All we did on the 1st
of January and all these days we were watching people on screen from all over the
country react concerning the subsidy that was just removed was discuss and hope
something was done by the Nigerian Labour congress to ensure a reversal to this
unbearable state of life we are about to see ourselves plunge in. For some of
us that were gathered in that big hall that belonged to Gum our friend, it was
a serious time for the country but for some of us, we wished strike and crisis
in the country would last at least a week so we could just sit at home and rest
from all those hard days we had in our various places of work. As we talked, Paapa,
an old man we were all fond of due to his age, humility, wisdom and wit walked
in. He said ‘Guys, I was just so bored at home and thought I would come spend
some time with my favourite friends before I think my old self to the grave’.
Sitting down and grabbing a wine glass to share in our drink, he stood still in
strong reflection and sad countenance. We were worried for Papa and asked him
if something was wrong ‘Nothing he said’ nodding sadly still. Then he asked ‘Is
someone’s birthday today that I am not aware of? Because there seems to be so much celebration going
on here’ No papa was Biodun’s reply. ‘We are just taking our time to make merry
for the strike holiday we have and drink away this bad time our insensitive
leaders are trying to put us through’ he added. ‘Really’ he said. ‘Well I guess
I am in the right place and with the right people because I was almost falling
sick at home thinking about the kind of hard time we will have soon in the
country only to remember I had friends who knew a way out of this misery’
Filling his glasses with Amarula, he took a sip and sat down on the floor with
us. ‘You know guys’ he began, ‘this entire subsidy episode in the country at
the moment reminds me of some stories my grandfather told us when we were boys
your age. I mean a very long long time ago about 2 places or call them kingdoms
called Peak and another Corona. Now boys, I know we may be drinking but I am
trying to drive somewhere with these stories so I will ask that we all pay
attention to Paapa here. ..
Every house divided against
itself will never stand…
Peak was a very great kingdom at
one time because it had abundant resources and was attractive to neighbouring
kingdoms just like Nigeria is very attractive to many countries of the world.
The people there were very good and welcoming and this attracted the influx of
people into the kingdom; many even arrived the kingdom and got married there.
The fortune was so great that one would even assume that was the only place in
the continent blessed by God. Well, the citizens thrived in various works of
life they were concerned with including immigrants that arrived Peak for
business, pleasure and other reasons. As the years progressed, something seemed
to happen in Peak; the emergence of some kind of class strata due to the amount
of investments and wealth some citizens of peak amassed as I suppose is the
case everywhere in other kingdoms and nations of the world. For a while, the
division was not noticed because Peak still had abundance of resources until
some kind of disaster hit the kingdom, something that ravaged greatly the
amount of the resources they had. I don’t remember what my grandfather called
the disaster again but will let you know when I do. Everyone had to adjust
because things weren’t as rosy as they were anymore. Most migrants who were
used to abundance in Peak left for their kingdoms because it was not a place of
great comfort anymore. Time for reality
you guys can say…[C1] Guys,
you know what was bad about Peak, because they had so much in abundance and
even wasted too much, the people were not concerned about rules or about how to
make Peak greater. All they knew was the fun. Rules in the kingdom at the time
were just like a prophet in the religion telling the people what to do and not
do and these were simple things they needed no thinking to carryout. Well,
since reality time had come, it made sense that leaders were needed if the
kingdom was to survive because resources left had to be managed efficiently.
Well your guess is as good as mine, those who amassed more wealth thus seen as
best with managing resources due to how they managed theirs were chosen to be
guides for the people. For few months, everything seemed fine in Peak and the
people were happy but gradually, things got tougher. The citizens found life
getting tougher and tougher. Some things that were free at some points in their
lives, had to be paid for. There were lots of levies in the kingdom and so many
terrible laws. Amazingly, some of the people in the kingdom degenerated to
conditions of hunger; they hardly had food to eat. It was amazing to the people
who took some time to observe their environment and see if the experience they
have was common to all. Obviously, it was not.
The
Law of life says that he who has more will be given more and he who has little,
even what he has will be taken away from him and given to the one who has more.
Whether this happens genuinely or not, it is a law in life.
Going through untold hardship,
the people of Peak converged and decided it was time they questioned their
leaders’ performances. They nominated some people among them and sent them to
consult with the leaders but those sent returned with some explanations urging the
people they represented to be patient. They were paid prices to ensure the people who
sent them got satisfactory explanations[C2] .
More delegates were sent but the responses seemed same, many more and still
same responses. The kingdom was divided obviously because another class was
created; let’s say the surviving class. A day came when most of the poor in the
kingdom stood and said their sufferings were enough. It was time for revolution
and they called on their supposed delegates to join in the war to survival. Alas,
the truth was known, they were not a people anymore, they were divided amongst
themselves. Some were up there too rich, too content to care about those they
ruled, some where there in the middle class surviving because they refused to
be dependable and cared more about their survival thus been loyal to the class
of the ruled. They failed those who sent them to seek solutions concerning
their plights from their leaders and there were the poor too weak to fight
because they had no one to support them. Well, they fought and carried out a
revolution but was it successful? NO!!! It was not because they all did not
fight and they did not capture any rich one because they all sought refuge in
neighbouring kingdoms with friends that had always been beneficiaries of Peak’s
abundance. Peak was eventually dominated by other kingdoms who occupied their
territories with offers to help the people survive. Their end as far as I am
concerned was sad.
Corona had similar experiences
like Peak but they did not end up the way they did. In fact, they did not need
to fight the king and other rulers to get them to bow. They understood that the
rulers depended on them to keep the country going. They came together, prayed,
sought counsel, revolted and told the king what they wanted. He had no choice
but to bow because he saw that the voices of the people were united. They had a
common voice and till date, brothers, the country thrives and many more are
thriving like that.
‘I know I said I came here
because I was certain you my great friends will make me feel better. I think
for once, I am wrong. I have fasted three days now and prayed to God to please
touch the heart of the President to reverse the policy he just made not forever
but for now even if to prove to the people of this country that he loves them
enough to do what they ask him to do and I still have not seen any change. This
makes me so sad guys. Maybe my prayers were answered to the point that the Lord
touched NLC to begin a strike because his word says ‘One (1) Shall chase a thousand ([C3] 1,000)
but two (2) shall chase (10,000). So he has just answered the prayer of 1. My
friends have not even prayed instead Biodun, tells me he is making merry for
the holiday and drinking so he will forget the bad time the nation is about to
descend into. We sit here and go against what the word of God tells us in
Proverbs 31: 4-5 ‘Kings should not drink wine or have cravings for alcohol.
When they drink, they forget the laws and ignore the rights of the people’. We
partake in destroying the nation because we can survive at this stage of the
nation’s difficulty. We forget that our failure to labour now to bring sanity
to our country even it is through prayers may further cause our nation to
degenerate into a greater suffering that will one day affect us’.
‘I feel so sad really’ (tears
dropped from Paapa’s face) Paapa continued. Well guys. I am really sorry but I
need to be at the right place where I feel men appreciate the worth of lives. I
have no right to join in this celebration of yours because I have not lost my
sense of judgement. I may be too old to join the protest by a million hungry
young ones out there who fight for the collective purpose of all of us but I
will pray God sends more men into the vine yard of prayers so he can answer the
prayers not just of two (2) that can chase just ten thousand but of those that
that can chase over one billion (1,000,000,000). Have a good day’
The room went silent. No one
sipped from their glasses anymore or said a word. I took my car keys and drove
home to pray. Paapa spoke words of life to me. He made me realize that how
wrong I could be failing to bear the burdens of my neighbor as expected of
me… Gal. 6:2
I wish there was more to say
other than a reminder to all of us that ‘Every man must have a course to die
for. If any man does not have a course to die for then he is not worth living’
At home, I am told by friends not to join the protest so I can keep my life for
my family but then I ask them after listening to Paapa, who then has the
responsibility to make the nation good for me and my kids? The Poor in the
streets who could also be shot or me or all of us who care…
We must all get on our knees and
tell the Father what we want because we are a nation under God and he says in
Mark 9: 23 that everything is possible for the person who believes. In verse
29, he makes us understand that there are some circumstances that take prayers
to get solved and I know Nigeria is one of those.
This is a call to call for UNITY under God so
we can have our nation back. Nigeria can be beautiful again.
