TWISTING TWITTER’S THOUGHTS:
The Antithesis of Outlawing Weeping While Flogging
By Tunji Ajayi
The media remains the eyes and the ears of the society the world over. In that piece entitled “The Eyes & Ears of Society” (Nigerian Tribune, August 7, 1996), I had related the funny story of a man in pain having been pregnant with worrisome problem stuck in his heart for a long time. His name was Mr. Àlàdé. Hear my excerpt therein: “Pregnancy of ideas and thoughts brings excruciating pains. Yes, it does. Ask Mr. Àlàdé-Hùwo of the popular fable who had a sacred secret about the protruding short horn on his forehead hidden underneath his cap which he hardly removed. People became curious and wondered why he never removed his cap. But Àlàdé who knew the shame of having a horn on his head did not want his neighborhood to know. Neither would he disclose his problem to any soul including his closest friends and confidants. Hence, he became “impregnated” with this sacred secret concealed deep within him and was only relieved of the "pregnancy" pain when he let out the secret inside a hole dug in the ground. It was thereafter he became relieved.”
“The spot thereafter grew a pawpaw tree whose stems the children in the neighborhood plucked to make local traditional trumpets. The children blew their trumpets thereafter, and the staccato of music that oozed out sent the children and old men alike jittery. "Àlàdé-Hùwo! Àlàdé-Hùwo!" - (meaning Alade grew a horn!) There are three lessons here to learn from. A problem untold but concealed for too long often causes the heart to be weighed down. And secondly, the secret kept for many years may be ripped open later via a weird source but with more disastrous consequences. The third kernel of the story is clear: there is no secret that defies being told. Thus, information must be allowed to flow freely, if a nation and its people must learn and grow. Like a British writer James Morton, would say, “Free minds and free lips are necessary in order that men may grow and learn.” How does a society truly grow? The process starts from a wise government articulating the thoughts of the people taken as a feedback loop in a communication process, then responding positively to placate restive minds in their pangs of distress and agonizing pain; then ameliorating their problems by giving them the needed assurance and succor. Most people in agony often tweet their cries to gain needed momentary relief. Yes. Problems shared are half solved. Venting out anger and speaking out problems often provides psychological relief from the pain and anguish often unleashed by government’s asphyxiating policies. The moment people have bottled-up angst, sudden outbursts and negative reactions often occur leading to uncontrollable insurrections. The Tunisian revolution of 2011 was sparked off by a despondent young Tunisian street vendor, Mohamed Bohazizi who earlier on December 17, 2010, angrily set himself ablaze. This later snowballed into the Arab Spring, a vicious protest and insurrection against the fascist regime of President El Abidine Ben Ali, and leading to his final exit from power. Bohazizi’s self immolation and the consequent crises spread to other Arab countries like wild fire to fight similar autocratic governments. But why are many African leaders so impenitent and impervious, and always refusing to learn lessons from history?
Rather than listening and checking the causes of cries, the Buhari government often beats the crying babies, threatening them not to sob even while being pummeled and worsted. But why are the people who were promised reprieve and smiles at electioneering campaigns now groaning and sobbing profusely? It is evidently because their expectations are not being met. Not only are the masses no longer able to feed and meet their physiological needs, they are now dying in thousands and being displaced in millions due to the spate of insecurity in the entire land. Of recent, the United Nations’ reports revealed that over 35 thousand people had been massacred in the northern part of the country alone through insurgency and allied crises; while over 2 million people and children have been displaced and languishing at several internally displaced persons (IDP) camp, in the north; which ironically had several times again been visited and attacked by bandits. The scourge of banditry, kidnapping for ransom, rape and slaughtering goes unabated on daily basis throughout Nigeria. Indeed, very recently, kidnapped students forcefully whisked away from their university premises were shot, while their mutilated bodies thrown on the street due to their parents’ inability to pay huge ransom and buy motorcycles for bandits! It was not a fictional story or an epic film show. It is happening in a nation presided over by a President with all executive powers.
The government’s angst against Twitter, which ironically the same government copiously uses its facilities to tweet messages, blossomed during the End-SARS protest after which many uncomplimentary remarks were made of its alleged roles. But with all this, why wouldn’t disenchanted masses protest via twitter handles and allied media?
But like that 18th Century English poet and artist William Blake would say; “A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees.” At the heels of this humongous disaster, the government spokespersons were singing “Jubilante Deo” daily, while Mr. President was reported to have said that he had brought huge relief to Nigerians in the past six years of governance. One could not stop laughing, albeit in pain at the quixotic commentary ridden with utter falsehood, which apparently provoked a cartoon from a worried Nigerian brandishing the rod, warning his young child to stop lying lest he is “appointed as one of Nigerian government’s spokespersons in the future.”
Without mincing words or hiding behind a needle, Nigerian government has fast become unpopular at home and internationally. Rather than gauge people’s feeling using the media as the “ears and eyes of the society” to have a thorough, honest and unbiased assessment of its governance, it engages the media in fights and altercations. Few weeks ago, the government had suspended the effervescent Channels Television for airing on its facilities the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) interview with one of its leaders. In this writer’s column with the Ohio Wesleyan University Press, USA (April 28, 2021) I had captioned a feature on the ignoble suspension of Channels Television as “A dangerous Swing of a Pendulum” knowing full well that the gale of suspension would continue; being the hallmark of any government turning repressive. As powerful as former President Trump of the United States was, he once had his tweet pulled down by Twitter. Heaven stayed at its dominant position intact. It didn’t fall. Facebook did same to the erstwhile President Trump by suspending him even till 2023. The adduced reason by Twitter organization for the removal of President Buhari’s June 3, 2021 tweet by Twitter Corporation was its offensive nature, which allegedly contains a threat message. The President and the father of the nation made up of over 200 million citizens had tweeted: “Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand.” The President was criticized for evoking the memory and spirit of the Nigerian civil war in which several millions of Nigerians were killed. It was alleged that His Excellency’s tweet “expresses intentions of self-harm or suicide” as stated on Twitters’ usage policy. While burning and destroying INEC materials in certain parts of the country can never be the solution to Nigeria’s raging problems, it evidently signifies disillusionment and discontentment by same citizens of the nation over which the President presides. A Yoruba adage says: “Ìkúùkù kó ló n siwájú ta n bu èwà” (You don’t ask who stole your beans by first throwing punches). Since Mr. President has sworn on oath to protect and defend the interest of every citizen, he must listen to their cries first; attend to their needs before administering punishment for any malfeasance. This is at variance with Mr. President’s frightening remarks to “treat them in the language they understand” without first doing the needful. Nigerians would understand Mr. President’s “language” better if he dissipates his energy first to listen attentively to people’s reasons for violent agitation, placate them like a true father, and make amends where necessary.
Charity begins at home. No government can afford to be unpopular at home and yet expect to be respected outside, even while creating more enemies for itself internationally. A wise war generalissimo, no matter how valiant does not fight multiple wars all at a time. Already Nigeria is faced with daily scourge of kidnapping, banditry, herdsmen disastrous killing and maiming. Indeed, the bandwagon effect of all this is serious famine in a supposed land of plenty, since farmers had run away from the farms. There is also the insurgency disaster. Dealing decisively with such issues would have been reprieve to Nigerians, many of whom though appear to be living, but have really become “homo-mortis” - truly walking corpses. The Buhari-led government of Nigeria is the only one that has been entangled in the discussion of how to deal with cows ravaging farms and public places, and causing utter discomfiture and untimely deaths in thousands all over the country for years now without government agreeing to notable solutions applied in the developed world. It is perhaps the only country where citizens, including innocent students are being kidnapped in hundreds on daily basis without agreeing to noticeable solutions proffered by the security experts, yet the government has had no workable solutions ever since, other than empty threat of stopping further negotiation with bandits and kidnappers. It is perhaps the only government in this age that doesn’t care much about the cries of anguish and pain, but delights in muzzling the anger and complaints of the subjugated and subverted citizens.
If the citizens do not get reprieve, the government should allow them to cry and sob, perhaps to let off steam. Even Jesus Christ wept at Lazarus’ death. Like the Àlàdé-Hùwo fable, speaking out relieves pain. The more the citizens’ media of letting of steams is muzzled, the more the agitations. It is evident that not only do millions of Nigerians employ Twitter to promote their businesses, especially in a nation where millions of youths are unemployed; many also use the medium to communicate to the outside world. Government suspension is a ridiculous retreat into the jungle in the 21st century age of development. Nigerians cannot be forced to admire ignoble governance. Whether the Nigerian government suspends or bans Twitter, the world moves on unstoppably. He that does not look forward remains behind. Cutting off the head can never be the antidote for headache. Nigeria cannot continue to be a laughing stock amongst the rest of the world. Perhaps it may need to learn from the witty words of that 18th century English Writer Charles Caleb Colton: Hear him: “The follies of the fool are known to the world, but are hidden from himself. But the follies of the wise are known to himself but hidden from the world.” There is a choice to make. However, wisdom lies in doing an honest assessment of self to realize one’s mistake and make amends before it is too late. Verbum Satis Sapienti
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*Tunji Ajayi, a creative writer, author, biographer and audiovisual documentary producer writes from LC-Studio Communications, Nigeria (+2348033203115; +2348162124412) (tunjiajayi4legend@yahoo.com)
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