“Have an aim in life – then don’t forget to pull the trigger”

“You get more done with a kind word and a gun than with a kind word alone” – Al Capone

Please read Part 1 here.

I remember back in 2007, when the highly informed Tunde Solate told me “there’s this new guy in the US. Watch out for him. He’s headed for the white house”. I looked him straight in the eye and told him point blank “Tunde, I’m proud to be black – but it’s not called the WHITE HOUSE for nothing!”. We had known Osama; even O’mama (some call her Hillary) – but Obama? Dude! At least, get a “votable” name! Now I know better. If there were any candid proof that the racism monster is overrated, that would be it.

One of those who popularized the Fellow Nee-jay-rians “ringtone” is currently running for president. The self-acclaimed “genius” walks a free man; despite not having declared our gulf-war national windfall. Who’s to blame him? The M.O.N (miscreant of the nation) awards that decorate his colossal mansion are enough to construct a sky-scraper with. He might not win but he will certainly the votes of some “fellow Nigerians“. “Why” eludes me completely!
Indeed, saying our leaders serve us right is more than just a pun. I don’t remember ever voting – I was either too young or too busy; but most times, just too bloody scared to raise a voice for good in the colosseum of evil. Everyone wants to save his life. “I don’t have to be a hero!”, “Where are the Saro-Wiwas of yesterday? My family needs me alive!”, “I’m due for promotion next year, so the price-hike won’t affect me much”. Evil, by default, prevails in inaction. All we hear is “what tribe is he from?” or “who is his father?” When the Nigerian team of 1996 stunned Argentina to claim gold, it mattered nothing that Amokachi was an Igbo boy born in Kaduna, or that JJ Okocha was from Enugu, or Kanu from Owerri. There was such incredible synergy amongst them that even the “gods of soccer” were left in shock. The whole country rallied for a common cause – united by a purpose stronger than inter-tribal repulsion. Motivation against tribalism is not hard to find; Goodluck (the man from the “powerless minority”) is now the acting president. There is truly none so blind as he who would not see!

We have, however, fallen in love with our monsters – like people infected with the Stockholm Syndrome. As soon as one dies, if another is not imposed upon us, we raise one for ourselves. Colonialism -> Racism -> Tribalism -> Religion-ism. The last on that queue is a new “us-made” addition to the “-isms” lineage; another weak excuse for not realizing our enormous potential. It has gotten increasingly popular to use religion as an excuse for crisis. There will always be an excuse for not fulfilling potential.

There are two major schools of thought about the shape of the African continent. Some think it’s the profile of a human head. Others think it’s a gun pointing downwards. Totally ignoring the probability of “chance”, a few things come to mind about the position (geographical) of Nigeria in Africa. Going by the first idea that Africa is shaped like a human being’s side-view, Nigeria would be placed at the all-important base of the brain; its link with the spinal cord. That would be the Cerebellum. Biology tells us that this structure coordinates movement, posture and balance {notice some significance here?}. By the second idea, Nigeria would be the trigger of the gun called Africa; the powerhouse, if you will; the one that gives relevance to the other parts. Little wonder our lands are filled with treasure and potential. Yet, for some strange reason, we fall short of these expectations.

The streets have now become a gutter for dreams; a sorry spectacle – an endless slope of inferiority. The office-messenger looks pitifully upon the Danfo-driver. The Danfo-driver looks down on the gala-seller. The gala-seller looks down on the water seller – who in turn looks down on the sweaty bare-backed porter. But, they all look despicable to the ever-hurrying bank executive who is nothing but a pawn to the politician. No one seems to notice that shoes are a luxury on the streets. Yet, we all go to bed with great ideas of a better tomorrow on our minds. Those images form a blissful memory of the future; stirring up a firm belief that things could be better! “Tomorrow is another day”. We sigh, we snore – and wake to resume the sinister cycle of pity. Tomorrow will never be different until we change today’s mentality. Little wonder I’m not the most eager to celebrate the first of October. In fact, if my sister wasn’t born on that day, I’d probably forget all about it.

The present situation seems all messy. Still, henceforth, I choose to look forward with stubborn optimism to a greater tomorrow; to a Naira-Pound equality and supremacy. I look forward to a time when fellow countrymen in diaspora would be queuing up to comeback home.

We have looked and hoped before. It is about time we added some gritty action to that boring recurrent duet.

Il buon tiempo verra! – The good times will come.

PS – I learnt of Olaitan Olanipekun Oladapo A.K.A Dagrin’s passing mid-way through writing this. Hope you don’t mind that I’ll drop a line for him. He was a truly rare naija talent. “Jor O!”. Here’s praying fortitude for his family, producer and fans! RIP DaGrin!