Don’t kill yourself or anybody, for that matter. What shall be shall be. See, that thing which your church mind coaxes you to think can never be can be, shall be. Don’t kill yourself or anybody, for anybody.
Don’t kill yourself for anything. The hate you cry over today may tomorrow culminate in love you shall cherish forever. The love you revel in now may eventually end in hate that makes you live in eternal regret. There are no guarantees whatsoever, in these things.
Don’t kill yourself over education. Surely, education is good but it is not life’s be-all and end-all. Over the years, we have seen time and time again that those mocked as dropouts, dregs of the class as well as uneducated have commandeered not only societal leadership but also business and private pride of place. In Nigeria, for instance, an alarming majority are employed by or work under people they are far better than, academically.
Don’t kill yourself or anybody over these things. How much does Nigeria pay professors; who we can safely say are our most educated? How are their work conditions and environment? Please, don’t answer me and, even if, not aloud. The shame is too much, please don’t make it worse.
Don’t kill yourself over giving. There is really nothing in it more than blessing the receiver. So, give only what and when you can, cheerfully; without expecting that the receiver shall repay you. And, never forget: givers can lack, and always.
Don’t kill yourself over marriage. Marriage is not a fundamental or indispensable criterion in life. Nor does it count at all hereafter. What is more?: at the end, everyone cannot and shall not be married; no matter how much they tried.
Don’t kill yourself or anybody over marriage. You don’t need to be that attractive or that educated or that presentable or that rich or to work that slavishly to be picked. Many people got married just because of such frivolous things as body size or clean nails or dentition or family tree or smile or the way they walk or their decision to not hide WhatsApp read mode. Life is a scam, men.
Yes, please: don’t kill yourself because you want to fit in when most of the same people you want to be like are looking for a window to jump out of what they think is a cul-de-sac. Some men marry women and vice versa because when they read a WhatsApp chat, the two green ticks are visible. As happened in Abraham’s case, this seeming nothing is counted for righteousness, for honesty. Their reasoning is that hiding something as insignificant as WhatsApp read mode speaks to a deeper disorder because, I mean, what are you afraid of; is it not your telephone?
Don’t kill yourself over morality. In Nigeria, the more morality, the worse the perception; the less, the better. Society had since moved on. If you insist on remaining a moral agent, know that you are doing it for just your God and yourself since society neither cares about nor rewards it.
Worst of all, don’t kill yourself or anyone for that matter, over politics. Too many worsties you see in that ruleless game are eventual besties. Too many besties you see today in the corridors of power are waiting to transmogrify into bitter enemies. And, the beat goes on.
… to be cont’d next week
Is protest an economic pill?
There can be no gainsaying it: things are beyond hard in Nigeria. The economy is not harsh, it is insane. It is almost as if life is a curse for the poor and the not-so-rich.
To be sure, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and most state governors like mine, Pastor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom state, cannot be reasonably blamed for where Nigeria is, having only been in office one year yet. But, who cares? Cynics and opponents would retort that government is a continuum.
Indeed. However, while it is the inalienable right of the citizenry to disagree with government or even hold peaceful protest(s) when they deem it fit, we must always -like patriots- look at and be guided by the big picture. In the current situation, patriotism in its dying or feeble voice has raised some protestations.
Namely: is protest the best answer right now? Have organisers sought or held any interface with the authorities? What guarantees exist that these protests won’t take our country backwards -for instance, criminals hijacking the peace and causing mayhem in the process?
As I see it, engagement is better. On the other hand, rather than threats, government at every level must talk with leaders of the planned protests. And, if at the end, reason fails to prevail, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must release the police in full to -from a good distance- protect participants in the protests nationwide.
If the West can do it, Nigeria can do it and even better. Nigeria belongs to all of us and especially in moments of anger and madness, we must safeguard its global and infrastructure and territorial integrities. This should be at the back of our mind every time.
It must not be said that the protests added to our national sorrow. There must be no destruction of our wealth let alone killings, whatsoever. We must learn to disagree or even fight like one people.
Furthermore, leaders across all strata, formal and informal, must dig deep and wide to fight to a standstill poverty and hunger ravaging our country. Non-governmental Nigerians who have either the idea or the means or both must jump in and help the powers-that-be. Only all hands to the pump and patience shall rescue Nigeria from this precipice.
God bless Nigeria!
Yoruba degree: So, what?
There has never been any stupider insult. Imagine seeking to divert national attention by descending to the lowest lows.
Completely and totally childish. I hate that we are even dignifying this here.
My PDPishness notwithstanding, I see myself as a Tinubu person. I always have been, right from his Lagos governorship heyday.
I have always fallen for his excellent head hunting skills. Especially in Nigeria, it takes quite some courage and self-assuredness for a leader to go for only the best brains; without being afraid of being outshone in the process.
Out of the entire Class 1999 of governors, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is number one all-round. He has remained relevant, to date; rising to president himself.
He was relevant in the immediate past: starting in 2015, when he installed a president even against the run of play. Also, most of the people he appointed during his time at Alausa were so good that they are not only still so good today, they have been and are holding one high national office or the other.
He has monumental foresight, that man. That is the reason I am not scared about Nigeria in his care.
I believe that he shall meander us through this age of hardship and uncertainty. He only needs our patience and prayers and support.
Alas, the foregoing should not be misconstrued to mean I would support any Tinubuish faux pas. No, no way, our presidential handlers should not only be above board, they must at all times also never turn the highest office in the land to the headquarters of child’s play.
Taking a dig at Dele Momodu’s Yoruba certificate and lifestyle business, just because he had opinionised (read agonised) over our economy, was an unfortunate comedown for our presidential defenders, if you ask me. We don’t need to be football experts to advise our national team coaches and players, as happens all the time.
Venting helps to reduce national pressure. Plus, there is sense in every nonsense.
Enough of thinking that some certificates or courses are more important. They are not.
In fact, none is. What matters is knowledge application.
And, please, it does indescribable damage to our national psyche when our own presidency pokes fun at the legal business effort of a citizen. What are we telling our youngsters; that rather than genuine so-called little efforts, yahoo-yahoo is better?
Chief Momodu’s Ovation magazine was and remains a great personal initiative that added and still adds value to our image and culture globally. I don’t care what the international publisher and columnist must have said in his economic critique to attract this puerile clapback.
Finally, while I hope that sense would prevail down the road and apologies offered and taken, it is important for drivers and passengers to realise that we are partners on a journey. We need each other.
Nigeria seems permanently to see too much motion but very little movement because Nigerians -in government and in the street- almost always work at cross purposes. No society has ever succeeded nor shall ever succeed like that!