The world has changed and keeps changing, from bad to worse in all spheres of human endeavour.
What was considered taboo just a decade ago, like same-sex marriage, is becoming the new normal in the leading Western nations.
Largely because of the dramatic decline of public morality, the West has lost its position as the moral leader of the world.
The world used to see the West as the model of ethical standards; not anymore. The West is no longer respected because of its double standard, moral decadence and wrong concept of freedom.
How can one respect a country like the United States of America, where assault weapons are available to children and deranged fellows who regularly and randomly shoot defenceless, innocent people in public places without being provoked?
What kind of country is that, where abortion, LGBTQ and other aberrations are being promoted and legalized in the name of freedom of choice? America and its western allies, in open hypocracy, condemn polygamy, and punish other nations for minor moral infractions and marital offences like divorce and sexual infidelity but threaten to impose economic sanctions on third world nations which refuse to accept the morally repugnant sexual practices of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community.
The West must know that it has long ceased to be the world’s moral teacher and model on account of its own moral degeneration. He who comes to equity much do so with clean hands.
The president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, was right when he boldly declared at the opening of the ongoing football World Cup that attempts by some Western nations to cause confusion at the Mundial in Qatar amounted to hypocrisy because the West could no longer teach the world any moral lessons like it has done for 300 years.
That’s a statement no one can dispute.
Western leaders use their media power and economic clout to bully and browbeat the rest of the lesser world each time their decadent LGBTQ concept is being challenged.
Qatar’s right to host the soccer fiesta was won at a publicly conducted bidding process. But the West began to oppose that right because the Middle Eastern nation forbids the reprehensible LGBTQ practice and the drinking of beer in stadia. This Arab nation asserted and enforced its rights as a Muslim nation, backed by its extant laws, which are not subject to the approval of any other nations.
America and its allies have no right to dictate their moral standards to Qatar. And this great nation stood its ground, with the support of FIFA. The president of the world soccer governing body, Mr. Infantino, has written his name in gold and won the respect and admiration of the larger world for his brave commitment to FIFA principles.
Infantino has shown clearly that his is not a stooge of the West and is not beholden to anyone for that matter.
The other day, America tried in vain to frustrate the elections of two great Nigerians, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Dr. Akinwunmi Adeshina, to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the AfDB, respectively.
Reason prevailed and the Americans were humiliated. Both officials were duly elected because they deserved the honour.
What makes the West think that the rest of the world must always do its bidding? Its economic power and military might are no longer what could intimidate other nations. China is the second biggest economic power, after the USA. It’s army is modern, strong and formidable enough to checkmate America. India and other regional powers are no pushovers when it comes to economic and military power. Certainly, the West knows it can’t mess with these emerging powers.
Even, rogue regimes like North Korea, Iran and Afghanistan no longer fear the West.
Russia continues its brutal and unjust war against Ukraine without any fear of American or western military intervention on the side of Ukraine. This goes to show that the West’s influence on the rest of the world is waning. This is partly because many countries are becoming strong, technologically, economically and militarily.
Many middle-level powers like Turkey, Iran and Brazil are growing in influence on their own. Few nations are still in awe of America like before. But the Yankees don’t seem to understand that the unipolar world where they held sway is long dead. They still think America is the world’s policeman. What an illusion!
In 25 years, China would become the world’s biggest economic power. The Chinese are even trying to push the world to replace the US dollar with the Yuan. Not only that, their language, Mandarin, is also being touted as the next global lingua franca at the expense of English.
All of these are happening because the West no longer commands the respect of most nations.
After the end of colonisation, the West has been demystified. It’s no longer the dictator of the world, having lost control of the many nations under its control.
Moreover, the defeats of the armies of France, America, Italy and Belgium in foreign wars in Asia and Africa have hurt the reputation of these powerful nations.
The rise of Asia as the world’s next economic powerhouse, and the financial resources of the Arab sheikhs who are now leading investors in the global economy have drastically reduced global dependence on western capital.
If these factors are taken into account, America and its allies would have discontinued their grandstanding and bullying tactics. The West should realise that it is no longer omnipotent. Other regional powers are now to be reckoned with.
Who would have thought that Iran could supply drones to almighty Russia in its war against Ukraine? Just a few decades ago, Iran, under the corrupt monarch, Shah Reva Palavi, a notorious stooge of America, was a poorly developed country, until the mullahs, led by the mysterious cleric, Ayatollah Khomeini, took over Iran during the Islamic Revolution.
Despite the brutal, corrupt regime of the mullahs, Iran has advanced technologically, even though it remains the main backer of the global jihadist terror network.
The West caused the rise of the global Islamic terrorist movement, which has become the world’s biggest scourge.
It should be stated that, had the West not become arrogant, if it had been just, wise and fair in its leadership role over the centuries of conquest and subjugation of vast territories around the world, peace and even development would have prevailed in many parts of the world.
•Ayodeji is a pastor, activist and speaker. You may reach him on 09059243004 (SMS, email or WhatsApp only)