The Great Dictator.

At this time, we don’t need more sultry news, more heart dropping predictions, more jaw dropping conspiracies, or more ear throbbing promises. We don’t need these. The cloud of the forth coming elections has left us weary, awaiting a blood rain. We run high on tension and low on hope. What we need? A reminder. We need to remember Charlie Chaplin.

                                             

                                                     “THE GREAT DICTATOR”

We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other’s happiness - not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another. In this world there is room for everyone. And the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way.

Greed has poisoned men’s souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical. Our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost....

The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men - cries out for universal brotherhood - for the unity of us all. Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world - millions of despairing men, women, and little children - victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people.

To those who can hear me, I say - do not despair. The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed - the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish. ....

Soldiers! don’t give yourselves to brutes - men who despise you - enslave you - who regiment your lives - tell you what to do - what to think and what to feel! Who drill you - diet you - treat you like cattle, use you as cannon fodder. Don’t give yourselves to these unnatural men - machine men with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines! You are not cattle! You are men! You have the love of humanity in your hearts! You don’t hate! Only the unloved hate - the unloved and the unnatural! Soldiers! Don’t fight for slavery! Fight for liberty!

In the 17th Chapter of St Luke it is written: “the Kingdom of God is within man” - not one man nor a group of men, but in all men! In you! You, the people have the power - the power to create machines. The power to create happiness! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure.

Then - in the name of democracy - let us use that power - let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world - a decent world that will give men a chance to work - that will give youth a future and old age a security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power. But they lie! They do not fulfill that promise. They never will.

Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people! Now let us fight to fulfill that promise! Let us fight to free the world - to do away with national barriers - to do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men’s happiness. Soldiers! in the name of democracy, let us all unite!
                                                        
                       The great dictator speech (Charlie Chaplin, October 1940)

image reference: http://www.bellanaija.com/2011/10/01/a-celebration-of-nigerias-independence-photo-story-by-mr-mrs-jones/

What I know for sure.

I know most of us are picking wars of words about the election while those who own the war solely; listen, sign what they must, but do what they please.

I know we give so much; burn cars, blow up offices. Get blood on our hands and guilt on consciences to make a point. We do it all for people who do nothing for us at all.

I know our war should not be fought on the high land of prejudice and sentiment, but we should, if we must, fight to the death to make a worthy difference on the lowland of capacity and worth.

I know we deserve more than this “election worthy only” way they see us. Like we are nothing until they need us for something. If stomach infrastructure is key, where has it been all the while we starved in the last three years? If we will be protected in the future, why weren't we in the past?

I know in battle the strategies are not solely attack and defense. There is also one that lurks in the shadows; sabotage. Things are almost never what they seem.

I know our poverty is not a mistake; our ignorance is not a thing of chance. They keep us this way because they need us this way; vulnerable. I know we are only independent in the history books, but are still heavily dependent on everyone but ourselves.

I know we are too scared to accept change because the “familiar” is more comfortable than “what if" But if you say you can do better, why should you be forgiven for wasting our time with less than your best?  We never said heal our hurt, Visit our injured, or bury our dead. We only begged you pretend you cared!

I know it spells trouble that our best resource is the adage on "the devils we know", like a woman in an abusive relationship. We refuse to give love a chance because, we’re scared we’d be put through worse. But how much worse can it get? There have been too many of us who slept in beds but now awaken at the light of day under the grasses that have grown on the bed of earth that marks where we lay.

       I know I know nothing. Maybe that’s why I see through everything.

 Photo credit:  http://www.facenfacts.com/NewsDetails/13236/kashmir-rape:-id-parade-postponed.htm

A call to arms – Daisy Odey and Kristen Haruna.

 Life dares to bloom on a plain far away, where Akin met Haruna, Haruna met Uche, and all three visited death.

In a city where the sun  rises at midnight, but sets at dawn. I hear the blood taps are still running on the hills, where Akin, Haruna and Uche were killed.

We scream, off with their heads for mutiny! They ran from a war, ran from corruption, Ran to us. They came to our homes screaming;

“I saw her guts, the womb of my mother opened. Not just bones, I saw my unborn sister, Could have been a brother, Dragged out chopped to chunks”
but what did we do? A troubled man with a troubled man, who will save who?
We said;
“Not this day, maybe tomorrow when our troubles go away” we turned our backs in innocence and our innocence became guilt.

They turned to the leaders, who brought upon us the wars, they returned to the mountains of power singing;
“it doesn't concern us that you feed fat in your homes. While we fight a gun war with arrows and stones. We know someday you’d sign treaties for peace. Forgetting those we lost to fleas, cold and disease. So please, for this, look upon us, with a little mercy”
and the mountain grumbled;
“Tied to a barrel, one wound to the chest, for running from a war being fought in the west. You lived by the sword; it’s our fault we know. But then by that sword, you also must go”

A rusty gun, a helmet, dusty boots laid on camouflage. That’s all that came home to the mother who wept into a crumpled green, white, and green flag.

Today we answer the call to arms,
 We without arms,
Our empty hands locked in unity.
Lets for today,
Tribe, religion, and, prejudice aside lay,
And Pray,
standing for our sons dying,
In the forests of the North,
 On the hills of the West,
In the rivers of the South,
lying in the cemeteries in the east.
To the dead and alive,
Nigeria acknowledges your sacrifice

Sabinus speaks.

Nigeria, you see terrorist situation in Paris? You see turn out? You watch professional reporting? You see president?

You see commando? You have Boko-haram, why you no have commando? Maybe commandos rescue Chibok girls. Commando trained for terrorist, them no stand at road blocks on road. Them no disturb with “happy weekend” even when it no be weekend. Paris have road blocks now after attack? Put commando on road? Use commandos terrorize people? I call friend in Paris, I ask him.

You see French president? You see him address his people? Why he no send his own Reuben Abati? Why he no send spokesperson? French president no have spokesperson? Where first lady? First lady no talk? No cry?  Why Obama no speak after every bomb blast or terrorist attack?  Terrorist attack too often in Nigeria for Obama? Or Obama just no like us? Why Obama talk to us when Jonathan no talk to us either.

You see president walk to scene?  Why no siren? Why no long files of army follow? I see few security service officers, I no see guns.  Jonathan ever walk to scene of tragedy same day? No, he go days later, if him go at all. Him need to dance at rally first before him go, scene need be clean and safe before him go. When he go him go with camera crew, camera crew must snap president good side for campaign publicity.

How they catch the terrorist? Plus save hostages? Why they no say “terrorist will be brought to book” Then do nothing? They just bring them to book gbam! Plus avoid killing too many people. French do juju? Or bring miracle pastor? French government wait for America to send weapons before she protect her people?

But we president busy.  French president no busy campaigning, him no busy worrying about gathering funds. Him no worry about billions flying out of treasury, him no worry about strikes here and there. No, him no worry. Him no have worries about past president pestering like housefly, writing scandalous book.   Him can act like president because him no worry about staying president. Maybe we president be president after him win election.  Maybe after February Nigeria celebrate, Nigeria stop cry, Chibok girls return and kidnapped boys too. Maybe after February we Nigeria finally have president.

Forgiven or forgotten

Have we forgotten? Have we forgiven? The 16th of February in Izghe, 25th of February in Yobe, 20th of May - Jos, 28th June – Abuja, 29th of November- Kano. Have we forgotten how we almost broke the internet with the “Bring back our girls” campaign? Was empathy from our president too much to ask?  Have we forgotten the promises in 2011? Have we forgiven the embezzling? Who told our children stealing was not corruption? Isn't a man’s integrity best judged by the little things he chooses to ignore? We can continue to pretend all is well, but can we afford to?

After all, whose children lie in shallow graves? Whose daughters sit in the claws of captivity? Whose sons were trampled in an examination exercise? Who visited the hospitals only to be told the doctors or health workers were on strike, again? Who braved the sun's scourging to occupy Nigeria? Whose children were massacred in schools? Whose sisters, brothers and mothers left for business but never returned? Who dies of thirst at the well of empty promises? Who can save us from this menace? Who votes?

Come February, we will not be caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. We will be standing between the devil, the deep blue sea, and our prejudice. We admire the battle cry of change, but we know too well from past experience, a promise made is not a promise fulfilled. We are standing in the darkness of the familiar, from five presidential candidates we only acknowledge two potential presidents. Politics might just be more like athletics and less like wine, older is not better. Caught between the lesser of two evils, whomever we pick is a bad choice. Nigerians, what reason do we have to vote come February?