In Nigeria, the system (an evil set-up euphemism) is such a big deal. It is a crying shame it wields such enormous powers. Sired by designers who never wanted it to work, it remains wired in mediocrity, mired in corruption. The system is a way of life that at once transcends economy, education, health, politics, sports, name it.
The system cares about nobody. In fact, the system doesn’t care about itself. The system doesn’t care a hoot about the hen that lays the golden egg. The system is just there to destroy, to kill, to steal.
Every cycle, the system throws up runners who promise so much but deliver zilch. It’s almost as if this curse is a blessing, because nobody loses sleep about the fact that nothing works. Everyone enjoys the tumultuous rollercoaster ride to nowhere. The system is like the proverbial cat with nine lives.
There is no foundation, no structure holding the entire architecture of the system. There are no visible pillars, no visible columns. Yet, the centre of the system cannot not hold. The system survives like magic.
The system drives against traffic everywhere you turn. Education is not its top priority, the same way it pays scant attention to economy and education and health and politics and sports and allied core areas of human interest. It excellencifies nonsense and nonsensifies excellence. Still, it remains rock solid.
The system exists at every governmental or non-governmental stratum. Go to Damaturu, go to Duke Town, go to Jamestown, go to Kafanchan; go to Nembe Brass, go to Okokomaiko, go to Isuikwato (the big headed threesome), go to Ekpene Ukim (the forest of thorns). The meltdown is real. The outbreak that started as child’s play in the head of the federal kingdom has spread to its body (that is, into the nooks and crannies, even into homes and families).
It is no longer a joke. Everyone is playing everyone but everyone is laughing it off, sheepishly. One person or a tiny few arrogate to themselves the name, the system and its concomitant powers but the rest of us enjoy it as if helplessness make us immune. Fortunately, that thing in the belly of the priest requiring egg meal exists also in the belly of the congregant.
We have had enough of what the system wants and has indeed taken (read stolen). Now is time the system became born again so it receives a new heart to serve all of us. We cannot all be God’s people but allow Satan’s system run our lives. Jeremiah 31:29-30 (KJV) on my mind.
Enough of sacrificing the best for the worst. Enough of going south just to feed the ego of small-minded bigots. Enough of clan interest upstaging general. Enough of this chronic wrong choice when righteous living is the way to go.
Dear System, stop deceiving, stop lying, stop manipulating. Stop treating the good as though they be not. Stop treating the bad as though they be good. Stop treating the rest of us, the alarming majority, as fools: we know more than you do.
Henceforward, we shall no more refuse to field our best. We shall no more allow the labours of our heroes past to be in vain. We shall no more dehumanise our mentor. We shall no more reduce our parents to beggars.
We shall no more impoverish our pensioners. We shall no more grant race and religion these much useless internecine powers. We shall no more push our teachers to the wall. We shall no more think it doesn’t matter, because it does.
We are tired of the system. To be sure, we refer here to plus including all those who bring more tears than laughter. We are sick and tired of performers of evil enterprise. We want a new order.
And, we shall get it. No power can stop the move of God. No principality can withhold the force of an idea whose time has come. Our 400 years is up (Genesis 15:13 KJV).
Resist these crafty idiots, today. Stand up now, my dear people. This is our chance. We cannot be slaves for eternity.
The blind cannot and should not lead the sighted. The fool cannot and should not rule the wise. The Lord’s army cannot and should not be at the mercy of an evil ragtag. Enough of the error!
Stop looking at me like that, thou cowards of Satan. You have encamped here longer than necessary (Deuteronomy 1:6-8 KJV). Go forward even if you can’t (Exodus 14:15-16 KJV). Take a step and you shall see the salvation of the Lord, my Father to whom the battle belongs (2 Chronicles 20 KJV).
Nobody won who didn’t fight. Victory and freedom are Siamese twins conceived, delivered and sustained by strength. The weak can never contemplate victory and freedom let alone achieve and have them for keeps. Stand up now no matter that your mind retorts otherwise: we are taking a head count of recruits for the Lord’s unarmed forces.
Going forward, we want a new consciousness. We shall celebrate only what is celebratable. We shall prefer only what is preferable. We shall say only what we mean and mean what we say.
Never again shall we (because of the system’s body language, peanuts or say-so) love what/who we should hate nor hate what/who we should love. Never again shall we (because of blood or fear or money) reject the best nor accept the worst. Never again shall we add one year to the 30 we already did nor delay beyond today to get out of this mental slavery. Never again shall we shame our helpers nor trek while slaves ride our horses!
The system is dethroned and gone forever. We are free, to worship our God. To enjoy our lives. Light be, forever.
God bless Nigeria!
The limits of everything
Life is funny. Things thought insignificant are the most important. Internalise that fact and fix your life forever.
Take elastic, for instance. It can stretch every time and everywhere but it has limits. Everything else is like that.
Capacity, goodness, honesty, humility and wealth may belong in the premier league of virtues but they (all of them) are limited by you-know-what. Ditto: forgiveness, friendship, love and even life and death. Life is limited by death; death is limited by life.
Please stop and ruminate on the b-part of the last line. Death is limited by life. Stay strong in the continuum.
The whole thing is an unending cycle. You are kind, you are wicked; you are rich, you are poor; you are at the top, you are down under: no matter, you suffer limits. Let this knowledge guide you, from now on (to realise there’s no permanence whatever).
Patience has limits. Joy, too. Even understanding.
Add to that shock shortlist: generosity, laughter, peace, smile, tolerance. They are not forever elastic. They all end at some point.
Is wisdom insulated? It too has limits, my dear. Brilliance or intelligence or sense (call it by whatever name) is limited, eventually.
This is it, really: nothing lasts forever. When patience grumbles or joy frowns, that cycle ends. Think about it.
Stop wondering about vices and negatives: they all have limits. Anger, betrayal, foolishness, greed, ignorance, illiteracy, impatience. Suddenly, they all die off.
Some limits are never to be forgotten, ignored or toyed with. Consider the limits of advantage. Or the limits of enjoyment.
The limits of injustice. The limits of oppression. The limits of possibilities.
Enter the limits of power: class, education, money, politics, race. Then, the limits of time: choice, era, opportunity, reign, season. As well as the limits of stardom: fanship, favour, leadership, competition, style.
The intendment of this serving is for you to remember (if you ever forgot) that nothing -absolutely nothing- lasts forever. If you are down, relax: you shall go up. If you are up: you shall head down -if not now; certainly later.
Anyone desperate to survive beyond limits should simply make the golden rule their guide. Furthermore, never should they be carried away by what/where/who they are: the limits of these are unpalatable. Finally, as much as it is in your power, come clean per time: the future is too pregnant for you to carry on as if you are God.
Only God has no limits. You are not God. You can never and shall never be God -not even His Deputy!