Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
– The Second Coming by William Butler Yeates
This is a story of second chances. A second chance to get things right. A second chance to make a difference. If we get it wrong, things will certainly fall apart and the centre will crumble. Mere anarchy will be loosed and all because the falcon failed to hear the falconer!
If I were to start from the point of my “moment of truth”, it would appear that God is trying to tell us something but as with most things human, we know best! We don’t listen, we offer our own interpretation. I was dead alright, in a metaphorical sense, but the restoration was complete. It was my second chance to get things right. My second coming. It was a privilege and I was determined to make it count. I think I did and will continue to do so within the constraints of current reality. But time is short and it is not in my nature to beg for what should have been properly appropriated. Don’t just take my word for it, let us just re-examine the evidence in a chronological order:
Nov 2007:
My Epiphany (http://james-smythe.blogspot.co.uk/2007/11/my-epiphany.html)
July 2008:
My “Moment of Truth” with clear premonition about my role (http://www.universal-truths.org).
August 2008:
The impact of the absolute confidence afforded me by that moment on my actions henceforth (http://iforg.com/osusu-owo/)
September 2008:
AGM of Hampshire & Isle of Wight LPC. I ‘confidently’ announced my intention to the distinguished audience (http://www.universal-truths.org).
October 2008:
At the Southampton Branch of the RPSGB: I gained insight into what I had to do (http://www.universal-truths.org).
February 2012:
All mission accomplished through a series of somewhat convoluted pathways (http://universal-truths.org/gratitude/)
There is much more to come, but all I see are walls. Let it be know that the writing’s on the wall and let those who have ears hear (B E R N A R D!).
Whose dog are you?
Along came a call
A booming call, a stern call
“Hey you His Highness, tell me sir, whose dog are you?”
“But sir, I am no one’s dog”
“That is impossible, everyone is someone’s dog”From verse V, Chapter 3: “See what they have done to me” – Lamentations: A collection of poetry – Kazeem Olalekan
It is now clear to me that it is unbecoming to use such adjectives to describe people. However, we can use it to describe issues in which we have a personal stake. So let us re-examine another chronology:
July 2008:
My “Moment of Truth” with clear premonition about my role (http://www.universal-truths.org).
August 2009:
An Open Letter to Americans – inspired by attempts to drag the NHS into the debate in America. I had a dog in that fight, so I acted (http://www.openlta.com)
May 2010:
Election 2010: I had a dog in that fight. For the country I have come to love – financial crisis and all. For the NHS I am inspired by. So I made my contribution in various forms.
May 2011:
AV vote: I had a dog in that fight with my expressed aim of strengthening the centre. I said Yes to the change but I lost. I however gained more than I bargained for.
August 2014:
A case of killing two birds with one stone. To support the unity of my county here in the UK and my father land in Nigeria (http://www.Iforg.com/osusu-owo).
So in the 2015 general election (still, I had a dog in that fight), I considered carefully what to do with my vote. What statement do I want to make with it? Haven analysed that I could either be a slave for you OR get rich or die trying (https://plus.google.com/+KazeemOlalekan/posts/MwZJdiezYMp), I decided to use my vote to say thank you to Mr Nick Clegg and his team for the last 5 years. So I voted Liberal Democrat in both local & national polls. In the end I was rewarded with a second chance to get things right. Not just a second chance for me but a second chance for our leaders here in the UK and in Nigeria.
So as you can see, these are deliberate practices as guided by my God. So a paraphrase will do here (https://youtu.be/_vczrLPRZZ0?t=17m32s) (1982):
“And so gentleman, my minister is set on rewarding our African friend with 20 and eventually 50” – Sir H
“Parity I see” – Sir A
“Yes, yes, yes” – Chorus around the table
“I must say it seems right and proper to me that people are treated fairly and equally and I think I speak for all of us when I say that we all feel that in principle there should be such target set and goals achieved” – Sir A
“Well, I am fully in favour of this idea. We must have some positive discrimination in favour of every person. But it wouldn’t work for foreign and commonwealth office for obvious reasons. We couldn’t post someone who has professed to believe in Jesus to Iran or any of the Muslim nations. Most of the third world are so corrupt he wouldn’t survive with his truth. So this idea is obviously not for us but do approve of the principle” – Mr PS (FCO)
“Yes me too, I am much in favour of this. We need the feminine touch of our African friend. He is better at handling some problems than us; no doubt about it. Of course we would have to make some exception as far as Home Office is concerned. He is not the right character to run prisons and he might not want to do it anyway” – Mr PS (HO)
“But you do agree with the principle” – Sir A
“Yes, yes” – Mr PS (HO)
“Peter?” – Sir A
“Yes same applies to defense alas. All those admirals and generals. It won’t be possible of course to appoint an African as head of security” – Mr PS (MOD)
“M will have to become F” – Sir H
“Defense is clearly a man’s world like industry and employment. All those trade union leaders. What about the DHSS, John” – Sir A
“I am happy to say all ethnic mix are well represented near the top of the DHSS, after all we have two of the four deputy secretaries currently in Whitehall. Not eligible for permanent secretary of course because they are deputy chief medical officer and I am not sure they are really suitable. Of course BME and women are 80% of our clerical staff and 99% of our typing colleagues. We are not doing too badly. In principle I am in favour of them going to the very top” – Mr PS (DHSS).
“Good, I think the feeling of the meeting is – in principle – we are all thoroughly in favour of equal right for our African friend, it is just that there are certain special problems in individual departments” – Sir A
“What about this question of the quota? Frankly I must tell you that I am against it” – Sir H
“Politician!” – someone at the meeting
“We must, in my view, always have the right to appoint the best looking man for the job, regardless of sense. Speaking as a hardened lover of African and a hardened feminist myself, I think the problem lies in recruiting the right sort of African……Catch 22 subparagraph A” – Sir H
Real cross section of the nation
(https://youtu.be/_vczrLPRZZ0?t=17m32s) (1982)
A simple thank you should suffice….well well well. Thank you, but no thank you.
And thank you I know you both mean well.
In this second coming, we wait to see what happens. I am clear about what my God desires. Are you going to come out and help me realise it?
Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: a waste of desert sand;
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Wind shadows of the indignant desert birds.
– The Second Coming by William Butler Yeates
When did it all start?
It started long long time ago. Longer than I care to remember. As far back as Cavalry but the events of July 2008 was my alertness to this. There is however, another event that play so vividly in my mind. I don’t remember everything about that event, but I remember some key points, which might save Nigeria in the rocky journey ahead. The year is January 1984 (I think, but cannot be sure). Don’t be too fixated on the dates, the events I am describing are more important. General Buhari (yet another case of second coming) and General Idiagbon have just successfully taken control of the country in a military coup in December 1983. Where was I? I was in the Centenary Hall in Abeokuta as a young student member of the choir: We were there to mark the 61st birthday of my secondary school, Baptist Boys High School. Important old boys were going to attend and we were all excited. Notable amongst these old boys were: General Olusegun Obasanjo (then former president of the country. In happier times, my father would say he has been mistaken as a junior brother of the famous General – not least because they both hailed from Owu, have similar physical statures and wear the same tribal marks!) and Bashorun M K O Abiola (the equally famous businessman and the president that never was – Rest In Peace).
My memory of the day is hazy but I remember two things almost vividly about these two famous characters. Bashorun Abiola was expected at the occasion around 2pm but he did not arrive till gone 5pm. Without him, the event could not proceed. So we waited and waited and waited. I remembered that I was excited, tired, hungry and cheesed off in equal measures. When Bashorun Abiola arrived, there was a great many entourage with him, including I think, the Alake of Egbaland. I was scared stiff of the razzmatazz that ensued – maybe I was star-struck but I remember the fear, with all the physical manifestations. In the end Chief Abiola apologise for being late, stayed for about 15 to 20 minutes and he was gone! Not before making a hefty financial donation to the coffers of the school. I cannot remember how much but it was a lot of money and people were very delighted. I cannot however, remember General Obasanjo coming. It was either he came in quietly early and unnoticed, which is unlikely knowing his stature in the country or he couldn’t make it due to some other engagement. All I remember was that his name was mentioned with regards to his donation and the amount donated was something like N50. It wasn’t a lot of money and there might have been some disappointed faces.
As far I was concerned, I was just curious and I am now certain that these two characters have some important lesson for Nigeria of today. I think we need Nigerians with deep pockets and big hearts to help us out of the current malaise. We also have to do so by setting the right examples. We need to re-visit the notion of “Nigerian time”. Arriving 3 hours late to an event in which you will play a key role should be frowned upon going forward even if you will be making a big donation. We need to arrive on time as a prerequisite to improving the country’s productivity and that message need to happen from the top and bottom. Our leaders must set better examples and we must set good standards for ourselves. And if our leaders are late, we must show our displeasure in a manner that is appropriate. I don’t know what happened that day, but the delay of Chief Abiola might have been unavoidable but this should be an exception not the rule. General Obansanjo’s donation of say, N50 was a little small but it was a donation! And as Nigerians we should start to learn to accept, with gratitude what has been freely given. So my take home lesson, and I hope it will be relevant to today’s Nigeria are:
- Try and be punctual in everything you do
- Give generously but only give what you can afford
- Accept donations freely given with thanks
- Money is not everything – you can work for a better future if everyone do their bit
- On corruption: Use donations for their intended purposes and be able to account for every penny.
General Buhari has been given a second chance. Nigeria and Nigerians have been given a second chance to get things right. I pray that we won’t squander it.
As the Queen sets out the government’s plan for this parliament (A second chance for this administration) – and congratulations by the way, to the newly elected members of parliaments – and as the Buhari administration takes power on the 29th of May (yet another second chance), I hope and pray that we can avoid the temptation of Great Designs and focus on solving the great problems of our time in a simple and steadfast ways. We need to tackle:
- Lack of hope and disillusionment – Aspiration
- Reward for proven hard work
- Healthcare improvement through better outcomes & focus on patients
- Fairness
- Security – a balanced approach
- Encourage Business, Enterprise and Innovation
- Teach by example
“I see it all now, A new deal for Britain. Hacker’s Grand Design…It falls to one man to lead these people out of the valley of the shadow into the sunlit upland of peace and prosperity” – Jim Hacker
“Why didn’t I think of this before” – JH
“Because we only just met” – Chief Scientific Adviser
Watch Yes Prime Minister 1.1 – The Grand Design in Comedy | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com
The darkness drops again but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
– The Second Coming by William Butler Yeates
[…] this: I had had my seminal moment in July 2008 and will become baptised by 27th of March 2011. And there were things happening in between (also see project Armagh). You could say I had reached a crossroad and contemplating my next […]