Our Karmic burden as Nigerians

Just some random musing. What determines where a person is born, the type of parents one has and the country where one is born to? Is there any possible rational explanation for the nationality one comes from? Is there any reasoning to the selection of people in a country or even continent? Why was one man born an American and another a Nigerian? These were the kind of thoughts racing through my mind this afternoon. I refuse to believe that these occurrences could have a random origin nor accept the dismissive, simplistic (and sometimes daft explanation of the “work of God” phenomenon). The world is too organised for it to be a product of randomness. From the microscopic organism to the gigantic species on earth, the interwoven relationship of the cosmogony removes any doubt about a superior order.

When the idea of this essay came to my mind, I browsed through the net to find out if someone had expressed a similar idea in the past. The only significant one I found was the write-up of Ozodi Thomas Osuji titled: Karma and Africans (The Nigerian Village Square, 03 February 2009). This remains a very interesting piece to read, no matter what your view of Osuji is. In there lies some fundamental truth. It is perhaps important for us as a people and as a nation to begin to be more introspective about our being and existence. The present muddle called Nigeria has underlined the need for sober reflections and non-sentimental introspection. We have tried force (war, religious uprisings, political uprisings) and to certain extent peace without achieving much. Religion that should possibly provide succour has taken flight of reason and turned to a monster that should be feared. Religious leaders have discovered that it is more rewarding to liaise with temporal leaders to achieve complete subjugation of the citizenry. This is the sort of situation that allows fertile minds to flourish.

The number of mosques and churches in Nigeria today with, presumably the intensity of prayers, special prayers, intercessional services and revivals for Nigeria has not influenced the destructive and retrogressive path we seemed to have charted for ourselves as a people. Hence resorting to esoteric meaning of being a Nigerian should not be a puzzle to anyone. A situation that defies physical and spiritual interventions necessarily calls for an attempt at esoteric divination in the effort to find meaning and reason.

Africa would continue to remain the Dark Continent, not so much for the complexion of the bulk of its inhabitants but for the unshakeable hold of karma on it. Karma? That word re-echoes again. For a continent of over a billion people, supposedly the origin of creation and now the bastion of underdevelopment and unprecedented poverty and diseases, the concept of karma do not seem so alien. The concept is only alien to those who are alien to it. While the supposed off-shoot of Africa in other continents of the world have moved on, Africa has remained stagnant, commendably assisted by greedy and incompetent rulers and fundamentally entrenched in superstition, ignorance and poverty. The continent has reeled from one disaster to another, from warfare to warfare and from catastrophe to catastrophe. Painfully, Africa is a rich continent, perhaps a testimony to the intent of nature for its inhabitants barring the invisible hand of karma. Karma again!

For the purpose of this essay, I would want us to confine ourselves to Black Africa only. Relating the concept of karma to Africa may not be as difficult as it appears. It is true that the term “karma” is not of African origin, but its explained modus operandi seems to give an uncomfortable meaning to the travails of Africans. Taking Nigeria as a microcosm of the African continent, the concept of karma gives an uncomfortable meaning to the reason why we are Nigerians.

Most African cosmogony implies explicit belief in the continuation of life and the linkages of existence. It is perhaps more pronounced in some cultures than in others. A study of the Yoruba’s way of life shows an inherent belief in the concept of re-incarnation. This is manifested in many aspects of their culture, including the names of children, ceremonies indulged in at the birth of a new child – the Ifa-oriented Akosewasaye ceremonies and so on. Ozodi Thomas Osuji affirmed that the Ibos also believe in reincarnation and this is evident from the names of children like Nene, and so many other aspects of the Igbo cultures. I really cannot say much about the Hausa/Fulanis, being a culture that has been swallowed by the Arabic Islamic way of life. Nevertheless, so many other characteristics of various Nigerian ethnic groups serve as a solid pointer to the almost universal nature of the belief in re-incarnation.

The concept of re-incarnation is extremely intertwined with that of karma, hence my discomfort with the posit of Thomas Osuji in affirming that “the Ibos believe in reincarnation but not in karma”. It is difficult to separate one from the other as then the isolated one fails to make sense. Reincarnation, the concept of birth and re-birth, may not appear such a strange term to so many people. It is that inherent belief that we live to die, move to a celestial plane and then come back to the physical plane again. It is plausible and non-controversial to interpret that physical plane as this world but for those more open-minded, the physical plane could be any plane of existence within the physical world. It is, of course, still contentious but many are convinced that earth is not really the only plane of existence on the physical plane. True, science has not yet identified any other within our solar system but then, has science explained everything pertaining to man’s existence? We need not digress.

If the purpose of re-incarnation is an opportunity to work out accumulated karma, then it thus makes sense. A school of thought believes that the concept of re-incarnation in the physical plane is particularly important in the sense that the karma that was accumulated in the physical plane could only be burnt off in such. The principle of karma is a universal one that transcends any particular faith or religion. It has even been boldly stated to be one that defies acceptance or rejection in the sense that it works mechanically and efficiently, whether one believe in it or not. Reconciling this concept with some modern day religions remain a nightmare. However, I think the problem should not be that of fitting in this concept to these religions but that of the adherents of such faiths learning to be receptive to this ancient knowledge.

If karmic influences (as distinct from fate) play a role in where a child is born, type of parents born to and so on, it thus makes a lot of sense to say that karma determines even the country where we are born. Stretching this further, it becomes obvious that being born into a particular country is not an accident of fate, but a need to work out mutual karma amongst multitudes. Being born a Nigerian is thus not an accident, no matter how forthright, pure or uncompromising we might be. It could sometimes be perplexing to imagine that in a country renowned for its prolific attributes to breed international 419s, embezzlers, thieves, unscrupulous politicians, dubious international businessman, exist respectable, humane personalities like celebrated playwrights, a Nobel laureate, renowned scientists and academicians. The lack of balance could be amazing but becomes clearer when viewed from the point of view of karma. Perhaps at this point, it is essential to state that even in this cluster, different beings operate on different levels on the karmic chain. Thus, for a Nobel laureate to exist in the midst of 419s does not imply that he was a 419 in a previous life or vice versa.

The postulation above may explain the confusion in the minds of those still baffled about why they were born Nigerians. In the present circumstances, it is nothing glorious being a Nigerian. This is the fact, irrespective of what the irredentists might say. A country with a completely battered image where hope effectively turns to despair, where pains, hunger, ignorance, corrupt and ineffective leadership, political mismanagement and you name it, remain the order of the day. A country existing in the midst of abundance and that yet abundantly impoverishes its citizens. It is has been a really dark night for Nigeria and her citizens. Could it also be a dark night for our collective karmas? This is a big question, one probably beyond the scope of this write-up.

From the point of view of karma, why is one a Nigerian? You could be a Nigerian for one of millions of reasons. It could be that having been a fraudster in a previous life, it became mandatory for you to be born and exist in a similar environment to work out this karma. Presumably, working out such karma implies the ability to resist the lure of such a venture again. You could also be a Nigerian because you have so worked out your karma such that you needed to move to the next level. However, you needed such a negative environment like Nigeria to actually cement your place in the higher order of creation. Thus, Nigeria becomes your testing ground and could be your waterloo if care is not taken. You could also be a Nigerian because you are still so new and hence so low in human evolution that the best place that could be found for your initial tests or baptism of human existence is Nigeria. You equally could be a Nigerian simply because one knot or the other in your accumulated karma warrants an environment like this. Thus in the myriads of Nigerians that we see exist pious men and women, fraudsters, ordinary souls trying to forge ahead on the path of spiritual unfoldment and lesser, raw and uncut souls, new to human existence. It is indeed a spectacle and hence our current dilemma as a nation becomes understandable. The mix of incompatibles breeds nothing but turbulence of a volcanic nature. Is there any other way to compare the situation in Nigeria today?

The Buddhists teach us that karma is the law of moral causation. It explains why one man is brought up “in the lap of luxury, endowed with fine mental, moral and physical qualities and another in absolute poverty, steeped in misery (http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/karma.htm). Karma attempts to explain the observed inequalities in this our plane of existence. It is a Pali word that has remained the core of the fundamental truth in explaining existence. If I may borrow liberally from the quoted source above, the observed inequality in human beings is due not only to heredity, environment, "nature and nurture", but also to Karma. In other words, it is the result of our own past actions and our own present doings. We ourselves are responsible for our own happiness and misery. We create our own Heaven. We create our own Hell. We are the architects of our own fate.

I need to state that the concept of karma is pretty complex and its workings so intricate. It is not a fatalistic principle where everything we do on this earth and our birth is so pre-ordained because of some past actions or karma. Rather, it incorporates the principle of choice or what is recognised as free will. We might have been ordained to be born Nigerians as a result of some past deed, yet we retain the free will not to be limited by the Nigerian concept or Nigerian dream. We retain the choice to rise above the limitations of Nigeria and function as a free, enlightened being that has made the pursuit of knowledge and freedom its choice. Some Nigerians, by their deed and words are already operating on this plane. The principle of karma did not set out to create a mechanical life that totally conditions present existence. It is not a fatalistic belief.

I have touched on a contentious subject but with a conviction of belief in its certainty. The subject of karma is complex but understandable for those who take the pain to study it. My purpose is just to plant a seed. A seed that can give meaning to life and living. A seed that can give meaning to the vagaries of existence. The aim of this essay is to emphasise that even we as Nigerians, despite the burden of collective karma, still have the free will. In that free will lays our strength as individuals and as a nation. The knowledge of our being and existence is a weapon to make a meaning of life and in the process work out accumulated karma. This essay cannot, of course, replace bigger texts on the topic.

An attitude of sorrow, apathy and lamentation may not be the right one to the current travails of being a Nigerian. Rather, one where positive values remain entrenched and determination its core. We owe it to ourselves to do the best we could for our nation. We owe it to ourselves to stand firm in the face of tyranny and suppression. We owe it a duty to reject corruption, aggrandisement and greed. We owe it a task to abandon those negative attributes that perpetually ties man into the unending cycle of birth and re-birth. We owe it a duty to confront political tyranny and mismanagement. We owe it a duty to protest corrupt leadership and shameless vote manipulations. We owe it to ourselves to create a better Nigeria. This is perhaps a way to work out our mutual karma and possibly cease to be a Nigerian in another life!

I have attempted to align the esoteric teaching with a temporal order. The orthodox line might frown at this but it is an inescapable part of the Nigerian dilemma. Being a Nigerian is not easy in these times and there must definitely be a way out. I am not advocating for uncontrolled militancy. I am only calling for rejection of all that that perpetually ties us to the unpleasant chain. Wole Soyinka did not boldly affirm that the man dies in him that fails to react in the face of oppression and subjugation for nothing. It was probably the principle of karma operating in its subtlety when this famous sentence was made!

Robot  # 1 | 16.06.2009 21:59

Our Karmic burden as Nigerians Just some random musing. What determines where a person is born, the type of parents one has and the country where one is born to? Is there any possible rational explanation for the nationality one comes from? Is there any reasoning to the selection of people in a country or even continent? Why was one man born an American and another a Nigerian? These were the kind of thoughts racing through my mind this afternoon. I refuse to believe that these occurrences could have a random origin nor accept the dismissive, simplistic (and sometimes daft explanation of the “work of God” phenomenon). The world is too organised for it to be a product of randomness. From the microscopic organism to the gigantic species on earth, the interwoven relationship of the cosmogony removes any doubt about a superior order. When the idea of this essay came to my mind, I browsed through the net to find out if someone had expressed a similar ...Read the full article.

Simbili  # 2 | 17.06.2009 11:01

Thank you for your reflective piece. I ask myself the same question as part of my 'religious' ritual every morning, afternoon, evening and night. I finally came to the conclusion that it was because God made it so. But acccording to Dele Momodu, he has explained this as a 'burden' to be shared by all. http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=145932 The Burden of Being A Nigerian Pendulum By Dele Momodu,email:delemomodu@thisdayonline.com, 06.13.2009 I spent most of last week in Washington DC and the days were well spent. Everywhere I went, the topic was always Nigeria. Nigeria seems to have become a major burden for most of its citizens. Wherever two or more Nigerians are gathered, there is usually nothing else to discuss than the failure of leadership, and our steady slide into apocalyptic state. To say everyone is worried is an understatement. There is nothing to suggest that Nigerian politicians appreciate, or even care, about the dangers that ominously hang over us. The way they are carrying on suggests that these reckless fellows may once more endanger the democracy we suffered so much to attain. When a nation is incapable of transferring power from one civilian to the other, in an atmosphere of peace, then we are all doomed. Politics for us is a matter of life and death. Elections remain a theatre of war, and opponents must be crushed without mercy. If a whole BAT (Bola Ahmed Tinubu) could cry out so stridently about the manner some powerful forces in Nigeria have been threatening him with EFCC, then we are indeed in trouble. This confirms what we heard during the electoral malfeasance in Ekiti State, that the federal government had warned Tinubu to stay away from causing trouble for the ruling party in Ekiti. Failure to heed this blackmail may lead to his files being revisited at EFCC. What nonsense? We thought we had seen the end of this type of abuse of power. While some files are being closed, the underprivileged ones like Tinubu have theirs being kept for regular oiling in the cabinets. The brave man had to outsmart the foxes by taking the battle to their doorstep, and exposing the shenanigans of vindictive politicians. We’ve never been lucky with most of our rulers. It is no longer news that we have very weak, incompetent, ineffectual, corrupt, wicked, ruthless, visionless politicians in Nigeria. What is news is that Nigeria parades some of the brightest people on the surface of the earth and yet cannot elect such people into office. The few good people who manage to get into power are never allowed to make a difference. They are often suffocated by those who joined politics for personal gains. We tend to complain a lot, but without visible results. Every Nigerian knows what is wrong with us. Even theoretically, we all seem to have the solutions. Why then is it impossible to apply our knowledge to finding lasting answers to many questions begging for attention? How come we are so used to “suffering and smiling”? Could there be a spiritual dimension to our problems? It is baffling that we can endure so much pain. It is amazing how we simply shrug our shoulders to very serious issues, and move on with our lives as if nothing happened. There is not a single thing that we can point at that our rulers have generously done for us. We lack good roads, yet we drive the most expensive cars on it. We build houses we cannot maintain in the most expensive slums in the world. We all have our individual boreholes at home to serve as private water corporations. Generators fight loudly for attention in every single home or flat. There are no sacred neighbourhoods. Abuja, our brand new city is already collapsing. Nowhere is our rulers’ lack of vision so palpable than Abuja. It is obvious we have again missed an opportunity to build a city that can rival Canberra in Australia, or Brasilia in Brazil. We seem to suffer irredeemably from poverty mentality and can never copy the right things that we are so used to seeing elsewhere. This was the platform on which we rested our discussions during a beautiful brunch which was hosted for me last Saturday by a young 26-year old Nigerian, Bankole Omisore, at The National Press Club, on 14th Street, Washington DC, a very historic edifice that has played host to the crème de le crème of American politicians and showbiz personalities. For me as a journalist, it was the perfect environment to enjoy the best of American burgers, and jaw-jaw on the issues of serious concerns to all of us. I had struck a beautiful relationship with Bankole last year, at the Annual Nigerian Reunion Summit in Baltimore, where I gave a talk, and interacted with thousands of Nigerian youths. Bankole had chaperoned me on that occasion, and demonstrated his incredible love for Nigeria even at that tender age. He would later introduce me more forcefully to Facebook, a monster that has now taken over the world. Today, I have the privilege of over 4,000 friends, with another 4,000 waiting for me to confirm them. Interestingly, Bankole controls the Ovation International magazine (loud for a purpose) group on Facebook, and has already attracted over 5,000 members, and growing at an average of 100 new members per day. This whizz-kid has opened my eyes to the awesome possibilities of technology. He was able to register and tutor me on the latest craze in town, Twitter. The generation of Banks, as we all fondly call him, is so determined to change Nigeria through technology. They have vowed never to allow Nigerians to be slaughtered on the streets while campaigning for enduring democracy and good governance. Their strategy is to use the Internet to reach as many enlightened Nigerians, at home and abroad. Believe me, these guys are winning, slowly but surely. They post my column on Facebook every week, so that those who may not be interested in reading newspapers on-line can have access to the serious issues we tackle these days. I cannot thank these Nigerians enough for their selfless contributions to nation-building. They have contributed largely to my unbounded optimism lately. We must pay special tribute to these unsung heroes who are working round the clock to achieve positive changes for Nigeria. These are guys who combine their regular jobs with sitting on their Blackberries to send messages at the speed of light. We must encourage them to carry on for they are the salt of our world. One can only hope that more Nigerians would also take advantage of the many stunts that technology has put on parade today. Back to our brunch, Bankole was able to hook up his group with the older generation by attracting the famous Professor Bolaji Aluko of Howard University and Mr Muyiwa Sobo, a distinguished Attorney in the Washington Metropolitan area. It was a meeting for about a dozen people and we had very useful insight into the problems of Nigeria through Professor Aluko. He was of the opinion that the decision of Chief Obafemi Awolowo to move from the Western Region to the center robbed Nigeria of the opportunity of every region developing at its own pace. According to him, the South-west would have become like the Singapore of Nigeria, while offering the other regions the spirit of competition. He lamented that all the enviable legacies of Awolowo and his vibrant team have come to ruin in the hands of the carpetbaggers who have taken over the whole place. He wondered why nothing concrete has been added to the innovations brought into governance by Awolowo. We talked about the dearth of good people in politics. It was agreed that that decent people have allowed themselves to be intimidated by political upstarts and thugs. We have inadvertently transferred the levers of power to most of the certified crooks that are ready to play the game by any means necessary, while we are busy running away from what we call the dirty game. The simple analogy is that of beauty contests. We always complain that Miss This and Miss That are very ugly, yet we keep our own pretty daughters under lock and key. It is the same with politics. We cannot continue to complain about the poor quality of politicians we have when none of us is ready to join the fray. As for those of us who may not be ready for elective office, there is always a positive role to play. We can start to effect change by helping to mobilize voters for good candidates. We can also help to recruit foot-soldiers who would help to protect the votes of the right candidates. It is very clear that useless candidates would always spend huge fortunes to amass guns and cutlasses but there are lessons to be learnt from the past. You can only rig where you are popular. That is the main reason PDP amassed all its votes predominantly from one zone. In the future, we must never allow ourselves to be caught unawares. Since we know Maurice Iwu is a beautiful leopard who can never change his skin, all hands must be on deck to beat this master at his the game. We must put a lie to his brazen propaganda. Everyone must come out to vote. After voting we must stay around to ensure no hanky-panky is introduced. We agreed at our brunch to take this campaign to all our friends and families. Nigeria cannot afford another four years of this dangerous drift. All over the world, Nigerians are crying. Most people want to come home. But they are worried about the state of affairs. They hardly receive good news from home. A friend said he was trying hard to cajole his young kids to visit Nigeria, and where they refuse; he may have to apply pressure. All the kids are complaining about lack of steady electricity. The news that the ruling government is pumping more money into that sector is being scorned at by most people. They are of the opinion that the problem was never that of funding. It is that of a perpetual sabotage by those satanic profiteers who are benefitting from our collective misery. There is also the issue of awarding contracts to those who will never get the job done after collecting full payments. Examples of such unexecuted contracts abound in our country. Yet the contractors are usually untouchable. There is also a consensus on the issue of getting rid of our traditional politicians who have failed us so woefully. After ruling us for about 50 years, we must begin to ease them out of the system. Most of them started their political careers when they were in their twenties. Now some of us are nearing 50, yet we are being looked at as “small boys”. When are we going to mature enough to be able to serve our dear country? The same politicians are being recycled over and over again, as if the rest of us are idiots. We must challenge the retrogressive system that makes it possible for the worst politicians of our society to force themselves on us. Lucky to have over 4000 friends. You are truly blessed. Let us wait for God to deliver us.

Silent 1  # 3 | 18.06.2009 04:56

This one is full, start to finish,of suppositions as irrefutable facts, of course without the slightest shred of evidencce. Unless you accept African cosmogony as evidence. The writer starts by begging the question of Karma. Without proving Karma, he moves ahead,very quickly,to assert its hold on "Black Africa" nay Nigeria. He then goes on to somewhat imply that Nigeria exists to offer a platform for the redemption and severance of negative Karmic threads. He informs that inequalities are at least, part Karmic ( I suppose these inequalities to include disabilities). If, i remember correctly, this is about the very same reason that got Glenn Hoddle ( former England national soccer coach) in trouble. Do we recall the Thalidomide incidences of the 50's and 60's? Do we also begin to see the malevolence of a Karmic link? But, let us for argument's sake accept Karma. I am wondering how Karma which "attempts to explain" very suddenly translates into a "fundermental truth in explaining existence". How is the co-existence of "humane personalities" and "fraudsters, embelzlers....e.t.c" within a concept that preaches homogeneity explained? The theory that it provides an opportunity to confirm / elevate those "humane personalities" to the "next level" seems to me a case of working from solution to problem. And what else can "Africa would continue to remain the Dark Continent" mean if, not inexorable destiny? Where then is the "free will"? I think the solution to our problems lie in the investment of our "talents", not burying it like that foolish Biblical servant and, certainly not in some unproven, un-provable, arcane esotric concept that has not found use nor helped any people anywhere. Well, its not simply investing our talents. All I am saying like the author is that we work. But, unlike the author thats where I end.

quietswami  # 4 | 01.07.2009 07:05

At best - comic relief, at worst suicide inducing! A "worthy" explanation for my kids and future generations! Their plight is due to some nebulous cosmic intervention; their fate is sealed - don't bother with anything else! To indulge this piece - which generation exactly has got this trait? And how many re-occurrences are expected? Answers will cater for the necessary reversible solution of mass culling to completely eliminate the curse to avoid endless perpetuity! Wow! Anything for an excuse! Never has my intelligence been so roundly insulted and assaulted! Never have I felt the need to go so medieval on a piece! I'm in need of some cleansing meditation to calm my raging soul...uuhmmmmm..

qwerty  # 5 | 01.07.2009 07:49

=Simbili;364355>Thank you for your reflective piece. I ask myself the same question as part of my 'religious' ritual every morning, afternoon, evening and night. I finally came to the conclusion that it was because God made it so. But acccording to Dele Momodu, he has explained this as a 'burden' to be shared by all. http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=145932 Lucky to have over 4000 friends. You are truly blessed. Let us wait for God to deliver us. Simbili, I hope your post was tongue-in-cheek, but I believe this is exactly the type of 'God-thinking' that has led us to where we are. As long as the ordinary man keeps using the excuse of 'God will help us, it is God's will, God will do this and God will do that, the path to desctruction is assurred.

Simbili  # 6 | 01.07.2009 10:01

=qwerty;368223>Simbili, I hope your post was tongue-in-cheek, but I believe this is exactly the type of 'God-thinking' that has led us to where we are. As long as the ordinary man keeps using the excuse of 'God will help us, it is God's will, God will do this and God will do that, the path to desctruction is assurred. Not at all. No tongue in the cheek affair at all. Some nations exist to fulfill a divine prophesy, allbeit a curse. Nigeria(Nigerians) exists for such a purpose. . . to demonstrate the wrath of God. We are a cursed people by God himself.:cry: