By Abdu Rafiu
Whenever we embark on the last leg of each year tagged the ‘Ember Months’ millions become edgy, the atmosphere is tensed up. It is a period that is approached with dread and trepidation. The enlightened communities live in morbid fear and trembling. The sense of foreboding arises from widespread misconception that the last four months of the year—September to December—must be doom laden. It has been ordained and woven into the journey of man, so a majority of us human beings so believe. From the first day of the month, many figuratively lose their composure: What has the period in store this year for us?
Here is a season we ought to look forward to with joyful longing, a period that should bring back to our memories the herald of great tidings, of Noel and attendant joy and happiness, of glitters, of dancing and rejoicing, and at the same time a season of Christmas carols and a time for sober reflection. It usually takes the arrival of January before the discomposure is restored to normalcy and many get back their breath. Consequences of blunders that may have been committed are blamed on the period, believing it to be accident prone. It will be surprising if the calamitous collapse of a 21-storey building that occurred on Monday at Ikoyi is not blamed on the season by the unwary. The building was under construction when it came down. On Tuesday, an aircraft ferrying fuel for the UN’s World Food Programme crashed in Sudan capital of Juba. All on board were killed. Three weeks ago, a small aircraft crashed into some homes and close to a high school in California following which it burst into flames. A week after that, another plane crashed into an empty building outside in the outskirts of Milan.
As if to buttress the belief of the ember months doom merchants, statistics from year to year have always shown that September to December holds the highest record of untimely deaths from road accidents in this country. Consequently, as August winds down, Federal and state agencies, particularly the Road Safety swing into action, indeed bringing out the gong for public enlightenment campaigns in an attempt to minimize road traffic crashes. Traffic officials blame the accidents on impact of hard drugs on drivers, speeding, indiscriminate parking, wrong overtaking, driving against traffic, and traders displaying their wares on walkways, in some cases the display eating into the roads. They urge all road users to comply with traffic regulations, and be conscious of other road users. Federal Road Safety Corps sector commander in Anambra State, Adeoye Irelewuyi, flagging off this year’s Ember months campaign said the theme of the campaign is: “Maintain Safe Speed, Avoid Night Travels and Enjoy Quality Road Experience.” According to NAN, Irelewuyi said crashes occurred owing to impatience of drivers and the quest to make fast money for the Yuletide period. “This year in Anambra, the ember months coincide with the election period thereby further increasing the vehicular and human movements in the state. I wish to disabuse our minds of the belief that evil spirits are responsible for increased crashes recorded during this period. The crashes are mostly as a result of human errors while using the roads.”
The sector commander in Gombe, fearing that crashes might be high during Yuletide said between January and March, 501 persons were involved in crashes in the state and these claimed 33 lives with 298 persons injured. “Since 2017”, he went on, “we have embarked on installation of speed limit devices in all commercial vehicles and we have realised that some vehicles have not been complying with speed limiters.”
From the forgoing and despite visible causes attributed to human errors, the unfounded belief that the ember months are jinxed lingers and for many it is not about to go away soon all of which is borne out of ignorance. The truth is that there is no day, let alone month, that is cursed. Higher knowledge that is available to those seeking the truth about life and existence, about reasons for all happenings; to those who are genuinely seeking solutions to problems, shows that we are granted intuitional guidance every second, year in, year out. We are exposed to unnecessary risks only when we do not take advantage of the high grace. For many, the five senses—sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch are all there are to receive knowledge. The sixth sense through which delicate impressions and premonitory signs are received has been deadened by the hustle and bustle as well as the coarseness of earthly life. The mysteries of life are only imaginary. With the use of our intuition, just as an unhappy home unhappiness affects a child’s behaviour, so do polluted beyond-the-earthly influences, that is, the ethereal influences, affect us all. We human beings unceasingly dump dirt into the ethereal. It is pure thoughts that soon put an end to evil, confusion and sorrow because it is these the ethereal world now harbours and it is sowing that leads to reaping. If the ethereal world is heavy with impurities, it should follow that influences that it mediates will make for sorrow for those who may have contributed to its poisoning and weight. Therewith the effects of gravitation make heavy objects sink and light ones to float. It is helpful to cogitate about the power of volitions and thoughts because thoughts and speech are linked; they stick together in the long run in a group as a cohesive owing to their homogeneity, forming power centres from where earthly manifestations flow in the ripeness of fruits the seeds of which were sown through thoughts and speeches. We can observe the Law that draws like with like in the common saying that birds of the same feather flock together. In the same way, people of the same tendencies, who are similar in proclivity, in character, in world view and in sharing of same values without pre-thought or calculation draw together. It requires nothing of smokers to find themselves and draw close at gatherings. In the same way people of noble character, people who are high-minded can’t help finding themselves. It is so in the animal kingdom; it is so in the colony of fishes in the bed of the seas. Tilapias are found among tilapias and cat fish are at home among their own kind. It is thus wrong to see ember months as wheels within wheels. Understanding happenings is simplicity itself if we keep the Laws of nature in the forefront of our minds and before our gaze.
We can live without accidents all the year round if everyone does his bit, the driver obeying traffic regulations, the government providing good roads and the law enforcement agents with a conscientious attitude maintaining law and order through enforcement and prosecution. Many an engine is due for an overhaul. Failing to obey traffic rules is riding towards a fall. It is a tragedy that many of our roads have remained in callous state of disrepair, indeed death traps for motorists.
However, not all road accidents are accidental. Some are preordained. For example, a Mrs. X voluntarily chooses to sell liqueur to drivers of commercial vehicles on duty be they buses, trailers, and even commercial motorcycle riders. Her friend, Miss P. encourages her, solely funds the business idea. Mr. D. makes a voluntary act to import substandard spare parts. The decision of Mrs. X and Mr. D’s act evolved. There are points of similarity between them. The actions of both affected others disastrously as many not in a mentally fit state to drive did so, pedestrians who did not look both ways before crossing the road and vehicles were serviced with fake parts, have put themselves in a bind, drawn together by the law to take responsibility for their actions. Mr. X and Miss P are complete strangers to Mr. D. The two friends were unaware of his existence until they met at an opportune moment. The result of his harmful act coincided with the outcome of the friend’s wrong thinking. The trio was bound by a collective guilt to a fatal accident on an ill-fated car ride because every formation is timed to connect with the consequences by the forces of Nature.
Observers at the accident scene erroneously see the misfortune as a coincidence. If it happened between September and December, they will attribute it to the deadly power of ember months. Others who have very set ideas about religion see the Creator as the cause, because of His omniscience. “He giveth and taketh at will,” they would readily say. The question may be asked: Why do we have more accidents during the ember months? It is simply because of intensification of activities during the period. There is also the fixation that there are more accidents during the ember months. Such thoughts take on form and press for materialization during the time to meet the ‘expectation.’
We are in the age of beneficial higher knowledge. It is, therefore, time to rid our world of fables and falsity In the Light of Truth–such as all sorts of tales spread about ember months and blasphemy against the Creator Who is goodness personified. Only happiness, joy, and peace issue from Him and His Works. In the workings of Nature that makes provision for our physical welfare, the Laws that govern cosmos are noticeable to all who want to see. To be safe, happy, fulfilled and sustained, we must conform to these Laws in which are enshrined the Will of the Creator. We are to strive to obey the high guidance which we receive through our intuition which indeed receives through the cerebellum. All reactions are preceded by actions and no matter how long it takes, every cycle must close, the end going back to the beginning. Ember months are as much a blessing as are the rest of the year. To make most of the time on earth, we must strive and ensure that we produce pure thoughts; speeches laced with love and do what is of benefit to our fellow men. Above all, the golden rule is to do all things to the honour of the Most High. The approach of Yuletide and New Year always works the people, worldwide, into frenzy.
The collapse of Ikoyi high rise building
The collapse of the 21-storey building was a disaster waiting to happen. The surprise would appear to be that it occurred sooner than expected. The governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in his characteristic promptness has swung into action. And I believe he will get to the bottom of the whole sordid affair no matter whose ox is gored. According to the Development Permit issued on 9 April 2019, which covered three buildings, the developer, was to erect the properties marked 44B, C, D to 15 floors each. The three were dubbed 360 Degrees Towers. The developer ignored the number of floors that were approved and proceeded to raise the one that came down to 21. My full comments are reserved for a later day when the investigating panels have been constituted.
In August, I wrote in this column what was captioned ‘Ikoyi of Tomorrow’ drawing attention to the distortion of the original design of Ikoyi with towers lining the horizon. Ikoyi was planned to be a residential model estate with buildings no higher than one-storey buried in plants and flowers. The typical commercial instincts of Nigerians would take no such luxury any longer. The flowers are replaced with towers. The flora, the plants must be replaced by a jungle of concrete.
This collapse of the 21 storey building has occurred at the time world leaders are gathered in Glasgow, Scotland, racking their brains, working on a resolve to bring down global warming to1.5c. World biggest banks are to play a role in halting greenhouse emissions, and there is a commitment in pledges by financial firms to raise $130tr (US Dollars). Feeling so light about the development, Rishi Sunak, British Chancellor of Exchequer said: “I am proud that under the UK’s leadership, the number of financial firms committed to net zero plans has tripled with assets now covered totaling $130tr (US Dollars)… Together we can provide the cash the world needs to stop catastrophic climate change.”
The tallest building in Africa is at Ikoyi, flaunting 43 floors. I can’t but wonder how children can be raised in a Tower of such a height. It is a building children cannot run after reptiles, after lizards and chicken, play with sand and throw themselves into the bush, playing hide and seek. Those things that make children children! All they can play with are toy guns, cars to drive in the living rooms; they will learn how to shoot. They will watch television, of course fidgeting with computers from morning till night. What other side of life will they know and long for in their youths? No thought is given to the future of our children. It is a future laden with foreboding; the future of guns and money, and fast cars. We are part of nature. Our bodies were built with materials derived from plants and soil, and they are to be nourished with radiations from the plants and soil, water and air for radiant health. The closer to the ground the better, which must have been the recognition and reason behind the original design of Ikoyi.
The leaders meeting in Glasgow will issue their communiqué at the weekend. It is after it that I will revisit the issue of climate change fully.
The Guardian
