One by one, the People of the Waterfronts strolled into their Parliamentary Hall. The follies of the People of the City passeth all understanding and so the People of the Waterfronts must be eternally vigilant to prevent them from selling off the entire city, including the Waterfronts secretly. Tbe say to be forewarned is to be forearmed. They have heard of how the kleptomaniac, former governor James Onanife Ibori, nearly stole the entire Delta state in form of naira and would have gone scot-free but for the vigilance of the prosecutors and judges in far away America. Our own prosecutors and judges had earlier declared Ibori a saint. However, Ibori the saint told the Americans who he really is and he has accordingly been sentenced to live in prison for 13 years. He stole more than his entire family could consume for centuries and it was declared sensational by the prosecutors.
Sitting quietly at his corner, waiting patiently for the appointed time to begin deliberations like others, was Angaladikibo, the Watcher of the Mangroves. He does not engage in idle gossip. Whenever he has to wait for anything or anyone, he switches his attention to the Mangroves, losing himself in them and they in return, pour their wisdom into him. As he sat down gazing at them through the window, the mangroves revealed to him how the People of the City would forgo important tasks to uplift the masses they purportedly had the mandate to govern and engage in meaningless religious frivolities. It is no hidden secret that if a Nigerian should be allowed to have a position in heaven, he would separate Christians from Muslims. He will compel them to wear their different uniforms so that at a glance he would know who is who and dole out his favours accordingly.
Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun state may be a first class governor, but what makes the changing of school uniforms in his state so important? The yorubaland has not been known for religious intolerance but the elders say an evil seed once planted hardly needs much tendering before it blossoms into a forest. Besides, does it mean the governor does not know that different schools have different uniforms to have their different identities? A disciplined student or an ill-mannered student on the street could easily be identified with his uniform and if it were in the good old days, he would be reported accordingly to his principal. Now, if all public schools in Osun state have the same uniform, how would you identify a student on the street? How would you know which school he attends? Or is it not important to identify a student with his or her school uniform? More importantly why should a religious uniform be introduced into a secular school? Why give the option for Muslims to wear hijab to school? Is it to know who are Christians and who are Muslims in terms of giving favour or victimization? Has he no serious projects to pursue?
Seriously, this is not an issue of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, witchhunting Aregbesola because he is of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN. It goes beyond that. If it is true that he wants to introduce same uniform in all public schools with freedom for Muslims to wear hijab, then he must be asked if the hijab would in any way accelerate the rate of learning for the affected students or if the different uniforms now being worn have disadvantages on the students in regards to their learning ability? What are the disadvantages of the present different uniforms?
Hear what the Acting Chairman of the ruling ACN in Osun State, Elder Moses Adelowo said, “There is a programme for change of school uniform in the state which is being handled by the Ministry of Education. The idea behind it is to have a corporate uniform for all public schools in the state. We even published about it. It is also a blatant lie that the government is planning to impose the use of hijab on female students in the state. But as a Muslim, you are free to wear hijab, if you choose to do so.” Strangely, his partisanship has closed his eyes and ears to the obvious attempt to introduce religious bigotry into the school system. Do we not have enough Boko Haram problem on our hands? This uniform of hijab, is it not what members of Boko Haram will readily identify with?
Already a dissenting voice has been raised. Rev. Theophilis Ayodeji of Gospel Pushers Association, has stated, “We want to say that no Christian in Osun State is comfortable with attempts to change names of Christian schools and introduction of unChristian single uniform for all schools in the state.”
At last, the appointed time came and Angaladikibo the Watcher of the Mangroves has to remove his attention from the Mangroves. The Oldman of the Waterfronts stood up, grabbed the bottle of the local white brew with his left hand and picked up the little glass cup with his right hand. He filled it and began his call to the ancestors to take charge of the day’s deliberation.
“Odumodu, great ancestor of the People of the Waterfronts, he who dwells at the domain between the land and the sea, another day has come to discuss ways of finding solutions to the inanities of the People of the City. It was the Old frog that told the children throwing pebbles into the pond, “Little children, what you regard as play in your own land kills in our own land.” The People of the City do not know that their silly ways are disrupting the peaceful minds of the People of the Waterfronts. Take, drink and re-fix the nuts in their brains.
“Otumo-Ogugu, Favourite of the Maidens, he who goes in and out of the Maidens, detecting the unfaithful ones, take and drink. Concerted efforts are needed to combat the menace of the People of the City. Join your co-ancestor to find solution to their madness.
“Osokolo, another Favourite of the Maidens, he who pursues the Maidens out of the Waterfronts, reminding them of their duties at home, take and drink. Join your co-ancestors and your three good heads would yield palatable fruits.”
The Oldman of the Waterfronts refilled the little glass cup at the end of the libation and poured all into his mouth. It took him some seconds to swallow the cold but hot local white brew and he allowed the bottle of the local white brew and the little glass cup to move round the hall. They woke up their senses as a glassful went down the throat of each of them.
It was Injibabo, the Fisherman of the Waterfronts that first got up to speak.
“People of the Waterfronts, I greet you all. I am not here to talk about a gift of church to anyone. I will want to see who will throw the first stone. That person will tell me if the great grand son of Odumodu, he of the Goodluck fame, is the General Overseer of the church at Otuoke. I also do not want to discuss the issue of whether President Goodluck Jonathan is in his second tenure or if he would contest the 2015 presidential election or not. The gentle president has already told his party men that the election is still a long way, far, far away and that none should distract him with it. Yet, like earless species of human beings, they kept on calling his name and dragging him into the issue. Perhaps a hot slap on the very position their ears are supposed to be, would teach them a good lesson.
“People of the City, what I want to talk about is the very issue I have been talking about. A grown up child is not flogged on the road by his or her parents. Every act of admonition is done at home, behind closed doors. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, should be aware if its name. It is a movement to free the Niger Delta from oppression, deprivation, neglect and victimization, not a movement to destroy the Niger Delta or for personal gains. Boko Haram is causing enough distraction to the reign of their kinsman. After the tenure of president Goodluck Jonathan, only God knows how many centuries will pass before it would get to the turn of the Niger Deltans again. It is therefore necessary that every Niger Deltan find ways to support the administration and proffer sound advises that would move the Niger Delta and indeed, the entire nation forward. It is true, it was previous militancy replete with destructions that yielded some concessions to the region, culminating into the amnesty programme. However it should be noted that you cannot always have it your own way all the time in a diverse society. “Our fighters attacked and destroyed one wellhead and one manifold on trunk lines belonging to Agip. More attacks to follow,” was a statement issued by MEND. Surely, this cannot bring peace to the region. The man has not even got into half of his tenure. He has to be given time to consolidate.
“As if the attack on Agip facilities is not enough, MEND has also threatened to commence attacks on MTN South Africa infrastructure in the Niger Delta Region. If they follow Boko Haram to cause insecurity in the nation, the reign of a Niger Deltan may not yield the required fruits. A word is enough for the wises.”
Immediately Injibabo sat down, Okolobo, he of the Creeks, got up and said, “Please enough of this sad stories. Something good is beginning to happen. The Health Minister, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu has stated, “Very soon, we will take a memo to the federal executive council stating that for any public officer to go abroad for medical treatment, the minister must certify that there are no facilities in Nigeria.” People of the Waterfronts, things will soon change.”
The Oldman of the Waterfronts looked at him, filled the little glass cup, raised it up, looked at it and upturned it into his mouth. ###
By Kenneth Amabipi
0803 668 7846
Email: kennymaps@yahoo.co.uk
