Last Saturday, we woke up to the news of the elevation of a friend here as the Obaleo-elect of Erinmope. Great news, it sure took quite a few of us by surprise, pleasant as it was. Not surprising, as not many of us knew him as a Prince. Rather, as a brilliant mind, with a PhD in Communication Studies, with great depth and understanding of a wide range of issues. We got acquainted on this platform, before we would physically meet in Ekiti during the inauguration ceremony of the Governor, who would later appoint him as Senior Special Assistant and later, Principal Private Secretary. The Omoluabi I knew here was the same I met at Ado-Ekiti. Brilliant, yet humble.
I did not see a throne in the future of Dr Aniyi, I could not have. I saw him at the intersection between politics and the academy. From his own account, it is safe to conclude that not many saw beyond what I saw. But he has taken on a ‘life-altering journey’, as he put it, in the service of his people. It is a sacrifice, I would think, but as we all know, public service is the ultimate service to humanity. I remember him telling that he has been so elected because they believe in the strength he has with people like us, who are likeminds. We are who we are because of others. We can only become what we want to be through the help and assistance of others.
You can debate, disagree or do whatever else with someone, and fiercely too, without trading away that sense of civility. It is possible.
Since that Saturday, I have been thinking about this. Just like that, we now have a Kabiyesi as friend. Here we are, doing our bit, playing our part, who knows what tomorrow has in store for us all? Are we making friends for ourselves or enemies? Some will make themselves enemies, no matter what we do or not do. But, do we actively go out cultivating enemies for ourselves, over nothing? Who in our circle there is watching? Who else is a Kabiyesi-in-waiting? Who knows who might be a President tomorrow? Who knows among us here is a Governor in waiting? Who knows, Dr Okolo might just be announced as Minister tomorrow. Who knows who would be where tomorrow?
Yesterday, courtesy of my dear Brother, Temitope, I was with the man of many parts, Nigeria’s foremost voice in economic diplomacy, Ade Adefeko. He is a polyglot and well-travelled man. He speaks 10 languages, including the three major ones in Nigeria and has travelled to 51 countries. Some months back, he was named Honorary Consul to Nigeria by the Republic of Botswana. I had been looking forward to meeting this man, and as I introduced myself, he caught me by surprise, immediately bringing up an article I had written about Nigerian elite. While I struggled all through the night to remember which one exactly, he kept making reference to it, telling me how he had shared with others within his circle, and what some had to say. Here I was, had completely forgotten about this, and the words I had sent out, was right there, speaking for me.
It was not my first time of meeting people who had read me, watched me, or eager to discuss my work because it resonates with them. I have been in the public communication space for quite a while. But that encounter got me thinking, linking it up to the news of Saturday and something else I had read on this platform two days back. As one who is always mining for lessons in every occurrence, a few jumped at me. Be careful about what you write here, pay attention to your conduct. The world is watching. You are what you write. Ká ṣa máa ṣe dáadáa.
People are reading. People are watching. People are paying attention. They may not click on any of the buttons. They may not make a comment, but they are reading. Strange as it is, many of the people who posture as ‘foes’, who can’t stand you on account of lies or assumptions they have forced on themselves, are silent readers. They are there tendering receipts, attesting to having read you, when they are summoned for seasonal catfights. They are always there, reading, even when pride and anger will not let them acknowledge that, there and then.
There is no way we can legislate against differences or wish them away, but the point is, it makes no sense letting these differences define us, especially political differences, when the fight between the principal actors, in the first place, does not even go deep down. I can never understand how someone will pick on another person who he has never met, with whom he has no personal dispute and make him an enemy over his political views, opinion and preferences. What is the point?
The other day, this young lady took to her page to label people of a different political persuasion who happen to not see some of her assumptions, which, to me, are not even factual, as delusional. You make a subjective proposition and then pronounce whoever else does not see it your way as delusional?
You can debate, disagree or do whatever else with someone, and fiercely too, without trading away that sense of civility. It is possible. The easiest way is to stay with the facts, even as we know, the facts get some even more agitated. But there is a way to lay out the facts there, letting them speak, rather than get agitated. It is only when your presentation is facts-deficient that you get yourself into a twist and begin to imagine others as delusional. People are reading, people are watching, people are taking note.
One man became notorious here as a one-man German army, handing out slaps, deploying foul language and hurling insults at will, picking up fights with people who had no business with me. When the time came he had to answer for it here and beyond. There is an art to presenting differences of opinion. There is a way to express your disagreement without sounding haughty or rude.
Every word you write here is a seed. Every like or comment is a record. You are projecting yourself. You are selling yourself. Your word will go to where you have not been to or might never go.
Few days back, someone announced that a lady here had picked up the party nomination form to run for the office of Governor in her state. I think those forms are usually handed to women for free anyway. What struck me was a comment about the lady-contestant by someone to the effect that she is renowned for cursing (eebu). It was passed around as light-hearted comment, but the message therein could not have been lost to the discerning. Èéfín ni ìwà. Some say there is no smoke without fire. That is not true. But one’s character has a way of letting itself off, like smoke, as opportunity presents itself, no matter how closely we guard it.
We all see things. Some of these things we are not even directly involved. They do not directly affect us, but we see them. We watch. We notice. There are things people do not forget. People might forgive but it is harder to forget. Would we forget those who often gather here and there, playing God over other people, simply for their differences of opinion? Would we forget those whose trademark here is cursing and raining insults on others? Would we forget those who mass up on the innocent like ants to lynch people? How can I forget the evil minds who gathered, in vain, at the feast they summoned to bring down Oteri? We watch. We read. We notice.
Every word you write here is a seed. Every like or comment is a record. You are projecting yourself. You are selling yourself. Your word will go to where you have not been to or might never go. Your word will go ahead of you. It had better be a good word.
We must learn to manage rather than magnify our differences. As you lay your bed on this platform might just be the way you eventually get to lie on it when the future beckons. Be careful who you present yourself as. I doubt that there is so much to lose by presenting the better version of yourself here. Let your better version speak for you here. Who knows what tomorrow has in store?
As the Ekitis say, Oniyan ni mu ni mo niyan. We can only become who we want to be through others. We can only go so far without learning on others for support.
Ká ṣa máa ṣe dáadáa.
Let us keep doing good.
