After the opener last week, which was framed to give a general idea of the intendment of the series, this part will focus on restraint. Turning 50 is akin to climbing to the fifth floor, from the fourth floor, that is. You get to have better view (read clearer vision) as no tree is -or can be- as high as the fifth floor. The person who travelled all the way from ground floor to fifth floor has seen, heard, felt, said and smelled it all -enough to know it all.
In a country with a deteriorating life expectancy -a paltry 60.87 years (male: 59 years; female: 63)- turning gold is a golden opportunity in many respects. For one, such a one has monumental experience. Imagine having lived to see Olusegun Obasanjo first as military head of state in the late 1970s and later from 1999 to 2007 as elected President. Ditto, Muhammadu Buhari: from 31st December, 1983, to 27th August, 1985, and re-emerging against all odds (it must be said) on 29th May, 2015. What a feeling, waiting to see the Daura man’s final goodbye to the Nigerian presidency on 29th May, 2023.
The Nigerian who is alive and kicking, after having in addition experienced Ibrahim Babangida, Chief Ernest Shonekan, Sani Abacha, Abdulsalami Abubakar down to Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, is a human museum or mobile encyclopedia. You now know who can help you answer questions on such acronyms as IBB, NDLEA, DFRRI, SAP, SDP, NRC, MAMSER, NOA, NDE. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, a man who needs no further introduction, left us with National Drug Law Enforcement Agency; Directorate for Food, Road and Rural Infrastructure; Structural Adjustment Programme; Social Democratic Party, National Republican Convention, Mass Mobilisation for Self-Reliance, Zero Justice, and Economic Recovery; National Orientation Agency; National Directorate of Employment, among others. While I cannot come and kill myself for anyone who doesn’t connect the dots, I think such a one should just shut up and sit down to not be tagged an insulting child.
Remember War Against Indiscipline (WAI), which later extended to include Corruption, WAI-C? Pray, what happened to the Nigeria that Nigerians have craved forever? Would it still manifest? Would my generation taste it?
By the way, that’s one of the downsides of being a Nigerian member of this Special Club. The bright sparks the country exuded at some point leave you now bitter, depressed and sick seeing the dark hole it currently is in. Which forces me back to our old testament. Can Nigeria ever reenact its Nnamdi Benjamin Azikiwe and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa heyday?
The second reason to pay age 50 serious attention is that it might just be the real climax of life. Almost all 50ers are still strong, still able to mix, and still counted among the only unmarked age group. Under 50 are dismissed as too young and those above too old. 50 all the way to 59 is not too young nor too old -to run, to restart, to unlearn, name it.
Enough of beating about me. Golden lesson number six: you cannot be too careful. You’d find it easy to love those who love you and hate your haters. Alas, this routine human nature is a comedown for this elite floor.
For 50 teaches you to love your haters because it is right; plus you’ve lived long enough to realise that time changes all persons, all situations, all things. So-called best lovers become staunchest haters, the same way worst haters transform. So, now, open all doors with love and joy, and shut -those you believe you must- gently and tactfully. Because, all too often, you soon discover you have need of that door again!
Number seven: in Nigeria, disloyalty is not peculiar to followers. Here and there you find a leader who is disloyal for a living. There’s no love in their heart: they treat people (plus including their lieutenants) selfishly; like some lesser mortals. Do not be that leader.
On the other hand, the masses are equally as bad even to themselves. A neighbour would ‘fly’ to Afghanistan to empathise for instance with Afghans vis-a-vis the emerging humanitarian crisis situation, but cannot back home walk across the fence to sympathise over say a fatal tragedy. Do not be that neighbour. At all times, remain not only loyal but also grateful and patient and peaceable -no matter what.
Eight, in the eyes and heart of the world, nothing or nobody is wholly bad or good -simultaneously and unanimously. We unite in speech and condemnation against cultism and allied vices but they continue to thrive and spread to hitherto abominable levels (such as primary and secondary schools). We sermonise for people to be good, clean, humble, honest and hardworking but all the attention, all the awards, all the honour, all the votes, all the chieftaincy and religious titles go to -you know who. When it suits, we praise good; when it doesn’t, we condemn evil.
We move. Don’t tell all the truths you think you know. See all, know all but no matter the temptation, never say all. In fact, say only a tiny bit of everything per time.
Also, going forward, always remember that a little ego helps life, sometimes. Never forget that too much humility hurts life, sometimes. Beware, this is the reality of the world. One of the hard lessons of life.
Don’t be so cocksure you swear easily about anything or for anybody, because nothing or nobody is cast in concrete. When you hear or read about people mouthing God all over the place, patiently seek to confirm they mean the big Gee. Even then, insist to find out if they believe in Christ. Most of these things don’t add up.
We move. Nothing lasts forever. This is one of the top golden lessons. Not only does nothing last forever, nobody lasts forever.
The Egyptians you saw yesterday are nowhere to be found today; meaning those you see today won’t be available to answer present during tomorrow’s roll call. In this same class are life, power, wealth, government, religion, etc. This is a clarion call for you to worship nothing and nobody, especially if it is a criterion for access or such other ephemeral benefits. Be guided: everything is vanity.
Our 10th golden lesson, neither good nor best might occasionally be good enough, is a piece of unassailable commonsense you should keep handy, 25 hours daily. Do everything right every time, but realise that those with the yam and the knife may desire something other than right, good or excellence. Meaning, you should be prepared all-round, if you really want to win. A little to the right, a little to the right: we move.
While you sit there and grumble how evil the world is, let me seek your indulgence to round off this part on a note of feedforward. Next week, focus of this series shall be on a political perspective. Did you know that, in Nigeria, you could have a political appointment but not be in government and not have it -yet be right in the thick of governmental things? God bless Nigeria!