DAGGERS OF ADDICTION!

On Nov 5, 2017 9:22 PM

He was immaculately dressed. Adorning a well tailored three-piece suit, he may well fit the description of a gentleman even in his sitting posture as he lazily stroked his cleanly shaved cheeks and chin with his well-manicured fingers. 

He also had his long and protruding moustache evenly trimmed, but may be unaware of the whitish, powdery particles spotting the tip of his nose and moustache as he quietly sat to nurse the cola-drink that was largely untouched and looked more like a decorative item on his table.

At the corner where he was, something must have struck me about his peculiar gaze, beyond someone just lost in thought.

However, the essence of the rendezvous was to 'cool off' and at that point too, all I needed was perhaps a 'sparring partner' with whom to while away time discussing topical issues of the nation, sports and the likes, as it is traditional in most 'beer parlour' settings.

And his lone occupied table appealed to me the most, being free from the common, noisy, trouser-sagging, halfcladded, often poorly and weirdly dressed fellows, that dot the place all over. This night, I needed a break! Perhaps, some form of sanity too, I thought as I moved to change my table to join the gentleman's table.

The music coming from the sturdy speakers strategically placed within the venue, was alluring, reflecting the mood of the night and I was just trying to settle down at the gentleman's table, when my eyes caught sight of the beads of sweat lined across his forehead.

For him to be sweating profusely, even while not lifting a finger to do any task, baffled me. Again, l also noticed that his nose was, involuntarily expanding and contracting, while his right cheek and that side of the neck started twitching intermittently as if in consonance with the rhythm of the music being played. 

All of a sudden, he raised his head that had been downcast all these while and gave me a probing stare, with eyes that seemed to now bulge out of its sockets. I wished very much that those reddened eyes of his would rather be cast else where! Yet he would not spare me a moment, as he had them continuously fixated on me!

My heart must have skipped a beat! And yet, mechanically again, he turned to  his right, then left and repeated the act many times in quick successions as if following the command of an imaginary person, even as he kept muttering some inaudible words.

This l concluded in my mind, was 'acting' taken too far! And by now, not a few heads had turned towards us, watching as the drama unfolded. With the embarrassing situation, my initial thought was that I may have been caught in the wrong place. How to get myself out of this mess, was now my immediate concern! I was still ruminating over this, and how to do it, when someone amongst the crowd that had gradually milled round our table, and who assumed, we 'came together' to the venue, asked again: 

'What's wrong with him?'

 And yet again, another enquirer said;

 'Your friend is sick!'

To both statements, I was at a loss over what to say. A lump, for all I care, could have settled blocking my throat, as I had difficulty uttering the appropriate response to the statements.

Still, the 'act' continued and now, more audibly. He moved his left hand again, as if  'beckoning' into the air, but to no one in particular. Then I heard him say: 'My coke, gimme ma coke'. 

Now, his face was squeezed together like those irregular patches of clothing materials roughly strewn together!

He was looking in bewilderment, somewhat uninviting, mean and menacing altogether! Yet again, he blurted:

'My coke...ma coke'

Like a good Samaritan, l only stretched forward to hand over the cola-drink on the table to my gentleman friend in line with his earnest request.

That must have been the worst blunder of the night! For this got an instantaneous response from him, and with that his unrepentant 'beckoning' left hand, l got hit with a hard 'backhand' stroke! A 'smashing' stroke for that matter, that can be likened to that from a versatile 'ping pong' tennis player, who with a comfortable lead, is out taunting the opponent with those occasional, unpredictable strokes!

Now, deed done! And the awful act of 'battery' of an addict 'absorbed!' l could only thank my stars! For l was only lucky, not to have been completely caught off guard, perhaps, courtesy of some of my athlete's reflexes, on account of which l sustained no physical injury! Only this unfortunate infraction. This may have saved the situation from further getting worse.

Meanwhile, the thick bottle of the cola-drink had been far-flung chattering into pieces afar, as its content got splashed all over the wall at a farther distance!

For the crowd that had milled all-around, to have been unscathed in any way was, most surprising! However, the response of the Security Operatives within the establishment was spectacular and swift. This quickly brought the situation under control, with the 'bundling' of the 'un-gentleman' out of the scene.

Emerging facts were to confirm the whitish specks found on the man's moustache to be cocaine! And more startling revelations also corroborated his shameful life of drugs and substance addiction/abuse. And obviously his 'pathetic' craving for 'coke' (cocaine) must not to be maligned for the cola-drink also popularly referred as Coke.

The 'Disco jockey', (DJ) at the bar may have overheard the gist going around, for suddenly the music changed. A music track by an artist of the '70s--Dillinger, rented the air:

"I've got cocaine runnin round my brain..." 

Slotted as an ironic comedy and mockery of hard drugs and substances for its users with their litanies of regrets, shame and agonies.

Need this warning, be said all over again, for the umpteenth time?

Stay away from drugs and other hard substances, and save the world from further needless pains, regrets and absolute waste of some hitherto, glorious destinies and resources!

Let's rid this world of those undesirable qualifications like, 'The wretched of the earth'!

Timi Awoyemi  teamawoyemi@gmail.com

5th Nov., 2017.

LEADERS AND DISSENTERS

LEADERS AND DISSENTERS.

 Sadly, for quite a long time, our leaders have enjoyed being served full course meals, in the 'acts of ruling' over a largely subservient, docile, and perhaps gullible populace. And interestingly, it happens that this act of governance, extends over even the knowledgeable and well exposed people who perhaps, just prefer not to query the status quo for inexplicable reason, that is gradually creeping deeply into our national  psyche, part of that peculiar challenge  generally referred to as the 'Nigerian factor'. Now, our leaders with an over-bloated ego understandably, still relishing the good times of the past, would never wish it away! 

 This sad reality of our times, plays itself repeatedly daily, in our leaders' dealing with the populace, and particularly in the unfortunate encounter of January 14^th, 2017 between Governor Isiak Ajimobi of Oyo State and the Students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso, who perhaps had been tired out with boredom and more, consequent upon an over-stretched holiday of 8-months school's-closure prompting, their demand rightly for the reopening of their school. The uneasy interview, alleged to have been grudgingly granted by our revered Governor, after several efforts, was regrettably well laced with traces of high-handedness, over-dramatisation and traits of a power-drunk, very much reflecting a leader still re-living our ignominious and 'gullible past'. 

Without a doubt, the country’s long sojourn with the military rule has been fingered to be responsible to have affected us in what can be termed to be our leaders "militocracy" psyche (coinage for mixed philosophy between military and democracy) in our fledgling democracy, when they bark out orders with military fiat using slogan as 'with immediate effect' even in their civilian garbs. But the barking out of order and instructions to a people who are conscious of their rights and privileges, will only breed more resentment and show to the public, such  leader's gross incompetence and lack of capacity to deal with situations. Sadly this is what played out in the unfortunate encounter of Governor Ajimobi and LAUTECH Students. It is gladdening that an apology was rendered by the Governor on the sad incident.

 Times have changed, and our leaders do not yet know. Presently, and for the leader that care to know, there has now been an unprecedented awareness and awakening of the consciousness of Nigerians through the country's educational revolution of newly emergent Private Universities and other institutions of higher learning added to the existing Public and Private institutions, that all churn out innumerable graduates now, into the system, and if assumedly at least, increased education should necessarily leads to increased consciousness. It follows that there has now been, a sharp decrease in what can be termed the 'per capita gullibility' of our nation. Alas, a bold sign is now being, brandished, as a warning sign hanging out for our leaders to note, that: 'leaders emptor'! (Leaders' beware notice).

 Frankly speaking, It is also most important that our leaders come to term with the realisation of the fact that, to whom much is given, much would be expected. While our leaders tend to savour and enjoy the honour, respect and perks of their offices, they however, don't want to bother themselves with the intricate demands of their office. Times have changed. And leaders need to realise so now. Otherwise, such regrettable confrontations will only irrepressibly rear it ugly head from time to time. 

 Again as recalled, the catchphrase now made popular from the said unfortunate interview of Governor Ajimobi, records His Excellency, referring to himself as the 'Constituted Authority'. Blimey! For the reasons of democratic education and re orientation, it is essential to recapitulate it for all and sundry, including our leaders that ; the mandate, authority, and power which our leaders flaunt everywhere erroneously as if it is their personal possession and property, primarily emanate and is derived from the people. Part of the core reason, why the pronoun "We" not "I" is very prominent in the preamble of the United States constitution, a democracy to which our country's, is fashioned after. 

Again, It is most pertinent for our leaders to learn to accommodate dissenting voices, as democracy itself thrives on divergent opinions and views. At least after our nineteen (19) undisrupted years in democratic experience, it is not out of place for us, to begin to show signs that we have learnt from our past mistakes and to give concrete evidences of our making meaningful progress. Instances as above show that we still have a long way to go.

 Additionally, our leaders should also be more civil in relating with the populace. The use of maximum force to deal with dissenters, protesters, civil rights activists, and every person(s) that queries the status quo is no longer fashionable and should be discouraged amongst our leaders.  

 Still, some leaders in spite of their hitherto exposures, academics achievements, and discipline/calling etc, it is perhaps as if there is spiritually more to leadership in this part of the world, for as soon as they get into the position of leadership despite their education, but now because of their new experiences of comfort, power, authority, money etc they tend to now exhibit strange attitudes, ignorance, impatience etc as soon as they step into office. Basically, it is the misuse of power money, authority etc especially in the full glare of the public, who do not have, that grow the roots for dissenters. Leader should learn moderation in all they do. 

 Leaders must also value the twin-concepts of 'Authority' and 'Responsibility' that work inseparably. It must be noted, by our leaders that the grand and esteemed position of an 'Authority' begets perhaps its concise scope of 'Responsibility' always. 

 However on the other hand, it is necessary that we sound a note of warning too, for dissenters. Generally speaking it has been observed that, the moral decadence prevailing in our society is alarming. This also caught the attention of the south western Governor’s forum in their baby project marked to develop the region tagged Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN). In their recent Ekiti State meeting held 15^th February, 2017, this formed part of their discuss, to “address the declining moral standard and to put in place structures to manage the loss of values and virtues in the society saying that the first step is quality assurance and morality framework as a critical part of the region education”. Time has come for leadership and even our dissenting approaches to be putting the right perspective. While it is not a bad idea to beg to be different, it absolute important for the dissention to be done within the confines of the law. All unlawful dissention are condemnable. 

It should be made amply clear, that no leader is crowned without its divine endorsement. Hence, this signals us, beyond mere dissenting, to apply caution always. Far from just being spiritual, most religious institutions and organisations also admonish all to respect and obey our leaders, as leadership is a concept of fate, which can get entrusted unto any one, unexpectedly.

Again, we need to caution dissenters against improper presentation of their position via disrespectful approach. Our leaders are the symbol of our sovereignty and as such they deserve our full and untainted respect. This goes for some unruly students who are yet to begin to climb life's ladder but perhaps with a degree in-view believe that they have seen it all. It is time for us to start making meaning of the concept of respect for our elders, our customs and for other symbols of authority. Our leaders and dissenters are enjoined to act from the position of deep feelings and mutual respect for others, as leadership and even dissention are both transient.

 TIMI AWOYEMI

timiawoyemi.blogspot.com

teamawoyemi@gmail.com