By Yinka Fabowale
That’s a popular witty line that usually cracks viewers up in any of Mr. Macaroni’s comic skits series. It often signals the denouement and comes from the lead character at a point of self-realization, disappointment, or anger at being outsmarted, by another party (Never mind that the experiences were often self-invited, self-inflicted and/or overly or complicity indulged making it deserved).
As we superficially do with many things, however, Nigerians get carried away by the comedian, Debo Adebayo ’s exaggerated histrionics and funny manner he expresses self-indignation, dramatically wiping off his sunglasses from his face and staring incredulously, and thus miss the vital didactic message usually specifically placed and passed at this juncture for maximum impact! We simply laugh our heads off and tune to other channels to find more mirth. But it shows how lacking or poor in appreciation of media use and gratification many are save to enjoy the entertainment value, else, they would have realized that drama mirror our social realities and that the characters and their words are meant for the audience to absorb and learn expectedly for desirable change.
Fellow Nigerians, as the perennial sabre-rattling resumes and reverberates across the country from the north to the south, the east to the west, now that the wind has blown and again reveal the dirty rump of our fowl, our hypocrisy, aren’t you asking yourselves too: “are we normal at all?” A nation of perpetual contradictions, of 180 million people of diverse and rich cultures and talents, some of the best educated, most sophisticated population and global achievers, and yet reputedly one of the most unsafe places to live in and poverty capital of the world! A nation where, for many, life has lost meaning and become brutish and short! A land of uncertainties, a land of trouble too many, a loveless clime, where nobody feels he owes anybody any duty or responsibility, but huffs with a sense of entitlement, a community where might is right and to be weak is damnation, a nasty, unjust society, a parliament of blame game, a coven of intrigues, treachery and betrayals, of sometimes baseless ‘I-better-pass-my-neighbour’ syndrome, of reeking ignorance and stupid arrogance and conceit!
Are you Igbo, Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Ijaw, Idoma, Tiv, Bini, Igala, Nupe, Afemai, or any of all the over 300 ethnic nations that have been living the lie of “One nation, one destiny” of “Good people, great nation”? I have word for you, descendants of Tom and Jerry (And that is being charitable and magnanimous of me, because you know that the kind of African cat and mouse life we have lived so far in this country is not in any way an entertaining affair as that of the adorable even if mischievous pair in Disney world.
Whichever tribe, whichever clan, whichever social class or political party you belong, whether you are young or old, watch this space as from tomorrow for some Guy Fawks tactical training tips. Enough of ‘Shakara oloje!’ (Apologies to Iconic Fela Anikulapo Kuti). Let’s pull the house down and put a fire to it once and for all as we all seem eager… Or, perhaps, build one in which everyone can comfortably shelter, that is, if at all we care!
The Almighty Lord shall help us!
Fabowale is the Chairman, Editorial Board of The Radiance.
