30 Jun 2008 |
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One thing that is badly needed to hold other things from falling apart in our beloved land is having leaders who are imbued with the spirit of serving by the rule, in which case by the rule we mean according to the rule of law. Some leaders are born great; some have greatness thrust on them while some personally walk the paths angels fear to tread in achieving greatness and become wise for it. Okonkwo aptly typifies a greatness achieved by dint of singleness of purpose as he survives an inconsequential father who, rather than leave behind inheritable assets which could have given him a sound beginning in life, dies heavily indebted to a number of kinsmen. Okonkwo luckily lives in a world where a man’s worth is not judged by the estate or good reputation of his father (dead or alive) but by his own success or otherwise. He thus can be described as achieving greatness, for his palm-kernels are not cracked for him by any benevolent spirit. He musters all his god-given strength to crack them himself. Okonkwo is undoubtedly a great man but unfortunately a victim of a generational circumstance. A wilful warrior no doubt, but at the same time a democrat as far the affairs of his community are concerned. No single report is made of Okonkwo flouting any communal agreement in which he is involved both at home and in exile, even when he begs to disagree. A successful farmer, respected and feared warrior in whose awe even many older men stand, Okonkwo would not allow his physical and economic strength go to his head and foist any do-or-die theory on his kinsmen when his views are not bought in any community deliberations. His society is not a democratically regulated entity, thus he may not have apology for ruling his household as he deems required. But it is a truism that democracy is a natural requirement in any gathering of rational and independent beings; no wonder Okonkwo in spite of his unequalled fiery temper and love for quick action rather than talk, does sit through many village meetings, listening to reasons for certain actions or inactions to be taken (even where some of such reasons are to him unreasonable) without a single record of walk out or such utterances unbefitting of a leader, like CAN my foot! Okonkwo does not conceal his hatred for the new religion, unlike many men of power who profess and even seek more knowledge about the new religion but do contrary to its tenets in leading fellow men. He is especially fond of his first daughter, Ezinma, but not to the point of dubiously securing a seat for her in an assembly of men. He would rather break such a head with his own hand than have a son who would not be able to hold his head high in a gathering of men. Okonkwo does not unnecessarily indulge any of his wives, not even the most beautiful who bears for him just a child. It is an established fact that rule of law is not peculiarly synonymous with democracy, for success of any social contract as a replacement for the state of nature is dependent on strict adherence to the rule of law. Some of the giant countries of the world are still either constitutional monarchies, communist or military states, yet adherence to their laws as exemplified by their leaders is the strength of their vertical movement in the comity of world nations. It is thus not surprising that Okonkwo, a rustic of the pre-modern democracy, strives all the days of his life to be unequalled in obeying the gods and their laws. His ego, as characteristic of all men of substance, does not reserve any space for conscious breach of any laws of the land, even as unwritten and copious as they are. And where he inadvertently breaks any, impunity is never in contemplation as he obediently submits to the consequences of his actions, such as when he beats his wife in a Week of Peace and when he commits a female ochu leading to his exile. Okonkwo as a phenomenon is therefore a watertight antithesis to the porous thesis that a military background is a reason for reckless disregard for the rule of law. For some leaders, eight years is what they need to ravage their independent fatherland (?) with reckless abandon, whereas in Okonkwo’s case an exile of eight years less one is all it requires to enable men of other lands colonize his land of birth. For many men in power, wearing the ultimate crown is always Not Their Will yet they often wear the crown to the people’s detriment, while Okonkwo’s Will to take the highest title in the land is not to be, notwithstanding his infectious patriotism! What a world. Unlike many a leader, the people’s wish is always Okonkwo’s Command, to the point of killing a promising foster son -Ikemefuna. And, though he suffers no fool gladly, he regards no fellow being an Animal Called Man. We have seen some journeys from prison to presidency but in Okonkwo’s case, it is a frustration-induced journey from prison to heaven. And worse still, without a grave let alone a befitting burial, in spite of commendable contributions and meritorious service to fatherland! Some men of power do not mind falling things apart with bloody elections, but Okonkwo will rather elect to take his own life without blood than see Things Fall Apart. Where do we find our own rule of law-oriented Okonkwo as the Leader of Our Land? Rahmon Okunade, Managing Editor, Tiwa n Tiwa Magazine, Nigeria.
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