Nigeria’s Fools At Large By M.B.O Owolowo

For definitive purposes, a fool can be described as one who is deficient in judgement, sense, or understanding. It could also mean one who has been tricked or made to appear ridiculous. In some instances, being a fool or being fooled could be occasional, so it may be one who acts unwisely on a given occasion. But, when such an act of foolishness goes beyond the occasional and increases its mode of frequency, there ought to be some level of concern by the discerning.


I was once taught by my teacher that, no one is born foolish, and rightly so. As I gained more exposure to life's dynamics, I realised foolishness could be gradually attained, sometimes subconsciously and often times unintentionally.

There are many types of fools, and Nigeria is gifted with it's own peculiar breed of fools.
The Complicated Fool: those who aren’t even aware they are fools - the wisdom acclaimer.
We have the Circumstantial Fool: the fool who was made foolish due to some circumstance, like economic hardship, which is slightly understandable in our milieu.
A Loving Fool could also pass as a victim of circumstance - one who has been swindled by a supposed lover and abandoned.

Analysing deeper, we come across the Neo-Colonialist Fool: this is a fool who expects the foreign powers to do what's in the best interest of Nigeria, totally forgetting the golden rule of permanent interests and not permanent friends. Such fools expect foreign interventionists to wholeheartedly assist Nigeria's development, without pondering on the economic implications, and why an underdeveloped Nigeria may actually benefit certain foreign interests.

There are more interesting fools like the Sophisticated Fool: motivated by class, prestige and other types of materialisms. You will find them in some posh social clubs bragging about either their heritage or privileged background and education, but never about using their exceptional qualities for the betterment of the nation.

Enter the Educated Fool: the fool who went to school but has learnt nothing - you come across many of them on social media, exhibiting their ignorance to unfathomable heights.
Another spectrum of the educated are those with the professional experience and acumen to effectively manage public affairs, but deliberately evade it because of the pervasion of unscrupulous individuals in the political sphere.
Ironically, those within this category, feel more comfortable criticising without proffering practical solutions or making any significant contributions to societal development. They are quick to call the opportunists governing them, fools, but fail to realise they are actually the bigger fools, for allowing a brand of fools to attain positions of authority over them.

We also have the Bigoted Fool: the fool driven by bigotry and hatred. These set of fools are multifaceted and their bigotry is boundless. You find them online, defending absurdities.
For example, if a minister that happens to belong to their ethnic group is exposed for malfeasance, they see no wrong in defending obvious incompetencies. Also, if a president they share the same religion with has been chastised for ineptitude, they will defend such apparent inadequacies religiously.

We mustn’t forget the Religious Fool: fools, despite living in dire straits, have been cajoled or brainwashed into believing that by further enriching a religious leader, they will attain salvation. Never mind that their revered religious figure owns private jets, or has been accused of money laundering or gun-running, “touch not my anointed” they say, as they intensify their prayers.

This brings the fools exposé to the prayerful type of fool, a.k.a the 'Prayer-Fool': those who believe in praying for everything and doing nothing to make those prayers a reality.
The similitude of a student that has been gifted with access to good teachers and vast educational material, but instead of taking advantage of these resources by studying, resorts to just praying. Strangely, such a student is actually expecting a 'miracle' on examination day, but is surprised by the realistic outcome of a resounding fail. This is the reality that has befallen Nigeria, we are trying to reap where we obviously did not sow!

Fools manifest into unbelievable mutations like the Sycophantic Fool: they will praise the flimsiest of things as achievements. Like those who celebrated the refurbishment of old locomotives as landmark government accomplishments in 2014. In an age when Maglev trains are doing maximum speeds of 430 km/h and an average speed of 251 km/h.
A mediocre type of fool might retort that this is way too advanced for us, that we should keep it simple and concentrate on the basics like electricity. Yes! Then emerges the 'Transformation' Fool: the one busily defending a 'transformation agenda' that has failed to transform anything but the pockets of those milking the system. A transformation that has continually promised stable or constant electricity supply for the past 4 years at least.

Undoubtedly, we have exceptional fools at the helm of affairs, surrounded by a special set of feckless fools, those who believe they can fool everyone with elaborate foolishness. These are the sort of fools that openly praise ill-thought of pro-government agendas, then try to exculpate themselves when it backfires drastically, i.e.#BringBackGoodluck2015.

Once any opportunistic fool takes over the helm of affairs, the clock starts to tick fast, such opportunists are wondering when the populace will come back to their senses, do the needful and send them packing! They are actually surprised by the series of faux pas they can get away with before reality beckons and are exposed for the fraud they truly are.

We are currently engulfed in a vicious circle of be-fooling that is inevitably contagious. Some may ask, how far can charlatanry be perpetuated? How long can such asininity last? Well! For as long as those being fooled allow it!
So when next a fool lies to you to get your votes and you buy into the foolish lies being peddled, don’t blame the fool for attempting such foolery, rather blame yourselves for permitting such buffoonery and allowing yourselves to be fooled in the first instance!


“You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time” - Abraham Lincoln

http://saharareporters.com/2014/09/26/nigeria’s-fools-large-mbo-owolowo

Coming from a Media Wing of Bokoharam. .

Descartes: Coming from a Media Wing of Bokoharam. .

Bigoted fool / complicated fool up there ^
Oya The rest of you should choose your category.
I fall into the educated fool class because nothing will ever make me partake in that cesspit.
One unfortunate observation of a political meeting was enough to repulse me forever.

Yes we were but no more. Vote APC family empire out and create a credible opposition.

oduastates:


Bigoted fool up there ^
The rest of you should choose your category.

I understand your pain. You, your media wing of BH and fellow boko sympathizers have been humiliated by Nigerian Army in all ramifications. Better start new recruitment of e-thugs and face the 154 commissioned TAN(pads)oids on Nairaland.

"It takes a nation of f00ls to be ruled by a clueless man."

I love the way the writer categorized foolishness especially of Nigerians cause it actually depicts the most of our behaviours. But trying to align with the opposition is where the writer got it all wrong, instead it should have remained neutral to carry everyone along. So from this fallacy committed by the writer (hasty generalization) i exonerate myself and other wise Nigerians from the FOOLISH article. PEACE!!!

aljharem: Yes we were but no more. Vote APC family empire out and create a credible opposition.

I like Janjäweeds for having made PDP to know that they can not get away with all attrocities and impunity they have been perpetrating since 1999. Meanwhile its remains an Opposition party. Thank God that we are about to witness a true democracy in the MOST populous Black Nation in the World.

GEJ Till 2019
Haterz go and dieeeeeeeeeee

Descartes: I like Janjäweeds for having made PDP to know that they can get away with all attrocities and impunity they have been perpetrating since 1999. Meanwhile its remains an Opposition party. Thank God that we are about to witness a true democracy in the MOST populous Black Nation in the World.

Hahahahahaha

[quote author=christejames]I love the way the writer categorized foolishness especially of Nigerians cause it actually depicts the most of our behaviours. But trying to align with the opposition is where the writer got it all wrong, instead it should have remained neutral to carry everyone along. So from this fallacy committed by the writer (hasty generalization) i exonerate myself and other wise Nigerians from the FOOLISH article. PEACE!!! [/quote ] I thought was the one who saw the body language of the paid- writer

[quote author=Descartes][/quote] thank God you also saw it.

They will praise the flimsiest of things as achievements. Like
those who celebrated the
refurbishment of old locomotives
as landmark government
accomplishments in 2014. In an
age when Maglev trains are doing maximum speeds of 430 km/h
and an average speed of 251 km/
h.
A mediocre type of fool might
retort that this is way too advanced
for us, that we should keep it simple and concentrate on the
basics like electricity. Yes! Then
emerges the 'Transformation' Fool:
the one busily defending a
'transformation agenda' that has
failed to transform anything but the pockets of those milking the
system. A transformation that has
continually promised stable or
constant electricity supply for the
past 4 years at least. This is where the paid-writer was caught in the web. Very pathetic for him.

The writer is a fool for not seeing that Maglev trains are a luxury AT THE MOMENT. In any case, he's talented, and indeed his classification of fools is nicely done.

What a masterpiece.

Ther are lot of fools here on nairaland.

chai you sabi English wellu well o! nice flow of oyibo.

Based on the writer's interpretation of Sycophantic Fool, the writer seems to fit well into the category...
The Bigoted Fool: the fool driven by bigotry and hatred. These set of fools are multifaceted and their bigotry is boundless. You find them online, defending absurdities.
For example, if a minister that happens to belong to their ethnic group is exposed for malfeasance, they see no wrong in defending obvious incompetencies. Also, if a president they share the same religion with has been chastised for ineptitude, they will defend such apparent inadequacies religiously.

The writer should have continued on a neutral definition.

The writer and the Op are both foolish but the foolishness of the Op is more weighty. The writer is foolish for insulting Nigeria and Nigerians, and the Op is more foolish for promoting and propagating it.

Good observation.

The article was on point upto a point.

Its only a fool that will believe that the present crop of opposition will be able to deliver Nigeria, even if they win.

I think the OP is in that category.

christejames: I love the way the writer categorized foolishness especially of Nigerians cause it actually depicts the most of our behaviours. But trying to align with the opposition is where the writer got it all wrong, instead it should have remained neutral to carry everyone along. So from this fallacy committed by the writer (hasty generalization) i exonerate myself and other wise Nigerians from the FOOLISH article. PEACE!!!

Spot on!

aljharem: Yes we were but no more. Vote APC family empire out and create a credible opposition.

TAN fool

OrlandoOwoh: "It takes a nation of f00ls to be ruled by a clueless man."

You are very correct that our case as citizens is like the mad man calling others on the street mad

Can you imagine that our LGAs are allocated average N 150 million monthly from Abuja yet do NOTHING but clueless us will leave them and be shouting president this, president that. Are we not aware that these LGAs that we have allowed to fallow are the mobilising nodes for rigging elections

anonimi:

You are very correct that our case as citizens is like the mad man calling others on the street mad

Can you imagine that our LGAs are allocated average N 150 million monthly from Abuja yet do NOTHING but clueless us will leave them and be shouting president this, president that. Are we not aware that these LGAs that we have allowed to fallow are the mobilising nodes for rigging elections

But the President can curb it by setting a good example and let EFCC do the Job.

I agree that there are fools of all categories in this country but most of them are in denial. A fool does not want to be addressed as such. As long as they continue in denial, so shall their suffering continue.

Rapist:

But the President can curb it by setting a good example and let EFCC do the Job.

THIS President has set a better example by executing more projects in

- railways
- roads
- steel
- agriculture
- territorial defence against TERRORISM

while increasing our Excess Crude Account 10 times from $400 million in Sept. 2010 to $4 billion in Aug. 2014 and creating the Sovereign Wealth Fund DESPITE sometimes dwindling oil revenue. Those are the FACTS of the Jonathan/Sambo federal administration.

He has also created GREATER transparency about government finances hence more public reports of corruption to be dealt with by separate government agencies such as the Police, EFCC, ICPC, INDEPENDENT Judiciary etc.

Big question is how are we citizens CONTRIBUTING or detracting from the process instead of waiting for a Do-All Messiah to save us from OURSELVES

Africa does not need great men, it needs great INSTITUTIONS- Barrack Obama

anonimi:

THIS President has set a better example by executing more projects in

- railways
- roads
- steel
- agriculture
- territorial defence against TERRORISM

while increasing our Excess Crude Account 10 times from $400 million in Sept. 2010 to $4 billion in Aug. 2014 and creating the Sovereign Wealth Fund DESPITE sometimes dwindling oil revenue. Those are the FACTS of the Jonathan/Sambo federal administration.

He has also created GREATER transparency about government finances hence more public reports of corruption to be dealt with by separate government agencies such as the Police, EFCC, ICPC, INDEPENDENT Judiciary etc.

Big question is how are we citizens CONTRIBUTING or detracting from the process instead of waiting for a Do-All Messiah to save us from OURSELVES

Africa does not need great men, it needs great INSTITUTIONS- Barrack Obama

You're not getting it. After Agriculture and probably the Steel part, other stuffs you listed up there are just based on Propaganda.

I don't have anything against GEJ. But he CAN'T stop or reduce Corruption. And that's the Major Problem we are facing.

Politics shouldn't be a "Do or Die" Affair most especially if you won't be there forever. When your BEST is not enough to lift the Nation to where it rightly belong, then QUIT.

I'm not feeling the so-called Transformation.. Just on TV.

patttcom: Good observation.

The article was on point upto a point.

Its only a fool that will believe that the present crop of opposition will be able to deliver Nigeria, even if they win.

I think the OP is in that category.

hahaha... They should just desist from all this names calling and focus on their role as opposition.

anonimi:

You are very correct that our case as citizens is like the mad man calling others on the street mad

Can you imagine that our LGAs are allocated average N 150 million monthly from Abuja yet do NOTHING but clueless us will leave them and be shouting president this, president that. Are we not aware that these LGAs that we have allowed to fallow are the mobilising nodes for rigging elections

Your president controls 56% of everything, that is why his name is shouted, let him devolve powers to the state and stop interfering, people will crucify their governors.

That means the OP is also a fool

JEITO: That means the OP is also a fool

Yea, since he's a Nigerian.

... And if I may ask, what class of fool do you belong? And I'm also not sure what you wrote is wise. *sad*