As the Yoruba people of Ile-Ife would say, erin oni fan, ki omo e fan – the elephant will not blow its trumpet, and its child would do so at the same time. I, Penkelemesi Alayabioke wholly adopt this agelong proverb.
Ehn, why should I not adopt it? From time immemorial, is it not the elderly, regardless of how old, or how frail, that will decide who does what and how? I hear some of you saying that we are too old for the government, iffa hear, ko s’arugbo ni Ghana – there is no old man in Ghana.
You children of nowadays are a bulk of uncultured swine. You make stipends, and suddenly think you are old enough to decide for a nation of about 186 million people. Haba! Even in our national anthem, we say “our fatherland,” we say “our heroes past,” we say “guide our leaders right,” and importantly, we mention that God should “help our youth, the truth to know,” and this is the truth, the youth should not be found in place of power. The youths should pray for their fathers, the youths should celebrate our past heroes, even if it is the same people from 1966 till now, they are still heroes, and the youth should respect the elders o.
We are Africans and we have our way of doing our things… and the African way is that the elder has to lead, ignoring that he is old, or cannot hear the problems of the masses, and is too busy flying to London to fix his hearing problems, or that the elder cannot join you on twitter to end SARS; the elders will always know what is best.
I see some young men who made small owo kolo – piggy bank money, and are carrying a banner that they want to run for Presidency, the only thing you will be running is your mouth- especially that public speaker among them. Look here children, do you think that managing business, or running consortium for building capacity of over a hundred thousand youths is enough to make you a Presidential candidate? How well do you know the game of corruption, ehn? Tell me, how much do you have in accounts littered across Europe? Oh oh. You want to rule a 57 and half-year-old Nigeria, you a boy of what age? How many times have you been given state pardon for committing a crime? Ehn?
How many times have you been hunted in your capacity as Vice President, for being corrupt? Tell me, how many times you have been summoned to appear before CCT, EFCC, ICPC, and a sea of other anti-corruption agencies and judicial arm? You say you have companies, you say your companies are a representation of the nation, but to encourage your workers by driving them without brakes on the highway of recession, you cannot do. To pay half salaries, you cannot do. To let them go on indefinite strikes, you cannot do. You cannot be a leader if you cannot motivate your people to be hardworking, without getting paid that much for it. The white man will say it is volunteering job.
You see this country Nigeria, it needs a fantastically corrupt person to handle it. And all the white linen you people are parading yourselves in is not what will save our country. Abi, Yorubas will say ole lo mo ese ole to l’ori Apata – it is the thief that knows how to trail the footprint of another thief on the rock. No past criminal record. You have never been military Head of State, you do not have important people in government, your relatives are not holding important offices, but all of you are coming here to say it is your turn to rule. This country is too old for you to rule jare. You are all nothing but leaders of tomorrow. And tomorrow will never come if the elders do not decree it to do so.
Take heed!
