Soyinka's Recent Comments, ill-Advised

SOYINKA’S RECENT COMMENTS, ILL-ADVISED

       

Recently, the revered Professor Wole Soyinka was apparently drowned by myriad of public opinions that he thought it wise, albeit ignorantly, to put his America’s Green Card at stake, forgetting politics doesn’t share common features with literature. On hearing the bet, I laughed profusely and couldn’t help fisting my chest amid the laughter. Although if the reality must be faced squarely, at 82 his entire life ought to be domiciled in the clan he hails from.

      

After the US 2016 Presidential polls that informed the aforementioned expensive joke, everyone worldwide was only interested in seeing the don fulfill the pledge that was made publicly, though subconsciously. Subconscious, in the sense that if given a second chance, he would like to retrieve the ill-advised utterance. Nigerians were not left out in the picture of those who earnestly looked forward to embracing that moment when he would ascend the podium and do as promised.

        

It’s noteworthy that most well meaning Nigerians were, in the first place, unhappy that Prof. Soyinka could go that far. Everyone was marvelled that he could tender such a response to an interview pertaining to elections in which he was never one of the contenders, nor a citizen to the affected country. It suffices to say that they saw his reaction as mere ‘tantrum’. Sure, nobody helped him to secure permanent residency in the US as he has rightly pointed out, thus had every right to determine the fate of his Green Card; but Nigerians, owing to passion, were deeply concerned over what such a speech could cause his personality afterwards.

         

Rather than admitting the goof, which could be made by any mortal or anyone who possesses the human skin, he went ahead to create further scene. In an interview granted to him lately upon his arrival to Nigeria, he unequivocally said “I’m going to hold a private wake on inauguration day not to mourn the decision of Americans in the choice of President but to mourn the death of Nigeria common sense.” It didn’t stop at that; he went further to call Nigerians names including imbeciles, barbarians, illiterates, and blabbermouths. “I’m embarrassed that I’m occupying the same nation space with these imbeciles …” he stated.

       

Ordinarily, I wouldn’t have considered coming up with this critique, considering that senility can be characterized by various antics. But in view of the fact that silence could mean more harm, I was left with no option. What he displayed is a clear indication that one of the worst moments of critics is when they are being criticized; they detest being criticized but enjoy criticizing others. How do you reconcile this?

       

Prof. Soyinka indeed underestimated Nigeria as a nation, and Nigerians as a people, to have summoned the impetus to publicly display such an effrontery. Countless great Nigerians of note existed before him, but none, despite the numerous challenges faced at one time or the other, let Nigeria down by using abusive words on her. Even at the moment, there are many who share the same greatness with him, yet living a quiet life. I’m not in any way opining that everyone ought to possess same character, because every unique character was created for a purpose, but one is required to realize when his/her boundary is being overstepped.           

Most importantly, at a time when one is unanimously being celebrated by his people, their interest or happiness should be placed first before any other. But, at that interview, it appeared Prof. Soyinka was beclouded by his boiling temper. People, especially public figures, must learn to control their temper at all times.

        

However, he still has a chance to make amends if only he has realized his mistakes, which aren’t peculiar to his person. As for me, I’m damn willing to forgive if he is ready to jettison his ego towards doing the needful. I truly want him to retrace his steps, because even if he means nothing to my person, I’m not unaware that he’s being adored, if not worshipped, by millions of Nigerians; and this set of individuals cannot afford to miss him. So, on their behalf, I urge him to have a rethink. Nigeria, no doubt, comprises a set of understanding personalities, thus would be ever prepared to accept his unalloyed apology when tendered.

       

By making that utterance, Prof. Soyinka refused to convince me that, ab initio, he had meant well for Nigeria. But he still has the opportunity to disabuse me of my thoughts; hence, I alongside fellow aggrieved Nigerians have decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. If he chose to remain adamant of the pains he had caused us, I’ll then consider it that he has already turned his back on a country that made him.

Meanwhile, Nigerians on their part must jettison every obnoxious thought regarding the mess. We ought to endeavour to think before reacting, considering that two wrongs do not make a right. Think about it!

 

 

       

              

 

#WisdomTablets (6)

Don't Frequent a Friend's House
_________________________

Yes, he's your friend, no doubt about it, but do
not frequent his home/lodge. Constant visit to
a friend's house invariably leads to affront. If
a friend sees your face so often, gradually the
respect he/she has for your person begins to
decline regardless of how beautiful the face in
question is.

Try to create a little distance, not minding how
much you cherish the friendship. Such an attitude
requires only courage, because it's really hurtful
to stay away from someone you truly care about,
even if the distance is so infinitesimal. Believe it
or not, when a certain company or companionship
is always available, it becomes so boring.

Same is equally applicable to phone conversation.
If a fellow sees or receives your phone call often
times, your number would be detested by him/her
unknowingly to them. In such case, sometimes, they
may decide to ignore the call. The funniest part is
that the said negligence is displayed unintentionally.
They wouldn't overlook your calls with the purpose
of hurting you, but just that the calls have abruptly
become so common to them.

I'm not soliciting for a distance to be created in a
friendship or any form of relationship, but the truth
remains that sometimes a little distance is consequential.
Hence, sustain the intimacy, but endeavour to summon
RESPECT by not frequenting that home that seems
irresistible to you . #ThinkAboutIt

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Celebrating the 2016 Int'l Human Rights Day

HUMAN RIGHTS DAY: NIGERIA’S CONSTITUTION ON MY MIND

         

Today, December 10, the world over is commemorating the 2016 Human Rights Day. In 1950, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly proclaimed 10^th December of every year as Human Rights Day, to bring the attention of people of the world to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the common standard of achievement for all peoples as well as all nations.

          

The theme of this year’s anniversary is ‘Stand up for someone’s rights today!’ This implies that every so often a certain thing/event that is of astounding importance comes to pass that we must stand up and recognize it. We are required to place such thing on the pedestal it deserves, and ensure that the precepts and policies put in place by it are adhered to, appreciated as well as spread as far as the human voice would carry. Such is the sort of message sent by Human Rights Day.

          

In any existing society, everyone is entitled to certain rights and/or privileges, as the case may be, which signifies the value of that person in the society in question. This phenomenon is invariably regarded by all and sundry as ‘human rights.’ Human rights are moral principles or norms that describe certain standards of human behaviour and are regularly safeguarded as legal rights in both national and international laws. They are usually seen as undeniable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled, because he/she is a human being, and bona-fide member of the society, regardless of the person’s location, language, skin colour, religion, social affiliations, ethnic origin, and background, among other statuses.

          

Human rights are universal and supreme, in the sense that it is being applicable everywhere and at every time; and they are also egalitarian, in the sense of being the same for everyone. They require empathy and the rule of law, and impose an obligation on persons to respect the human rights of others.

          

It’s fundamentally forbidden for human rights to be taken away, or overlooked by any person, officer, court of law, or instituted authority, unless as a result of due process based on specific circumstances. Ordinarily, human rights require freedom from unlawful molestation, discrimination, assault, torture, detention, imprisonment, and/or execution, which have recently been the order of the day in most localities, particularly Nigeria. It’s not anymore news that in most homes across the federation, housewives are living not unlike mere slaves unknowingly to their parents/guardians; needless to say that they are dying in silence as each day unfolds.

         

Rape and paedophilia, among other forms of child abuse, have abruptly dominated the polity. In our various schools, a teacher, rather than function as the mentor of the pupil under his custody, would prefer to be a tormentor. Yet each day, this set of deviants walk freely on our roads and streets, thereby making concerned Nigerians insinuate that the country’s constitution that ought to protect people’s rights is docile and incapacitated. 

          

The doctrine of human rights has been highly influential within national and international laws coupled with regional and global institutions. Actions by states and non-governmental organizations form a basis of public policy worldwide. There is a consensus that human rights encompasses a wide variety of rights such as the right to life, fair trial, prosecution, protection against enslavement, prohibition of genocide, free speech, information dissemination, choice of religion, and a right to education. Though some thinkers or schools of thought are of the view that human rights ought to comprise a minimum requirement to avoid the worst case abuses, others see the wide variety as a higher standard.

          

Many of the basic ideas that yielded the Human Rights Movement came up in the aftermath of the Second World War and the atrocities of The Holocaust. The aforementioned ideas or views culminated in the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Paris, France by the UN General Assembly in the year 1948, although the ancient people did not have the same modern day ideology of universal human rights - thus people’s rights were still not safeguarded as required.

          

The real forerunner of human rights crusade was the concept of natural rights which appeared as part of the medieval natural law tradition that became notable during the enlightenment by philosophers like Francis Hutcheson, John Locke and Jean-Jacques Burlamaqui, and which featured predominantly in the political thrives of both the American and French Revolutions. The modern human rights arguments emerged during the half of the twentieth century possibly as a reaction to slavery, torture, genocide, and war crimes, as a realization of inherent human vulnerability and as being a precondition for the emergence of the anticipated just society.

          

Owing to the supremacy and universality of human rights, every adopted constitution or bye-law creates a special column which categorically stipulates the rights and privileges binding the entire members of the society/group that abides by the mandates of the said constitution, and such provision is bound to remain sacrosanct among the members unless unanimous amendments are made to that effect.

          

Frankly, adequate recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the rudiments of freedom, peace and justice in the world. And since all human beings were born free and equal in dignity and rights, there is an absolute need for the fundamental rights stipulated in any constitution to be duly upheld, in order to put to a stop all categories of human rights abuse taking place in all nooks and crannies across the globe.

          

So, as Nigeria joins the rest of the world to commemorate the 2016 edition of the Human Rights Day, the mandate of any adopted constitution or bye-law regarding fundamental rights and privileges should be treated as sacrosanct or supreme by the overall members of the society in question irrespective of their statuses, and that every member regardless of his/her status ought to be a beneficiary to such provision. In other words, this day calls for outright protection of all the extant laws cum Acts in Nigeria, particularly the country’s 1999 Constitution, as amended, which represents the overall interest of the citizenry.

         

It’s equally imperative not to hesitate in amending any law/Act whenever the need arises. Every extant law deserves to be reviewed from time to time with the sole aim of making amends if need be, hence, such approach shouldn’t be taken for granted by the legislature. Moreover, a law that is not being properly implemented by the apt authority is just ceremonial, thus the various law enforcement agencies must leave no stone unturned towards ensuring that the needful is invariably done in their respective jurisdictions. The judicial custodians ought to as well curtail the ongoing high level of prolonged court hearing.        

         

The civil society activists on their part are expected to, at all times, display fierce and uncompromising attitudes towards upholding the nobility of human rights. Regardless of our ages, occupations and affiliations, it’s our civic responsibility to ensure at all cost that the country’s laws as well as Acts are viable and duly safeguarded. Think about it!

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