By SIMEON MAUTIN
Reverend Father Nazareth was alone in his workplace a day after the governmental election. He switched on the television for an update and something on the news about the election captured his attention and flooded his chest with all sorts of sensations: bitterness, disappointment, illogical worries, despondence and an engaging voice shrieking: “Why?” His discomforts and disappointment was not about the result of the election however the procedure: the intimidation, the violence, the dangers, the damage of lives and homes, and the snatching of tally boxes in broad daytime.
He drew a long, sluggish breath and buried his face in his hands. Suddenly, he was jolted out of his misery by a loud entryway downstairs. A fellow came clamouring up and after that push the workplace door without knocking. He took a seat without waiting to be provided a seat and positioned his hand bag on the table. His eyes were bloodshot and his face, ugly with rough beards and brown teeth. His thick lips looked dark, suggesting years of extreme cigarette smoking. His enormous jaws evoked a jawbone in the hand of Samson versus the Philistine. He commanded an enormous existence. There was something about him that would make your heart race and your breath freeze.
Fr. Nazareth’s heart pounded and his feet under the workplace table shivered. He swallowed the frog in his throat and summoned a priestly nerve to ask:
“How may I help you ?”
“Are you the Rev Fr here?”
“Who wants to know?”
“Okay! My name is Káká also known as Mánògèrè. Street ni a wa and na me be the Oga of boys in this hood. O ye yin, man of God?”
“Okay. Mr. Káká, what can I do for you?”
you make you help us alert your individuals wey dey vote versus our Oga.”
“My people wey dey vote against your Oga? Who are my people and who is your Oga?”
“Ha! Man of God, you no know as e dey go abi? I mean your people for church wey vote yesterday, dem dey vote against my oga, Tobalase, the only Generalissimo of boys in the trenches.”
“Oh I see. But I thought your Oga did a campaign? Why would you want to force the people to vote for him? Campaign is about selling yourself to the people and persuading them to vote for you. Shey you and your oga no do good job ni? And if your oga is trustworthy and good, why should you threaten or intimidate the people to vote for him?”
“Rev. Fr, I no come here to argue oo. This na our land, our space and the people must bow and follow.”
“Bow? Bow to whom ? I thought the people were free citizens with rights to vote and be voted?”
“Man of God,you dey talk politics. Politics is a matter of interest and a game of numbers.”
“I see. So, Káká what is your interest? And what number do you require to get your interest? And have you considered the interest of the people?”
“Man of God, my interest be say make Tobalase win. And everybody wey dey our land, doing business and living free, must support him. Once he wins, everybody has won. And his interest is our interest.If not, e no go funny o.”
“Hmm. Is that a threat?”
“No be threat o. I just know say if anything happens to the contrary, e go bloody. So tell them o. If dem no go vote my oga, make dem stay for house jeje oo.”
“So, the interest of this your Oga is more important than that of the people?”
“Na so. He is our man, our Oga. Na him dey put food on our table and we stand gidigba on his madate.”
“Káká, do you have children?”
“Yes, na. I get four children and three wives.”
“Hmm. I see. Can I tell you a story?”
“O ya, Man of God, e ja mi si. I dey listen o.”
“Once upon a time, when animals still talked, the rats on a farm called a meeting of all the other animals. They were worried, they lamented, because they had seen the madam of the farmhouse buy a mousetrap. They were now in danger. But the other animals scoffed at their anxiety. The cow said that she had nothing to worry about. A tiny little contraption couldn’t harm her. She could crush it with her foot. The pig reacted in a similar way. What did he have to worry about in the face of a tiny trap? The chicken also announced that it had no fear of this gadget. “It’s your concern. No worry for me!” it informed the rats.
On the really opening night, the Madam set the mousetrap and she heard it breeze. Getting out of her bed to look what it had actually captured and she saw that it had actually caught a snake by its tail. In attempting to release the snake she was bitten and the toxin quickly had her sensation ill and running a fever. She went to the physician who offered her medications to fight the toxin and recommended her: “What you need now to get better is chicken pepper soup.” They butchered the chicken, however her fever continued. Relatives and neighbours pertained to go to. More food was required. They butchered the pig. Eventually the toxin killed the madam. A big funeral service occurred. A great deal of food was required. So, they butchered the cow.”
“Káká, do you know the point of that story?”
“E ja mi si. Explain to me.”
You see, the point of that story is this: Everyone and whatever is linked. The individuals you are calling my individuals are likewise your individuals. Among them are medical professionals, legal representatives, instructors, designer, law enforcement officer, market males and females, trainees and more. If like those animals in the story, you state you don’t care about individuals, their scenarios and options, and you choose to damage, frighten or eliminate them on election day, you are indirectly damaging your future which of your kids’s kids.
Let me explain. If you create chaos and hurt or eliminate the medical professionals who are out to vote, who will address you and your kids when there is health crisis? If you frighten and brutalise the instructors who are out to vote on election day, who will teach your kids in school? If you frighten and eliminate the innocent market males and females who are out to exercise their ballot rights, you are threatening the really income tax that the federal government will require to build your neighborhood. Anything you do to individuals for political identity has effects and you will pay the rate politically, socially and financially. It is a snake-bite and it will return to you. We are all linked and loss of sight to our connection, wilful or not, threatens. Wreaking havoc on election day resembles planting thorns in the course of individuals; your kids might take that course barefooted one day. You can pretend not to see this point o and after that idolise one private above individuals. The point nevertheless stays that anything you do to individuals on election day has a huge rate that you will pay, I will pay and everybody will suffer for it. So, Káká, ronu oooo.
Reverend Father Mautin composed from Lagos
