My glass house Lord Himself buildeth

First, ignore the metaphor embedded in the popular saying. Literally, a glass house signifies class and means. A glass house is not ever in the league of mud house, farmhouse, hut. Glass house is a dream house, office, position, rank, status.

It is that understanding which compels me to make a solemn pledge; one that you may not understand now. Trust me, soon, very, very, very soon, when God builds my glass house, and I move in, I never shall throw stones. Yes, Sir, when I find myself in the glass house the Lord Himself buildeth, I shall also not initiate the throwing. I shall not as well react to others who choose to throw.

Come on, this is not about me. No, sorry, I take that back. This is not only about me; this is about me as much as it is about you: this is about us. Please, feel free to factor yourself into this.

Because, really, this is a personal thing; a thing of the mind. It is about choices and convictions. Throwing stones, tantrums and all should be the pastime of those who are either outside or who do not own a glass house. Nobody should be denied both sides of a coin, right?

You get that: do you not? You cannot not be tall and not not be shouted down: when you flaunt the bragging rights of short people. Life is either this or that: male or female, black or white, rich or poor, tall or short, up here or down there. Life is not this and that, simultaneously: nobody can be educated and illiterate, happy and sad, here and there, powerful and weak, slim and obese.

So, let the barbarian and the critic and the dumb breathe. Let the hater and the loser and the naive breathe. Let the poor and the stupid and the wicked breathe. They did not come to this world merely to escort others.

Let them all keep busy, discharging their own part of the bargain. If nothing else, those who live in glass houses ought always to empathise and sympathise with those without. It is not easy, for those guys; to stay afar and hear tales of the untold enjoyment happening behind all that shininess. Like staying in hell and listening to how those in heaven are “chopping life” (as we say in Nigeria).

See, it smacks of classlessness, idleness, and illiteracy for someone who lives in a glass house to throw stones. Even if it is in retaliation. I mean, are you that inconsiderate? How could you be stupidly envious when living your best life?

Or, is it that you do not understand why an alarming majority throw sticks, stones and all at only trees with ripe fruit? Or, is it that you do not understand that trees with ripe fruit include the good life, glass house (a posh home), plum job, wonderful marriage, sweet trajectory? Exactly which of this pack do you not understand so I help you unpack it? It is my job to let you see life through possible prisms you may not believe exist.

Or, perhaps, we should at this juncture unpack the three main reasons people throw stones at those who live in glass houses. For many, it is envy, jealousy, malice. Meaning, when you hit them back, you are also maliciously envious or jealous of them. Get that straight: you are prettily envious of those who are “genuinely envious” of you!

Furthermore, some are moved by anger, bitterness, resentment to throw stones at glass houses. Meaning that when those in there react, they too can be said to be an angry or bitter or resentful lot.

As for others, they believe that those stones they hurl at glass houses is help, constructive criticism. It should never be misconstrued, the patriotic desperation or zeal to want things better done; to add value.

Which is why I t is, almost always, counterproductive and silly for glass house inhabiters to throw stones back in the name of wanting to prove something. Because, really, there is nothing to prove. Or, do you not live in a glass house? Or, are you not deep enough, not wise enough not only to decipher between an envious, malicious attack and an honest, unpatronising critique but also the unassailable fact that at the end both have the same objective: value addition?

That there is the crux of the matter. Most glass house dwellers are ego-stricken, half-baked, lily-livered. They are ill-mannered, inexperienced, undeserving. This is why only a tiny minority of them respond well to (that is, ignore or appreciate) stones thrown at them.

Which brings us now to both the value of a glass house and the quality of the occupant. Although not all are the same, glass house is glass house; permanently Mecca-ish. Everyone targets it: either to get there or those in there. Glass house is the headquarters of success destinations.

Glass house is pure class. It is where excellence resides complete with beauty and wealth. It exercises or exudes humility in godly confidence; the kind of confidence that warms the heart of onlookers. No glass house inhabitant worth own salt deliberately incites or invites attack.

Political glass house residents, such as we see in Nigeria, who criminally and dastardly act or speak pugnacious are not the real deal. It is either they are occupants of the glass house that God built for others or Satan built theirs. And, it is so easy to spot out these scoundrel-pretenders to the throne. They throw caution to the wind, every time.

They do not care if the glass house, that our country or subnational is, goes on fire. A president, a governor, a council chairman, a lawmaker, a judge, a minister, a commissioner, a supervisor, any public office holder, in fact any citizen of privilege who throws stones (even in retaliation) is both not patriotic and not wise. This is the chief reason compatriots must see 2027 as the multifunctional window not only to offload these unpatriotic misfits but also to apply the Jonah treatment: namely, throw them overboard. And, fortunately, for most of them all we need to activate the button of good riddance to bad rubbish is just to get rid of one person!

To be sure, those who live in glass houses need not see even perceived attacks as weapons fashioned against their perks of office. Rather, they should count them as citizen overzealousness to cause a better society. If the kitchen gets too hot, though, they can get out. However, when they stay on, the people must demand to enjoy all the cool, all the sumptuousness they crave.

God bless Nigeria!