“Independence means…enjoying freedom and empowering others too to let them do so ”…Vikrmn (1983- ) Indian author.
Freedom
This is probably the trickiest word in the
book, as it is constantly taken out of context and vehemently misconstrued for
obvious selfish reasons in order to exploit the weak and vulnerable.
Many nations are yet to be free indeed long
after slavery was abolished. In this present day, slavery isn’t enforced, but
rather, a smart way of using psychology and blackmail does the trick like
magic, so smoothly that one perhaps yearns for it, just like a dish of pottage
for your birthright scenario.
“I have
observed that the prosperity or misery of each people is in direct proportion
to its liberties or its prejudices and, accordingly, to the sacrifices or the
selfishness of its forefathers”…Juan Crisostomo Ibarra (Fictional character in
the famous work “Noli Me Tanger)
The current
state of the nation!
Take it or leave it, Africa still wallows in
slavery, which leaves no question really. The disturbing news here is that
Africans have somewhat chosen to remain slaves. Remember the Kanye West’s
slavery comment that broke the Internet about the dark skinned people having to
choose slavery, well, he was kind of right, but unfortunately he just didn’t
quite know how to express himself on such a sensitive and highly volatile topic
that could make him seem to betray his race.
When a slave is enslaved for too long, his
mind becomes conditioned to it, injuring his personality to the extent that he
eventually out of suppressed self and forced loyalty, defends his master. A
perfect example is when Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, and when they
had a challenge in the wilderness, they asked to go back to slavery in order to
at least survive.
“I know not
with what weapons world war III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought
with sticks and stones ”… Albert Einstein (1879-1955) German born Theoretical
Physicist who developed the theory of relativity.
If there is
indeed a future!
While most of the countries of the world,
especially western, are outrunning themselves in the fields of Education,
Diplomacy, Defense, Manufacturing, Green environment and value for human lives,
Africa is busy amassing wealth blindly through corruption at the expense of her
future as she seems to near apparent extinction, literally surrendering her
resources to the western world. The questionable leadership, lust for power and
obsession for the amassing of material things leaves only a bleak future, if at
all, to gaze upon.
“Life can only
be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards ”…Soren Kierkegaard (1813 -1855) Danish
philosopher
Endless Thirst
Nigerian youths have always hoped to use
fresh ideas to shape the future of the country, but unfortunately, power has
been constantly recycled among the elites since the sixties, and the
experienced old-timers have only become godfathers to upcoming ones,
blackmailing them to loot the treasury to help them further expand their
corrupt empires. Surprisingly, they fail to realize that these acts only breeds
animosity and tainted integrity, especially when there thrives untold poverty
all around them.
“What we like
to think of ourselves and what we really are rarely have much in
common”…Stephen King (1947 - ) American author of horror and supernatural
fiction.
Can we be
realistic?
No doubt Nigeria and by extension, Africa got
a long way to go, and pretty much quite a lot of work to do, but that is not
the problem. The hitch here is that there is no power of will in sight. The
leaders are corrupt and have no idea, and even if they do, they are not
selfless enough to see everyone as equal and show enough positive mentality and
emotional intelligence to resonate unto others. Is it not shameful to know that
if Africans and the westerners switched places, Africa will be better and the
western world will be worse off? We need to swallow our pride and figure out
what they are doing right, and no one will actually accuse us for copying the
right thing.
I was going to say happy Independence to
Nigeria, but who would I be fooling…realizing she isn’t truly free? Rather, she
is deliberately offering herself as a slave, unbelievable right? Welcome to
reality.
God bless Nigeria, Africa and the world!
Thank you, and be awesome because you truly are.
Akin Abimbola.
Twitter:
@akinzogee
Facebook:
Critical Lyric by Akin Abimbola
Instagram: Akinzogee
Did we make your day? Spread the word.
Tell them it happened here.
Become a fan,
follow and share.
You can be a critical lyricist!
Talk to us.
What did we miss?
What do you think?
Be grateful for being alive and let your content flow…
Sources: Atonement, Brainy Quote, Google, Good reads, Jose
Rizal, Noli Me Tangere, The Drawing of the Three, Wikipedia, 10 Alone
This article is an original piece, reasonably researched and
contains considerable opinion and a unique style of the author.
The names in actual stories are not real and the stories in this
write-up are fictional, consequently, people’s names appearing are purely
co-incidental, except for quotes and news that are typically referenced.
No comments:
Post a Comment