by By Hassan Hassan,
There is a new bipolarity among Nigerians replacing the class groups of upper and lower. The new divide is WE and THEY. What is the isle of difference between us? Who are WE? Who are They?
We are talking, communicating and raising understanding. They are mute, don’t answer questions, don’t ask questions but operate undercover. We are working, helping our government to serve, and giving out everything in contribution and sacrifice. They create for she give. They work for money. All their life as workers, they use their offices to short-change the public. They must get money to commit to public service. They take, never give.
We are selfless. We think of our parents, family, kids, others in need, seeking collective progress. They are selfish, hardhearted. They abandon parents and relations. They are inclined to their nuclear families only. They think about themselves, others go to hell.
We help and share with the needy, raise funds, mobilise for community, help the displaced. They deny, ignore reality of misfortunes on others. They care less. They look inwards. They cook once a day to store food to late night, no guest or hungry can make any idea.
We pay our dues; obey the laws and authority, sensitive to official and public matters. We register our new cars and renew every year. We pay our taxes. We respect public property and resources. And we are serious about them.
They disrespect law and authority. They evade orders, create loopholes for sabotage, theft and crime, carrying many plate numbers and can swear to any extent in lying. They disrespect public property and is like their holy book preaches to them that public resources are personal to you and you can use them in any way you want.
We pray and worship God to our best and it is God’s mercy we seek because it will finally matter not our best.
They are capitalist with God. Their prayer is their reason for heaven no matter what. They count every act of worship and they will calculate them to finally save their souls, not minding any mercy.
We are liberal democrats, socialist to an extent, seeking collective solutions to common problems. We believe in different ways to solving problems, and no human is dispensable in society.
They are callous capitalists, conservatives. They arrogate knowhow and solutions to themselves and self-centered in their thinking. To them no human is indispensable.
We can farm. We farm in respect to national leadership with the vision that oil money has killed our potentials, made us too dependents, indolent and unproductive. We seek alternatives, we diversify.
They are first citizens with special status that is self acclaimed. No one can push them to farming and enslave them. They better be enslaved by the weight of their potbellies.
Our women, kids are under us, obedient, respectful, diligent, humble and merciful to us. They listen and obey. They ask before they go before they take. They don’t ask for what is not in the house. They manage and respect food with best attitudes. They need less or no supervision in life. This is because we behaved to our parents as kids.
They are slaves of their kids and women, wives. They can’t shut them down or leave the house because they know they will beg them to come back. They can kill them, make any crime, small one big. They must buy what is not needed at any cost or the wife will threaten to go to her father’s house. Their kids talk anyhow; say what they like to anybody in anyway. They are spoiled, arrogant and delinquent.
We are modest. We live in the frames of our own definition of life, within our earnings and in sensitivity to our roots, values and think about life for our people who are not so privileged. They are immodest. They live a competitive life defined by the bastard culture of materialism, which translates into even their forms of worship or service to God. They must buy, at all cost, what the social circle determines in order that they fit.
We campaigned, mobilised, voted, counted, defended, and escorted. We love and support PMB on purpose for his fighting corruption and insecurity. We take corrections and ready to submit ourselves to same subject of change for good.
They de-campaigned, didn’t vote and prayed for a jilt that didn’t come. It was the day starting counting their disappointments in their ill wish to PMB up to yesterday. They are still counting and will count more, daring God and asking “Why Now God!?”
Our prayers and wishes are positive, for fellow humans and for PMB and all, because in praying for others we invite the prayers of the angels.
Their prayers, wishes are negative, evil, selfish, vengeful, and targeted at select individuals. They are gull of venoms of anger, hatred, bad blood, jealousy, envy.
We are mode. We think big and far. Our hearts are large to accommodate, tolerate and reserve.
They are mean. They think little and now. They are little characters. Their hearts are small and limited to them. Qaswat Qulubuhum.
Who are we? Who are they? Who are you?
We are we. They are they. You are you.
Be proud of yours and be grateful to parents, teachers and to God, for who you are. Chuckle, Smile wide. Laugh life out. Live it. The Future is being assured. Join. Help. Work. Pray.
Hassan Hassan is of the Department of Mass Communication, Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi
