Tuesday 3 November 2015

CHANGE!


The wind of destiny blows unstoppable.
Sometimes we are pleased
By the gold gifts it brings our way;
Oft, though, the tides seem not so good,
For our most cherished idols
And our most treasured possessions
Are torn off our strings,
Maybe even forever.

But Change is the only truly reigning Monarch;
We cannot but bow to His Sacrosanct Majesty,
For whether or not we face facts
Reality stares us squarely in the face.
So if, suddenly, destiny beckons
Banging upon your door to bid you come
Never mind: all men are partakers
Of your joys and sorrows thereof.

We can choose to be victims
Weakened by the crushing weight of grief
Stumbling and tumbling to a humbling end
Emasculated and licking many festering wounds,
Or we can stand as head-high victors
Stepping over stones and braving the odds
And embrace the Wind of Change for good
Finally receiving laurels from Life's Crowned Tyrant.

THE DECEPTION OF BRIBERY


We all give and take bribes! I’ve said that strong and direct for effect. By our very thoughts we imprison ourselves and try to manipulate the truth to suit our own prejudices. Our coloured lenses let us see nothing beyond ourselves. Myopic thus, we forget to check whether we are even thinking right. If we all give and take bribes in one form or another, why do we villify bribery so fervently?
          If you’re reading this piece and already fighting me in your thoughts, then you need to enlighten your ignorance and illuminate your darkness. The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English defines the verb BRIBE in two ways. One, to illegally give someone, especially a public official, money or a gift in order to make them do something for you. Two, to offer someone, especially a child, something special in order to persuade them to do something. Shocking, ain’t it?
          The real reason that bribery has come under such vicious attack is, more than just the abuse of it, our wrong thinking. Wrong thinking yields wrong living, and right thinking leads to right living. We abuse bribery because, as they say, ‘When purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable’. The hypocrisy so characteristic of our way of life is deeply rooted in our pattern of thought. We believe it’s wrong of politicians to bribe the electorate to vote for them, yet we actually stand in line to collect their gifts in cash and kind (especially rice in the last elections).
          We raise our voices at the policeman collecting money along the road, yet we neglect to pressurize the government to take better care of its workers. We do not care how the officer feeds, yet we expect him to take pity on us when we break the law. We bribe by begging him, women kneeling, men prostrating, all in an attempt to give the officer a false sense of ego boost so he’ll not extract from us money we’re unwilling to part with. You see, our begging is a gift given to the officer in order to persuade him to subvert justice, to ‘temper justice with mercy’ for our sakes and not force us to pay for our crimes. (The constitution has no place for begging, you know?)
          To be frank, bribery is our way of life and we just don’t know it. It is wisdom for the general citizenry. We pay our way past justice, and then we think that our own form of bribery is right while the other person’s is wrong. Simply put, whatever we do or give to get something beyond what we deserve, that’s bribery. We easily believe that a worker who suddenly begins to curry favours from his boss, with gifts and acts of service and words of flattery, is bribing the boss in question. Yet when the same boss feels offended by the said worker’s attitude and threatens to query or fire him, we actually rally round to urge the worker to beg with words and gifts and what have you, and we call it ‘humility’. He may have escaped the rod punishment due him, but only bribery saved the day and pacified the wrath of his boss.
          You see, there are right and wrong ways to engage bribery, just as well as there exist right and wrong ways of making money. When companies claim to have attached a ‘free gift’ along with their products we purchase, that free gift, that extra, is the bribe given to ensure continued patronage. Bribes, by their very nature, dull our senses to other realities and force our focus onto that for which the bribe was given. In truth, bribery has saved the day for us more times than we care to admit.
          I remember once in my childhood days, I mistakenly broke a glass cup at home. I kept thinking of how I’d escape the flogging that was sure to come (our parents used to beat us a lot), and I prayed silently that dad return home before mum from work ‘cause he was slightly easier to appease. My wish was granted, and more than that, he came with bitter kola. Naturally, we the children had a hard time eating anything not tasty (we still do, even as adults), but on this occasion I picked up a piece of the nut and began to chew, trying hard to conceal the involuntary grimace on my face. Then, of course, I drew dad into a discussion on the health benefits of sometimes eating things that were not so sweet—including bitter kola.
          The tactic worked, for just when he had become engrossed in our rare chat, I slipped in the report of the mishap. He got angry but didn’t whip me. For mum, when we wanted to bribe her, we would suddenly become handy with house chores, cleaning the furniture, sweeping the floor, washing the plates, and so on (‘sorry’ was a word that never worked in our family). The ploy failed sometimes, but Lord knows how happy we were for the times we were lucky to have our way.
          The real deception in bribery, therefore, is not that it is deceptive (and yes, it is deceptive, positively or negatively). The deception of bribery is the hypocrisy in our hearts. Bribery wouldn’t be so abhorrent if we realized that it is simply a tool of diplomacy. Let us deploy this tool for good and not for evil. Warm your way into the soul of your intended or current boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, boss, customer, friend, neighbour, customer, business partner—whatever the relationship—with this simple gift called BRIBE. It will save you a lot of headache later (maybe even save your life) and help you prosper beyond your normal allotment. It could be a hug, kiss, cash and kind, smile, anything. Give that ‘gift’ today.

Tuesday 12 May 2015

TAKE HOME TO MAMA


          In my undergraduate days, among the prizes won at departmental dinners was the award for Take Home to Mama (hereinafter referred to as THtM). The recipient, in my observation, would be a lady who could best be described as quiet and worst as naïve (sometimes bordering on witless). She’s the sort of lady who would turn the other cheek when you slap one. She’s almost completely lacking in innovation. She finds it difficult to say no and stand up for herself. She seldom, if ever, takes the initiative, content to follow and let others lead. She gives no excitement to romantic adventure, feeling more boring like dead wood than agile like living matter. Whether it is her domestic, professional, or social life, she’s just dulling.
          The finest traits of this breed of women come to the fore on the domestic front because the home is their natural habitat. THtM is the sort of girl you wanna marry in the future but not date in the present. She’s the quintessential housewife. She’s the genuine article when home management is involved. She’ll make sure your food is ready when she knows you’ll soon be back from work as a husband. She wins the heart of your mum very fast because her culinary prowess is spectacular. THtM is the child who goes with mummy to the market and knows the prices of all food items. She does not mind mopping the floor and furniture everyday, working herself away like a slave. As her husband, you don’t really need to give her so much money. All she really needs is constant pampering—and bullying. She’ll do your bidding without argument like someone under hypnotic duress.
          Moving to THtM’s workplace (for the more enlightened who refuse to remain housewives), you find the same pattern of efficiency at just the same thing and not much else. She knows her job description and specializes in just what it entails, and no more. She was that way at school, doing well academically because she knows just what the teacher says ought to be done and does it obediently. THtM does not mind working with the same company and even in the same office, for decades, and being given promotion (which sometimes scares her too) according to the timeline. She’s not the type of person to set new targets because she’s not competitive, but she has a way to try to meet a target you set her, and if she fails, you’ll be afraid to hurt her with your rebuke because her fragility makes her seem so soft and so sweet. THtM is the typical personal assistant, receptionist, secretary…anything that has to do with office management and cleaning up the mess to keep things in equilibrium. She won’t engage in office politics because she doesn’t have excess energy for anything outside the necessary. No lofty ambitions, no scramble for position, no lobbying for office or extra benefits, but thrust leadership upon her and she surprises you with efficiency. For her, slow and steady wins the race.
          Furthermore, the social life of THtM is as quiet as still waters. Definitely not the partying sort, she would typically help in organizing the party in terms of culinary and sanitary requirements, preferring working behind the scenes. Making her emcee is looking for trouble because that’s not her forte, but she can serve refreshment and tidy things up after the party. THtM doesn’t exactly enjoy going out on dates—until she’s actually gone and loved it—because she does everything to prevent being seen so frequently in public places. She dreads the public eye, besides which her strong preference is for indoors rather than outdoors activities. Women generally pretend, but this one is the queen bee: she may have a crush on you for years and never show it; you only get to guess but the signs are always too subtle to tell for sure. If she does hate you, you may never really get to know, either, except for that smile that’s just missing whenever you’re around. Otherwise, she still does everything else for you as usual. Only her family and friends (who are a precious few lot lucky to break through) know the funny, naughty, humorous sides of her. Of course, she would rather sue for peace and avoid confrontation when she senses that a clash of ideas is imminent. You might as well forget about romance as her boyfriend, unless you initiate it and she doesn’t resist it stylishly. That’s the only way to know she wanted it. She may not even show she’s deriving pleasure until it becomes unbearable and she blurts out the soundtrack. Her social life is wrapped up in her home, office, church and best friend.
          So you see, when next you see someone and imagine her as your homely and comely Take Home to Mama, be sure that you’re self-excited and self-motivated before you seek a relationship of any sort with her. The best thing about her, which we must not forget to mention, is that THtM is faithful, patient, tender and kind to a fault. She’ll go out of her way just to make you happy, and she can tolerate most of your idiosyncrasies without snapping. If, however, she’s finally pushed to the wall, then you’ll discover the truth behind the popular saying that, ‘Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’, because she will not change her mind once it’s finally made up—she took a long time to get to that point in the first place. Handle her with care.

Friday 24 April 2015

Rebels On The Prowl: WAR AGAINST RELIGIOUS INTIMIDATION


Desperation has wreaked much havoc in our world, especially in Africa where ‘religion is the opium of the people’ (Karl Marx). Nowhere else is this truer than in our dear country Nigeria. Religious zeal in the absence of scholastic intellectual knowledge has driven people to great lengths just to get God’s stamp of approval. For some, it makes them detest and seek to exterminate, by every means possible, everyone who doesn’t share their religious persuasion. For others, their religious leaders have become cult heroes, demigods whose word is law and whose force brooks no opposition.
          You’ll be surprised how educated adults with their thinking faculties intact would willingly bring themselves under bondage. For centuries, the Roman Catholic Papacy, for example, held sway over much of Europe’s religious and even political consciousness. It got to a point where the Pope even abrogated to himself the power to forgive sins—something which we all know is the sole prerogative of God. As the sole representative of God on earth, the Pope was supposedly the intermediary between God and man. Therefore, whatever God would do on earth had to be his to execute. He was the voice of man to God and the voice of God to man. Pope Leo X (1513-1521) made a habit of selling indulgences for sin (which meant that they could pay for forgiveness with their money). The funny story was told of a man who had intercepted a chest of gold being taken to the Pope. When he was found out later and placed before the jury, he presented his papers proving that he had purchased his forgiveness for that sin ever before committing it. Thus, he was free from judgment because God, thru the Pope, had forgiven him!
          In presenting this piece I am delightfully aware that I could be stepping on many toes and touching some of them ol’ sacred cows of religion, but so did Martin Luther on October 31, 1517 when he nailed his ‘ninety-five theses’ on the door of the Roman Catholic Church at Wittenberg, Germany. He was excommunicated within four years, but so was the power of the Papacy also cut at the elbow. It’s such a shame that many of these points Luther raised almost half a millennium ago are still here with us, refined and embellished but still there anyway. We still confess our sins to our church leaders in order to have forgiveness, as well as giving our all to them as God’s representatives to us, and obeying them completely as God’s mouthpiece in order to inherit the blessings of God.
          Let’s move to the moslems for a while too. I’m sure everyone who has sense in Nigeria knows that the Northeast and North-central here have become a very large slaughterhouse in Nigeria. So also is a large area of Syria and Iraq right now. This senseless religious war is becoming an eyesore, scores are being reported dead time and again. It’s now so rampant that we have become so calloused to their plight; no more feeling of sympathy for the people who are suffering. We expect the people being affected to ‘get up and move on’ in much the same way as we over here in the South recover after being dealt fatal blows at the hands of ritualists, armed robbers, assassins, and even men of the armed forces. Christians are being killed in the North as well as moslems who don’t share the same mode of Islam as these fundamentalists.
          I say it with all sincerity and compassion that Shari’a is one of the worst evils the world has ever known. I know contemporary Islam has more or less whittled down the relevance of Shari’a as an outdated barbaric tradition, but not for Boko Haram in Nigeria, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the Middle East, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, Al-Shabbab in Somalia, and their ilk around the world. People are being maimed and killed like animals daily while minors are being abducted and married off as wives to shameless paedophilic men old enough to be their fathers. In the Sudanese region was a woman who was severely persecuted and nearly killed for proclaiming herself a Christian. In Bangladesh young ladies are being excoriated and punished for wearing the hijab in a manner the moslem authorities deem ‘inappropriate’. I love what a Bangladeshi lady said about this culture.  She said that it doesn’t matter whether or nor she even wears the hijab, and she’s free to dress in style because Islam is a thing of the heart and people should be free to exercise their fundamental human rights.
 I think that injunction applies very much to Christendom, because in many churches even adults are forced to follow some mode of dressing or the other; where failure to attend church service is tantamount to signing up for hell; where money is given to the pastor or whoever is in charge to help members beseech God to do something for them; where people are made to fast and perform penance to be forgiven of sin or receive blessing from God; where certain foods are forbidden because they defile the body. These traditions have absolutely no effect on (in)discipline; they only serve to salve the conscience and puff up self-righteousness.
Traditional religions will not be left out. I cannot imagine, for the life of me, why someone would carve an image out of wood or iron and then proceed to bow down before it as his god. If this isn’t madness, then I don’t know what is. Others worship the spirits of their dead parents and ancestors, feeding them all manner of foodstuff that should have served a better purpose with the living than the dead. Certain festivals must be kept, certain marks must be made on specific spots on the body, certain tribes must [not] be married from, certain rivers and hills must be crossed, and so on. The word of the chief priest is law, even when he’s making no sense at all. All because of RELIGION!
Let me tell you something now: You are the architect of your own success or failure once you’ve reached the age of accountability, barring extraterrestrial interference and unforeseen circumstances. You don’t have to obey the dictates of any custom, tradition or religion that doesn’t suit your purposes or sit well with you. The cure for religion is enlightenment. Let intelligence and conscience come before your religion. Religion is okay when it fortifies the conscience to fear God, do good and eschew evil, not when it stifles creativity and hampers productivity. In the end, every man is selfish and no religion can tame that wild beast; go ask your politicians who all subscribe to one religion and/or another. Take back your life and live it to the fullest. You only have so long to live, so maximize the moment.