Donu Kogbara
As 2011 draws to a close, it seems appropriate to look back in anger or approval at some of the people who have, individually or as part of groups, made the past l2 months better or worse in various ways and in various parts of the world.
Several commentators of all nationalities have concluded that the Man Of The Year award should, without a shadow of doubt, go to Mohamed Bouazizi, the 26 year-old Tunisian street vendor and fruit seller whose desperation-driven self-immolation sparked off widespread riots and led to the Arab Spring.
*Mohamed Bouazizi
So, yes, it is tragic that the young man killed himself. And I really wish that he hadn’t, given that his religion regards suicide as a sin and that most clouds have silver linings, even if these silver linings aren’t immediately visible.
It is entirely possible that Bouazizi’s existence would have greatly improved over time if he had gritted his teeth and soldiered on. But there is no use crying over spilled milk, especially since his action has had such a positive impact.
Bouazizi was emotionally disorientated by the trials and tribulations he had endured and could not see any light at the end of the tunnel; and despair is extremely hard to shake off and the bottom line is that his decision to dramatically exit from circumstances he found intolerable has not been in vain.
By dying, he gave life with a capital L to a movement that will go down in history as epoch-changing. Thanks to Bouazizi, the dormant fury of millions of oppressed North African and Middle Eastern citizens was awakened. Thanks to him, three dictators were unceremoniously thrown out of their presidential palaces. Thanks to him, other klepto psychos – Bashar Al-Assad of Syria, for example – can no longer sit comfortably on their thrones and are battling for survival.
A Tunisian square has been named after Mohamed Bouazizi. A postage stamp has been issued in Mohamed Bouazizi’s honour. Mohamed Bouazizi has been posthumously awarded the Sakharov Prize. We will never forget his name.
May he be forgiven for extinguishing the life God gave him. May he rest in peace and continue to inspire those who need to fight tyrants and thieves.
Congrats also to…
Barack Obama, for stylishly coping with constant attacks from dim-witted racists who keep searching for excuses to embarrass him because they can’t bear the thought of a black President. Someone should tell these bigoted morons that the “White House” was so named because of the colour the building was painted and NOT because it was only meant to be inhabited by white ogas!
David Cameron, the British Prime Minister, for refusing to be bullied into slavishly doing everything that devotees of the failed Eurozone feel he should do. Cameron’s courageous stance has made him more popular on his home turf.
I cannot think of a single Nigerian Government official who has achieved enough in 2011 to be lavishly praised. But I am convinced that Ekiti State indigenes are very lucky to have a Governor of Kayode Fayemi’s calibre.
Ekiti is one of the poorest states in the Federation, so Fayemi has big mountains to climb. But money is not everything (which is why our oil-producing states do not look like Texas, despite collecting billions of naira worth of revenue annually); and I am pretty certain that Fayemi will, by the end of his tenure, have proved that great strides can be made by any leader who isn’t puffed up with conceit and possesses honesty, brains, imagination, vision and commitment.
I’m also hearing – from decent sources – that Rochas Okorocha, the new-ish Imo State Governor, is outshining Udenwa and Ohakim, his awful predecessors. My mother is from Imo, so I have a personal interest in Imo’s problems and progress; and I pray that Okorocha goes from strength to strength.
Miracle
If you can find a bookshop that stocks it, please get hold of “Miracle”. It is a beautifully written short story by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the award-winning novelist; and it subtly highlights so many issues and attitudes that make Nigeria what it is. I particularly enjoyed Adichie’s gentle but searing focus on hypocrisy.
From the mail box
Last but not least is Stella Ogedegbe (jitelle2@yahoo.com). Of all the letters I have received from Vanguard readers this year, hers was my favourite:
Dear DK,
As much as the Nigerian elites have their large share of blame for the current situation in the Nation, I would very much want to use this forum to strongly encourage our youths to wake up from their mental and physical laziness; which is commonly found among our youths both in the cities and rural communities.
In the past we used to have brilliant pupils / students from remote and rural communities, who win educational awards and gain scholarships into higher institutions. Most of those kids studied under harsh conditions with basic/skeletal educational facilities.
The point being made here is, parents generally (and especially those who can’t afford expensive schools) should endeavour to help and encourage their kids/wards to love the art of reading for “knowledge unfits a child to be a slave”, even slavery of any form; enlightened VIP kids are also involved in cult activities and other activities that are not mentally helpful.
If the minds of these youths are geared towards acquiring knowledge at whatever level whether in conducive environments or not, they will not be easily motivated to become Militants or be involved in Boko Haram activities.
What beats me about the present crop of Nigerian VIPs is that they are all beneficiaries of good public educational and health facilities as far back as the 60s and 70s, why can’t they improve on the systems they inherited from or at least maintain the standards… Why destroy the systems that they gained from?
Jite Ogedegbe, Warri.
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