When an Eclipse Stalls the Rising of the Sun
The unacknowledged Nobel Laureate, Prof. Chinua Achebe before his death wrote his last memoir titled “There was a country”. He began this memoir with an Igbo proverb translated to English. Since I know that this article shall be consumed by the larger Igbo society and a few others, I would not rephrase but rather write this proverb the way it was handed down to us by our forefathers. Our forefathers told us that “Onye na amaghi ebe mmiri bidoro mawa ya agahi kwa ama ebe ǫ ga no were kwusi”.
Before delving into writing this article, I thought of the pros and cons. I put into consideration the fact that the intents of this write-up could be misinterpreted. However, the likes of Ngozi Adichie Chimamanda, late Prof. Chinua Achebe (God bless his soul) and the Latin maxim “Audentes Fortuna Iuvat” fuelled my spirit and put me under compulsion to do this piece. Come to think of it, if tensions will flare up, then it should be from both sides of the coin (Let the reader understand what the writer writes).
It no longer stings the ear to hear that Nigeria fought a civil war. It no longer stings the ear to hear that there was a country synonymic with the rising sun. It no longer stings the ear to hear that the sun could not rise as at January, 1970. It also no longer stings the ear to hear that our grandparents and parents who shared in the joy (if there was any) and trauma of the war deciphered the cause as well as rolled out a summary of the war. What however stings the ear so badly is that the younger generation who were not opportune to witness the war has not taken time to give the root cause of the war a thought but has swallowed the already existing story hook, line and sinker. I am not saying that the version of the cause and conclusion of the war which has been handed down from generation to generation are all packs of lies. What I am saying is that there is an age long aphorism which did not die in the past and which we must uphold in our time and it is “Once beaten, twice shy”. We cannot allow a mistake to repeat itself else it becomes a tradition. Let the reader understand that the writer hasn’t said that venturing into the war was a mistake. I am saying that loosing this same war the second time (not necessarily one of guns and machetes) shall be a grievous mistake for which posterity shall not forgive us just the same way some of us have refused to forgive antiquity for leading us into and not winning the war. With my very little knowledge, I am very aware that from the hoary past, what has always eaten up the wood has always been inside the wood. At this juncture, I am trying so hard to convince myself that the reader who seeks to understand the writer can now create a mental picture of the angle the writer is coming from.
Warriors spilt their blood on the ground while trying to help the sun rise. They got scorched by the heat and fire emanating from the sun while trying to place the sun far away in the cloud where it was meant to be. Today, after all their rigorous sacrifices (God bless all biafran soldiers, most especially the inexperienced ones who were conscripted into the army yet fought like veteran gladiators) we have refused to make ours. We only love to listen to tales about the duel (for those who do) forgetting that though freedom is cheap, it is not free. We have been quick to forget that right from the very foundations of the earth all men who were saved paid a price. Let it always ring in your mind whoever you are especially the youths that salvation comes at a price. Before I am dragged to the gallows by those on the other side of the divide and even by those on my own side of the divide, let me quickly assert that the salvation contained/spoken of herein may not be accomplished again by wars. This salvation and freedom that I preach is one that shall be accomplished by a high level of patriotism. I am writing about a patriotism that is deeper, more sincere and more sacrosanct than whatever patriotism you have heard of. I am talking of a patriotism that is not in the reversed order, one that stems out of selflessness, which does not keep record of wrongs, one that is so pure that it can’t afford hatred, discord and fraternization. It is because this and so many other virtues are lacking that we have become our own nightmare. We have become the eclipse that has stalled the rising of our very own sun. I make bold to say that the sun wouldn’t rise simply because an alcoholic beverage which we have nicknamed in our local parlance “Oh mpa” was produced to reflect it. How can the sun rise when the Igbos pride themselves about not having a leader? When our foes who want our downfall come around they tell us (even we foolishly tell ourselves) that it is because we are so wise. We have decided to enjoy the “Igbo enwe Eze” syndrome and by this singular act have become the Igbo proverbial grasshopper that was decaying and told the world to come and see it producing tons of oil. We can’t deny the veracity of our wisdom but I know full well that with much wisdom comes much sorrow. How can the sun rise when even among Igbo state universities, admissions are given to students and fees are paid based on who is or is not an indigene of that state? So does that mean that being an Igbo is not enough a criterion to qualify my acceptance holistically into the Igbo society? How can we deny not being the eclipse when simply because I am a civil servant in a state that is not my state of origin I am asked to go back to my state? Why would the eclipse be lifted when your fellow brother wants to buy goods from you on credit yet he has the money but wants you to “consider” simply because “na anyi ncha bu ndi Igbo”? This certain brother wants to run his fellow brother down yet we all are supposed to be each other’s keeper. How can we realize our dreams when our young ones can’t even speak our language? They sit for external exams, fail our language and do not consider it a necessity to re-sit. When did things get so bad that they say they can’t speak Igbo but they can understand? I wonder how one claims strongly to understand what he or she can’t speak. This is why our young ones do not know the traditional norms. How can the sun rise when....................? If I continue, I could point out a thousand and one reasons why the sun cannot rise.
I want to be free. I do not know about you but let me be optimistic that you also cherish and want your freedom. If the sun shall rise, then there must not be discrimination. The man from Arochukwu should not see the man from Nkanu as a stranger. If the sun shall rise, then we must be able to reach a concord at the table of brotherhood. We should not make leaders and leadership difficult. The interest of all should not be sacrificed for the interest of one. The virtues of the rising sun must reflect within us so that those who do not want it shall be left with no other choice than to accept it. If the sun must rise, then we must begin to revive the vibes of our language, customs and culture for how can there be a nation, custom or culture without a language? If the sun must rise someday, then we must have one generally accepted umbrella that we can run under during heavy ethnic, political and religious rainfall and intense sunshine. When these happen, when we live out the true meaning and creed of the sun, when the younger generation accepts this creed, only then shall the eclipse disappear. THE SUN SHALL RISE AGAIN
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