WEEP NOT, MY NATION: THE NIGERIAN SARCASTIC PARODY

By; Dr. Abdulkareem Onakoya (PhD, FNIMC),

Department of Political Science,

Lagos State University of Education,

Oto-Ijanikin (Epe Campus),

Lagos state, Nigeria,

onakoyaa@lasued.edu.ng,

Tel:- +2348026621805.

22nd May, 2023.

In 1964, a Kenyan novelist and writer, James Ngugi popularly called ‘Ngugi wa Thiongo’o’ published his first novel titled: WEEP NOT, CHILD to epitomise his concern about the colonial rule and their excesses in the black continent using some happenings in his home country, Kenya to air his views. 

The 144-page book was virtually committed to the enormous threats to the lives of the ordinary people and the great inhumane treatments they were exposed to by the colonial masters.

Long before then, an American Poet, Walt Whitman dropped the epitaph which suggested that the endurance of a ‘suffering child’ in the face of severe tribulations could be short-lived if necessary measures are put in place.

In his poem, he saged;

‘Weep not, child’

‘Weep not, my darling’

‘With these kisses, let me remove your tears’

‘The ravening clouds shall not be long victorious’

‘They shall not long possess the sky’

‘They devour the stars only in apparition’ ….

The above quote captured the ecoconsciousness of Ngugi’s and his worries of the ordinary Kenyans who were made to undergo series of mental imbalances during colonialism. 

He portrayed Ngoroje who could not at instance see the light in the tick darkness which made him decided to commit suicide but was located by his mother’s quest and made him realised that there were better days ahead.

Ngoroje’s love and care for his family living in the land of Jacobo and that of his brother, Kamau knew no bounds. Those and many others sent his father, Ngotho to his early grave.

The interest most of us have to be part of this project called ‘Nigeria’ could be likened to that of Ngotho and Ngoroje in the novel. We want this nation to be built yet again.

After several years of colonialisation, the unfortunate experience remains that we are still in the hands of our ‘domestic lords’ who take advantage of the privilege given to them to make us cry at all costs. They continuously play the role of ‘Mr. Howland’ in the novel who made ordinary Kenyans suffer in his farm.

We weep at intervals, we cry yet again and again. Our futures were long ago taken away from us through uncertainties in the forms of government introduced to us by the whitemen and the leadership styles of our political figures whose hands we were released to. 

Whose kisses will remove our tears? The ravening clouds in our case seem victorious and are almost possessing our skies. 

Today makes it barely a week to the end this tenure and the commencement of another administration. Succours and reliefs are still far from the horizon or are yet to be seen at all.

The health sector just witnessed a negative alert with the warning strike by the resident doctors whose demands are not too flamboyant and unrealistic but not just attended to.

The education sector is crying out of decadence and state of rottenness. The quests of the university lecturers were not seen as outrageous but also very abhorrent to be met. 

Schools are in the dilapidated forms waiting to be fixed by the concerned government departments and parastatals. Our book shelves are vitally and virtually empty due to the disinvestment of our best brains.

Roads are not motorable enough for the common man. Many car owners have lost the wheels to potholes and road damages which could have been fixed for the good of all.

Our agricultural policies and interventions remain unfriendly with the local farmers who must be in their locations to see that we eat. Most lands have been occupied by estate developers and realtors with little or no consideration of our livelihoods.

The economy is as bad as the Darfur region in Sudan where no life seems existing in the face of the current imbroglio. Or better-still, the Tigray region in Ethiopia where humans, plants and animals are struggling for survival not minding the fittest.

Unemployment ratio keeps soaring higher by the day. Elements of nonchalance and ‘I-don’t-care’ syndrome are let loose by our leaders who gets all they need from the quarters of the government.

Electricity is becoming far reached to the users. The claim of 5,000 megawatts is seemingly not correct but a mere political propaganda to pull wool over our eyes.

Corruption is the only language in the polity. Even to the extent of stealing away our political culture. A corrupt man is seen as the best leader of the people jettisoning the standards and best practices in the world.

Political scenario is a ‘no-go-area’. The fools and the idiots are being paraded as best candidates for positions which ordinarily should be reserved and meant for the wise. Money does ‘everything’ here. No room for competence and quality. 

At this juncture, a call is imperative to the man who is believed to possess ‘all it takes’ to fix the Nigerian problems. Failure here would be tantamount to a colossus and behemoth tragedy which can ruin the entire race of our future leaders. Let him give us the needed kisses to remove our tears. That Nigerians will weep not again.

He needs to make an overhaul of the education, agriculture, economy, health, energy, social and other sectors so that we can all have senses of belonging in the ‘project’. 

Nigeria must be put on the track back. We need to get going for good.

Weep not, Nigeria !

Weep not, our state !!

Weep not, our nation !!!.