Times and Seasons
by
Uwem Inyang
To every thing in life there is a time and season so says the holy Bible. I find it more interesting when I read Job 14:1 which states that "Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble". I have also discovered that in life there are phases that are inevitable if progress or retrogress is to be made no matter how we try. A closer look at proceedings that surround us reveals the autonomy and monopoly that exists during these amazing stages of one's sojourn in the endless search and quest for seasonal positivism.
I have exhausted my deep thoughts in trying to decipher the time and season that Nigeria is in presently. Each time I look at my political, social and economical crystal balls on what to hope for the betterment of the poor masses, every time I see nothing. I play a little bit of Robert Nesta Marley's song titled "Natural Mystic" and it keeps on reminding me that many more will have to suffer and many more will have to die and I wonder why. What this implies is that we have not yet started the journey of redemption and rejuvenation of our society democracy or no democracy. The very elected don't even seem to realize the real meaning of the word itself, therefore how can things improve?
Obasanjo's blunder continues unabated as the days and weeks go by and this is becoming worrisome to me. Last week the news was his flogging of a hyperactive security personnel in public and no one knows what next to expect from his Excellency. Sometime ago I wrote a piece titled "Ordering His Steps" which was published at Nigeriaworld web page and my personal web page at www.akwaibomstate.com and mentioned his lack of tact and caution when taken unaware coupled with an autocratic attitude totally bereft of modern day politics. In the same season, the Senate and House of representatives have witnessed the ousting of its President twice and Speaker Na'Abba is currently walking on a tight rope possibly waiting for his own seasonal change any moment from now.
The level of ethnic and religious distrust is at an all time high. The electricity and water supply are almost non-existent, likewise the availability of fuel despite the fact that we are the sixth largest producer of crude oil in the world. The academic industry is in shambles not to mention the employment paralysis that has become a continuum. The politicians always campaign with a lot of promises and after being elected, they brusquely turn into hungry lions ever ready to devour the government treasury at the slightest opportunity. I cannot say that I am stunned with lack of pity on the helpless masses because majority of those in government today both at federal and state level are Abacha and Babangida elements that have only been recycled as refurbished scoundrels.
It's very easy to decode the time and season Cote d'Ivoire is in presently after the people chased sadist Guei out of office. It's quite easy too to translate the time and season Yugoslavia is in today after the fall of catastrophic Slobodan Milosevic. Unfortunately, it is enigmatic as it is cumbersome to even have a clue as to what phase or stage of development that we are currently going through as a nation. Agreed, so much was destroyed and is still being lost but that is no excuse for the dark ages to be prolonged. It's been forty wasted years and from the recent events that we are witnessing we are likely to waste many more years. Corruption is still transparently and hypocritically compromised. The basics of a developing or developed society are apparently epileptic in supply. The list goes on...
To me the panacea to wiggling out of our tribulations appears difficult but easy. When the root of a problem is established, then it is assumed that the problem is half solved. We know our problems likewise we know the causes and the sources of our woes. We cannot approach the issues without approaching the people involved and must therefore muster up courage and will power to do that as soon as we can. Favoritism, sentiments and prejudice must be put aside as we emphatically and empirically face facts. The proliferations of ethnic and religious contestations have to be ignored for now as they have only flourished deeper dissections instead of harmony. We cannot continue to toy with the uniqueness and blessed milieu of Africa's supposed power house anymore. The time and season for this resourceful thinking and acting is now. A stitch in time will not only save nine but tens of thousands of dislocated souls. I just hope someone is listening.
Uwem Inyang
London