It is true that words are powerful. It is even truer that words convey meanings, and with that aspirations, intentions, name them. Still, the same school of thought maintains that silence is golden; that indeed it is the best answer.
I have deliberately edited out the point about it being the best answer to a fool because, I mean, everyone can contextually be a fool. Not to stretch that as I am in no mood for foolish arguments but, you see, even the most intelligent of us have at one point or the other done or said horrible, foolish stuff. Those screaming that they never have and never shall should be smart enough to keep quiet. Time shall tell.
We move. But, not so fast. There is still that lingering unfinished business of which is more powerful between, on the one hand, silence and, on the other, words. Let us first get that out of the way, shall we?
In chronology, which can be argued to be the best determinant of hierarchy, silence is seniorer. Words come a distant junior, if not almost last born. In addition, silence cannot be justifiably and successfully misconstrued. Perhaps, only mischievously and only for a while.
But words? They mean what they say or say what they mean. They leave very little for the intelligent to wriggle out. Once words are uttered, “yu go esplen taya.”
My wife, Abas, insists that silence is priceless. That is so true. The point must be made though, that silence is golden or priceless only when the temptation is to react to nonsense. Silence is neither golden nor priceless if it is a function of cowardice or fear or what in politics Nigeriana is referred to as stomach infrastructure.
Thirdly, silence leaves the enemy confused while words give away the speaker. Silence hides punches and strategies while words give everything away cheaply. Silence can make a fool look brilliant while words can make brilliance foolish. Silence forces respect while words may attract only opprobrium -whatever that means.
From the foregoing, and understanding the context, you should always first choose silence. Let it always be your first reaction, even in matters you need to speak up. Use silence to gather momentum, garner attention and generate public curiosity (as to why you have yet said nothing). Please ensure that you do not deploy this talismanic tool out of fear of being excluded of targeted or of what you would eat, going forward.
Allowing fear because of those two reasons is both cowardly and ungodly. No human being should live like that. It is both a disservice to God and a shame to humanity. Provision comes only from God.
A person created by God ought never to fear that being excluded or targeted by man would make them die of hunger. Again, that one fear is a double-barrelled anathema. Simultaneously, it dehumanises man and mocks God as being too small and therefore too poor or too unable or too weak to provide. All of that is a lie: He always, always, always provides!
With that assurance established and reaffirmed, let us now get back to the main poser of the day. Must you talk? Must we talk? Must I talk?
Unfortunately, the answer is not that straightforward. It needs to be explained, per time. Here we go: when falsely accused, speak once if you must. When foolishness calls, react by ignoring no matter the temptation.
When it is about business or government or politics, which is the crux of this entry, and especially in Nigeria, you need to act within (never without) the precincts of silence. Be tactful, be tactical as the man who is our president today. Show courage, but act and dwell in silence. Wait for the right time!
Remember, you have nothing to prove even if all the aces are in your hands. Things can change fundamentally and suddenly as they almost always do. The man stood up to the military, and repeated the unNigerian feat when Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was president. Can this be why nature rewarded him with our presidency against the run of play?
Learn from him, even if you can’t: be courageous but talk less. In fact, talk nothing. Watch and pray and wait. Even if your mouth is scratching you -as we say in Nigeria- ignore it; keep shut.
Life has a cynical sense of humour and an even wicked sense of justice. These things come round. Time compensates or consoles or justifies or punishes or rewards. Make sure to give way to life on the right, always.
That is the only way you would have nothing to fear. Again, whatever it is, be courageous but talk less; intelligently talk nothing. It is better to err on the side of silence in which case you could only be tried for suspicion than on the side of words which removes even reasonable doubts. Politics Nigeriana, for one, does not -in the long run, tolerate people who talked too much.
Examples abound of loquacious national heroes past who have now been sidelined. What is worse, even their labours complete with the untold value they added to the country have been completely forgotten and burnt and buried. Be careful because just as yesterday can never be today nor today tomorrow, tomorrow is not the future. The future is not a destination or an end, the future is abstract: it does not exist.
Furthermore, the future or posterity or even the most AI-ish technology cannot store silence. Feel free to read that again. Nobody can record or store let alone replay or republish silence. Only words give them such evil powers.
Is someone calling you out? Sssh, either ignore or -if you feel so strong- about it, apologise or simply offer an explanation and move on. Is there a developing story around you that demands your reaction? Sssh, if you are directly involved, say quite little if you must; without overcommitting yourself. If indirect, hold your mouth and your pen: zip them up.
In another one or max, two years, you are going to look like king Trebor -as we say in my village. Learn to not only wait but also to keep quiet meanwhile. It is one approach that never fails. And, all of you who think you have won, sssh! be magnanimous!
Rather than believe the lie that this victory is eternal, tell yourself to stop gloating. No human victory lasts forever. Nature has a way of balancing everything. That is the big reason life is turn by turn: those who lost yesterday have won today, those who win today shall lose tomorrow -and the beat goes on.
Who is grumbling and wanting to react? Sssh!: must you talk? Try counting from one to twenty every time you feel like you must react. And, count again and again and again.
God bless Nigeria!