Do Nigerians Deserve A Resounding Slap...?
Prince Charles Dickson
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Jos, Plateau Nigeria
A friend had constant migraine, and was always in pain. And in one such time, she decided to explain how she got the ailment. She told me that while she was in secondary school, a senior had slapped her, so, so hard, it felt like several hands were involved. Truthfully it was only one hand, the force only made it resounding. It had a reverberating echo.
One needs to be slapped with such force to appreciate or better feel the pain. The Yorubas would say "ti nba fo lati oyi ako e" meaning "if I slap you, you will feel dizzy". The Ibo version when translated means "I will slap off your ear' and the Hausas say "Za ka daku" meaning resounding punishment. And I think the last properly places it, do Nigerians deserve a resounding punishment that will leave a person unconscious, with the ears gone...
What is this about, how does a slap have to do with anything Nigeria? I would use the word slap itself in the following context: Hitting (someone or something) with the palm of one's hand or a flat object : my sister slapped my face. As a noun, a blow with the palm of the hand or a flat object : he gave her a slap across her cheek.
With these explanations, I can safely say that in the last two decades Nigerians have continually received slaps of varying degrees from leadership. We have seen so many leaders that have come as the Messiah who not only fail woefully but leave as demons. The actions of these leaders have amounted to slaps that we have out of choice become accustomed to. So much so that we do not get migraine anymore. We have forgotten the slaps. The slaps we received for asking for democracy, we got 'corruptocracy'.
For demanding a secure defense sector we got the fraud called the Makunjola saga, the billions that are fleeced through defense contracts. For asking for quality health, they slapped us with resounding ill-health so much that in these time and age Nigerians die of malaria. We possess some of the deadliest statistics, high infant mortality, third highest blind, second highest diabetes, the list is endless. These slaps mortgage life out of us.
Since the early 80's no government has been able to fashion out an effective and solution based model at tackling the unemployment problem of the nation. Our roads are death traps and I hear someone saying I am repeating the same problems. Yes and so because when a child does not seem to be getting it in, you keep repeating par adventure one day change may occur.
I had thought that in the words of Benjamin Disraeli "All of us encounter, at least once in our life, some individual who utters words that make us think forever. There are men whose phrases are oracles; who condense in one sentence the secrets of life; who blurt out an aphorism that forms a character or illustrates an existence.
Sadly a mere thought, as Nigerians have perpetually chosen to make Nigeria and Nigerians bitter about our existence. Today we have a good man, but a bad system and seeminly a lack of purpose. How can we escape being slapped in the face. If we live and see 2011, what will be the testimony, migraine or sound health?
I say that Nigerians like my friend deserve a resounding slap, one that would necessitate us to ask questions. Questions such as how many hands are slapping us, why, do we deserve these slaps and the effects of these slaps. We complain almost forever and refuse to hold back the hand that is inflicting the slaps on us.
The political class lacks the will, the people are denied the courage through continuos plunder, abuse and degradation of values of life. Nothing seems to make us think, even for few moments, we live it and once there is a blink, we all forget. There are no encounters, nothing paints our existence or illustrates who we are other than a nation that has always been slapped by its own.
In the light of actions of grave consequences, someone choses the catch song, "things are getting better". In the face of decay, we call it reform. A Reverend 'Jolly' Fellow Nyame docked in prison for slapping the entire Taraba. The Joshua of his time left his State better than he met it. "More migraine for the good people of Plateau".
Turaki used Jigawa's collective wealth to slap an insatiable thirst for foreign trips. Orji Kalu, another tale and between these men, if proven over 300 slaps against their people and, maybe still selective we berate the EFCC. But I really do think Nigerians have to start slapping back. If the EFCC will facilitate this, who cares. When these men slap us they neglect the rule of law and we want to slap back, we talk of due process.
The truth is that revolutions do not follow due process, most times a resounding slap is best treated via another resounding slap. If 140 million people say a foolish thing it does not become a wise one, but the wise man is foolish to give them the lie. This is the story of Nigeria, we call abuse resilience, but that does not make it true or wise. We call docility a die hard attitude, for how long?
I earn peanuts by Nigerian standards, from that I keep a family, pay bills, expend on daily contingencies, there is no reason to break it down as it would bring about pity.
And I refuse to be slapped by the system. I refuse to get migraine, but from time to time I feel just a hand's slap from the system like several blows to the body and in these I chose to speak an open and disinterested language, dictated by no passion but that of humanity. To me, who have not only refused offers, because I thought them improper, but have declined rewards I might with reputation have accepted, it is no wonder that meanness and imposition appear disgustful. Independence is my happiness, and I view things as they are, without regard to place or person; my country is the world and home Nigeria, and my religion is to do good.
We need to take our fate in our hands, or the truth is that there is no end in sight. The slaps will only increase, every one slap feeling like many slaps to the body. And what a future with all these slaps, kids with slaps, wives with slaps, husbands with slaps, ethnic groups slapped beyond compare, religion with slaps, and governance already slapped with maladministration. Need I remind us that the Almighty Allah is watching, better the wrath of Allah then the vengeance of men...Leaders be warned, and the led beware.
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Posted by Robot| 19.07.2007 09:59