THERE is a reason Yoruba always warn an elder off a fistfest with a junior. There is also an Ndigbo proverb; “E tie dike n’ala, a nu uzu ya” which warns of a great man’s thudding. The literal translation is “knock a valiant man on the ground and the shouts will be tremendous”. The message it conveys is that the downfall of a famous man attracts public attention.
Similar message is conveyed in the second part of the Yoruba saying “agba o ki nba omode ja, ti agba ba na omode, won a ni agba iya ni, ti omode ba na agba, won a ni oju agba re {an elder does not engage a junior in a slugfest, if he triumphs, onlookers will deride him as shameless for engaging someone at a disadvantage, if there is an upset and the underdog triumphs, the elder will be mocked as big-for-nothing.
The elderly being referenced here is beyond the calendar count. It includes anyone who is at an advantage in any kind of contest or face-off and from the ancient, public sympathy has been an exclusive preserve of the underdog.
Alex, originally Greek, is a micro version of Alexander, which biblically means the one who assists men or man’s defender or a warrior. When someone puts up a unique act in Yorubaland or things are exclusive to and around him, either in a good or bad way, it is always explained with “oruko omo lo nro omo” {he is being true to his name}. I should rejoice then, because aside sharing a name with Christ, my first name denotes “forever flourishing” {Olanrewaju}.
I am not here joining the crucify-him crowd of the hypocritical Nigerian public opinion court. Rep. Alex has erred and the law is taking care of the rest. But there is no logic in his not-guilty courtroom plea when he had apologised for the same offence for which he was charged. While the plea formality is understood he should quickly move to reach an understanding with his “victim” the assaulted Bolt driver and seek the forgiveness of the police leadership which is likely in his hot pursuit, mainly because he name-dropped the IG, Kayode Egbetokun. The unusual alacrity of the Force to prosecute this “big” man, certainly fools no discerning mind. Were the same officers of the Force not used by the federal lawmaker to harass the driver when the new Ombudsman, the Social Media, was yet invited and involved? Except for miracles, police are 99 percent certain to give justice to the higher bidder and the top dog when “two-fighting” of any kind is presented to them, without the wailing social media in the mix. Now citizens/netizens are waking up to the justice the social media can guarantee in the face of official oppression and manipulation of the system and it can only get more interesting, considering the almost-unfettered access by everyone and anyone, to the wailing information highway. With any kind of smartphone and N100 data, you are practically talking to the whole world. Engaging times surely ahead with “phone’ justice.
Relying solely on the video context, obviously recorded by a party in the slapping saga, it is elementary logic to rule Alex a scoundrel. He actually sounded like one in that video, though that would not make the so-called victim a saint, considering that one party was playing for the camera and probably acting a script for sympathy windfall from the public and the other, probably behaving true to type, because he thought he could get away with whatever, without a “third eye”. Well, news flash for everyone with oppression predilection, the “third eye” has come to stay and its welcoming intrusion may start dethroning kings and sacking presidents. You ask about the Yoruba king caught by the “third eye’ enjoying ‘the life of his head’ with African weed and still sitting pretty on a supposed ancient throne. Didn’t the knowledgeable Africanist herbalist, Baba Yemi Elebuibon say that in the town where the king presides, their things are always in the opposite, including good gladding and tidings? And to think I am close to some notable sons of the land.
Drivers, whether e-hailing or garage-made, are rarely victims of aggression and the fellow in the Alex saga, is possibly a departure, or just good at making opponent very bad, latching into the monstrosity of the social media. For those with raw experiences with e-hailing riders, including the satanists amongst them, who are into kidnapping and human {mostly sex sellers} delivery for rituals of all kinds, an ounce of pity would be difficult to spare when they are at the receiving end. Many of them, especially those who think the job beneath them, can be obnoxious, trapped in the echoes of their better yesterday. Almost everything is a slight to them.
But that won’t and does not justify Alex and for someone who had been chairman of a local government, though at a young age of 28, fraternizing with the very grassroots and the elderly wisdom that is easily procurable with cheap tobacco, he should blame himself for not finding wisdom in the saying of his people, quoted above, if he would be excused for possibly never coming into contact with its Yoruba twin; “Abuku ni ti ohun ba ji, eni ti o loruko lohun ngba lo” which translates {reproach says whenever it wakes up, it is seeking the famous to afflict}. For his lack of discretion, Alex has been justifiably rubbished. Reproach really visited him. Shame flattened him and indignities now maggot all over. When the assault matter is judicially and judiciously settled, he should be allowed to rebuild his life, except if there is a pattern to his obvious weakness, of taking advantage of the supposedly helpless. He surely needs help, whether anger management or psychological treatment, considering his supreme effort at being regarded despite where grace has placed him, or even spiritual deliverance. And if he is on anything cheap or expensive, there are also help NDLEA can offer.
When Jesus pardoned the woman with hand in the cookie jar of adultery, it wasn’t because He was condoning sin, but because everyone deserves another chance. Among the baying crowd, especially his party men and National Assembly colleagues, including the Rep condescending on Minister Dave Umahi in a viral video {though the minister himself can be uncouth}, are those worse in conducts and persona. And pray what is all the swashbuckle show from APGA and House of Reps? Especially the latter. I mean when did the overfed lawmakers become the friends of the poor. They could roast and toast Alex as they want but should not pretend they are doing it for the Bolt guy or the common man. Ere kini aja nba ekun se. Not translating.
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