. How else can one explain National award ceremonies going on every year
when entire settlements are razed down and over 200 young girls who are
citizens of the country remain as spoils of war? The people must be completely
blank to sleep and wake up in the depths of hades daily drenched in their own
sweat and speckled with their own blood from reflex slapping and smashing
unfortunate, frail, juice sucking Anopheles. Is it possible for the people to
realize that driving on adequately and completely tarred roads is not a
dividend of democracy? Is it simply possible for Nigerians to realize the arson
they initiate, indulge or propagate in the Nigerian state whenever they stand
behind or exalt mediocrity and lethal divisive sentiments above true wisdom? It
is not enough for the leaders to continue to delude themselves with false
rhetoric of gigantism or blaming disgruntled village witches and familiar
spirits from a certain party determined to enhance or undermine any
transformation agenda depending on the exact nature of the transformation in
question.
Elihu said in Job 32:9
that “Great men are not always wise neither do the aged understand judgement”.
Nations established as great may not necessarily be wise in all they do not to
talk of those that appropriate greatness to themselves. It must definitely be a
lack of understanding for anybody to deem Al majiri schools apt for children
from a certain zone while American-International schools are substandard for
his own. We read statements and listen to utterances from controversial
political and religious leaders and find it irrelevant to pay attention to what
is hidden between the lines. I responded to a post on a fine gentleman’s
Facebook wall regarding the recent controversy about Jet fuel, bullets and rose
tinted glasses. The man in the eye of the storm released a statement that I
found very arrogant. I only highlighted the most distasteful portion to me and
followed that up with my own comment.
He said; "Let me
make a passionate appeal to our heads of blocks, heads of denominations and
Christian leaders at different levels and spheres of influence to please use
your good offices to caution and control your subordinates and followers from
making public statements that will further polarise the Church and strengthen
the arms of the enemies of the church."
To use their offices to
caution and control? Whatever does that mean? I think he should never have said
anything but just resigned. If he thought a craft was too expensive to
maintain, then he should have sold it. He claims he had nothing to do with the
transaction and mission to South Africa as it was a leasing company that
handled that. Is the craft not licensed in his name? So the leasing company
could have used the plane to convey ammunition to Sambisa as long as the money
for the trip was paid? Does he want to claim he had no knowledge of the SA trip
at all? He wants to tell us that he was not aware that 3 blokes borrowed his
jet with 10million dollars on board and he did not get wind of such plane
crashing breakthrough? I want to believe that people laid hands on that vessel
on the day it was dedicated and consecrated for strictly the master’s use. If
indeed it was a blessing from God; he should have trusted the giver for the
funds to keep the craft airborne instead of outsourcing for fund generation.
Could he not be bothered if a house in his name but leased out became a hideout
for ritualists or a strip club? If he thought the plane was a burden; he should
pray for a submarine in the next installment.
My hope is sorrowful
but remains alive. The embers of a great future are kept alive in the divinely
equipped remnants that yet believe. There is still hope that those blinded by
hate and held captive by generational yearnings for justice can still believe
in the union. There is still hope that God will breathe upon the unwise so they
can arise from their folly and join hands to rescue this nation from their acts
of commission. The people need to realize like India that the occupants in our
boys quarter situated in Abuja have overstayed their welcome and have become
parasitic and unproductive beyond measure. Nigeria is 54; Independence age but
I believe there is nothing significant to rejoice or give comical National
awards about. It is high time we stopped making excuses for this big baby; we
cannot and should not continue to indulge and reinforce corruption and
mediocrity because we are a nascent democracy or because the English language
is not in our DNA. How long will we continue to do like Stephen Keshi whose
apologists continue to mention a perpetual rebuilding process despite being the
current African champions? Would we still have 7 point agendas brandished
towards 2015? Should we not have at least addressed most of the points since
Yar’adua coined that phrase?
There is still hope
that Nigeria can thrive again despite what the markers indicate. May the good
Lord breathe on us so we can realize the responsibilities we owe a nation that
has failed us in so many ways; a nation that we would be praised to the highest
heavens even if we walked away from her. We all should be grieved but retain
hope however fickle or negligible.
I still believe.
Jide Akeju
1/10/2014
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