Monday, March 15, 2010

Thomas Thomas was Pregnant

In vain your bangles cast
Charmed circles at my feet
I am Abiku, Calling for the first
And the repeated time

Must I weep for goats and cowries
For palm oil and the sprinkled ash? - Wole Soyinka

Is it necessary to salute you? If I am to do that, what angle should I take? Should I welcome you to a new world of mine? Or, should I say “shalom” having returned from Israel where I left for Sabbatical? Yea! That was indeed a sabbatical leave because I have kept you for so long without giving you at least, a piece to read since December, 2009.
Plus or minus, let me welcome you to a new world of mine. To a world where every wicked would be exposed, and every good, praised. But before I go on welcoming you, let me first of all talk a little about Professor Wole Soyinka whom I cherish so much. The man, apart from being the number one figure in Nigeria whom I so much cherish, is the number one African Poet that I strive to emulate. Not because of any other thing than his ability to coerce his philosophies into few lines. But my decision to cite the above poem is unconnected to my love for him. Without wasting much time, let me quickly say that the above cited poem carries everything I needed to say; hence, my duty now is to expatiate it; perhaps, add one or two things.
Majority of you have known that I was formerly with the Community Pulse Newspaper as a reporter/columnist, and by the special grace of God, rose to the position of the Features Editor. I can't say how well I performed as the Feature Editor; but I can say that I had tried my best as a columnist. The reason why I say so is because of the numerous phone calls, text and e-mail messages I used to receive (and am still receiving) on a near daily basis.
But those who had been following me (sorry, my writings) judiciously would have noticed that I have stopped writing for the Community Pulse right from the first week of December, 2009. Reason? Ideological differences. Or if I may borrow the words of J.P. Clark when, in trying to tell why Abiku children refuse to live or stay and grow old, attributes it to unconducive environment. It leaks through the thatch and the bats and the owls often tear in at night through the calls. Though it's been healthy and or conducive environment to some members of the household. That is to say even when abiku sees such an environment as being unconducive, other members of the family sees it as a good place to stay.
Ever since I stopped writing Salient Points (in the Community Pulse) I have received numerous phone calls and text/e-mail messages. Some call or text to know why I take such a decision, some call to tell me of their knowledge of the fact that I have been settled by the government of the day. So many say that my decision is connected to the spate of kidnappings in the state that I decided to abandon writing for fear of being kidnapped or killed.
I can't imagine myself becoming a coward over night. No, that's not possible. I am always inspired by Marleyan Philosophy which says that “he who fights and runaway, lives to fight again another day”. Therefore, I know the risk involved in shying away from a responsibility or call. Who will help shape our society for the better if I and others like me, refuse to write for whatever reasons? Money, to me, is not paramount; and fear of death, and of course, death itself are not found in my dictionary.
Let me say that Salient Points my column in Community Pulse Newspaper was (like) my child, and I was its mother. Its death was untimely. In fact, it was killed on the pretext that “it was too insulting” and “mentioned peoples' names without diplomacy”, etc. But by the reckoning of a greater majority of Akwa Ibom people, the column was not in any way attacking people but issues. Though it mentioned the names of those who were (or are) involved in the issues discussed at a particular time. Or, is there any way I can write about, for instance, the emerging ethnicity and or ethnic bigotry in Akwa Ibom State without mentioning Chief Donatus Etiebet? This is because he has within the past eight months made public his animosity for the Ibibio people. No! There is no way. Thus, what happened to Salient Points, my first child, was like “giving a dog a bad name in order to hang it”.
Meanwhile, let those months which I failed to write be regarded as my gestation a period from the time of implantation of the embryo in the uterus to birth. In other words, it should be regarded as a period between the death of Salient Points and the birth of the Peoples' Pulse.
May I use this opportunity to tell my readers that if not the grace of God, the Peoples' Pulse would have been given birth to prematurely some weeks ago. Reason? During that period (when it was still in the embryo), many things happened that would have warranted its comments. Such as the kidnap of General Edet Akpan and the murder in the cathedral at Iwok, the kidnap of Obong Bassey Andem, the Paramount Ruler of Okobo, the kidnap of Mr. Okon Mkpong etc.
Please don't forget that the Peoples Pulse is a rebirth, or a resurrection (or, should I say a re-incarnation?) of Salient Points. This is because, apart from the fact that it is still being anchored by the same Thomas Thomas, it has the same spirit and characteristics of the former. That's the more reason I decided to cite Professor Wole Soyinka's piece, Abiku. Abiku is a Yoruba word for those allegedly spirit children, born only to die young and then return to be born again repeatedly to the same mother. In Ibibio, such children are called amanakpa. In the traditional Yoruba society, a dead child, suspected of being an abiku is marked in the expectation that, if he comes again, he will be recognized- and recognition is traditionally one of the ways of forcing an abiku to stay and grow like a normal child.
As earlier stated, J.P. Clark (now professor) in writing about Abiku takes cognizance of those things that may make an abiku child to die. In line 5 to 11, Clark writes:
True, it leaks through the thatch
when floods brim the banks
and the bats and the owls often tear in at night through the caves….
Therefore, Salient Points death was because it leaked through the thatch. So, while J. P. Clark pleads with abiku to stay; Soyinka, sees him as an hero, boasting his ego. In stanza one of his poem cited above, he showcases abiku imprudently and mischievously boasting of his power to overcome all attempts to hold him. In the said poem, bangles, sacrifices of goats, cowries, palm oil and sprinkled ash, markings with snail shells can not stop abiku from dying and coming back. Though the poem is symbolic- symbolic in the sense that Capitalist Society likes conformity. People with individual strong personalities are considered plagues to such society and various means are used to make them conform and compromise. In this situation, most people (like Marxists) would, of course, take the side of the masses.
Come to think to it, why would people think that, and actually want every citizen of the state to sing praises? Is it that they lack the knowledge of the fact that not all the people can be fooled at the same time? What am I trying to say? Like an abiku, many means have been employed to make me “shut up” promises, gifts, intimidation, threats, etc. and lastly the recruitment of forces from within but all to no avail. Hence, the coming back to birth of Salient Points; though with a new name.
I am sorry for keeping you in suspense. But be rest assured that I cannot stop writing no matter what. I will only stop writing when the state is rid of bad men. I will only stop writing when our money is used judiciously; when few are not allowed to enjoy all what is meant for the millions of people. In fact, it is only when competency and merit are the yardsticks for appointments rather than tribalism will I stop this abiku from coming back to life.
Lastly, this column has a lot to tell on weekly basis. Keep a date. Welcome and happy reading!

1 comment:

  1. Akwa Ibom NUJ Chairman uses publishers and reporters as collateral to get money from Government and politicians

    Read More @ https://www.thekillerpunch.com/akwa-ibom-nuj-chairman-uses-publishers-reporters-collateral-get-money-government-politicians/

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