This morning, I received a barrage of messages on my phone advising on saltwater bath to cure Ebola infection. My first reaction was to wave it off as it falls face flat against what I learnt about virus in my O-level biology classes. I took another look at the matter when I discovered it trending on Twitter. Some comments were just sarcastic while a lot others had serious tones to it. Then I learnt some actually performed the ritual. I have always said in private to people close to me that an average Nigerian is acutely limited to think and act logically beyond demands of basic survival. This I dont think is function of high education, after all majority of the saltwater rumour peddlers use a smart phone with internet connection which afford them equal access to Google Search - which unfortunately many never use, or perhaps only use to Google football transfer latest news, Kim Kardashian programme update, and several other impossible mundane occupations. Mind you, majority parade some level of basic educational certificates. Then you ask, how really educated is the educated?. I dont believe one needs a diploma or degree to be functionally rational - which is the whole essence of western education. A basic education should be ideal. But in a situation as that of todays chaos that was actively propelled by the basically educated , it is either we live in such an illogical society or essence of education itself has failed. Perhaps both. When you wonder why we have PhDs and Profs heading failing institutions around here, its not difficult to see that education no longer relate to common sense in this society. Dont ask me about Presidential infantile blunders, only remember his mate has a degree with hons from this society too. By the way, he rose to position legitimately by simple majority win - simple majority of simpletons. Then three years-plus down the line, simpletons are still the majority as shown today. Well Nigerians, behold your next President , whoever he may be, is highly likely to be another simpleton as long as majority vote will win. Can someone please explain the rationale behind holding a religious mega gathering at such a moment as this? Yes, I know it was planned much ahead, but common sense please? He that the gods will destroy, he first looses his sense of common judgement. Now that our sense of common judgement seems to be at par with nematodes, Im afraid to announce that the wrath of the gods is upon us. You want proof? ...dont look far - book haram in the north, Ebola in the south....oh! Fulani cattle rearers in mid-belt. Isnt it complete? Yes, I know God just the way you do, so dont lecture me on it. Just let us listen to dictates of common sense for this time. Otherwise the gods must be crazy to have put a functional brain between our ears. All I ask for is nothing but the basic logic of Think-Plan-Do-Observe cycle that has got the develop world to where they are today. Nothing more or less. How can we shamelessly be begging US for serum for a tropical disease that has been ravaging at our backyard since 1977? HIV is most prevalent is Africa, yet the ARVs are made in America and Europe. Malaria is curse to Africa, but Europe and America is leading funding and research for it. Yet we celebrate matching the best in billionaires league, pre-order the most trendy cars and private jets, now consume more finest wine, spirit and champaign that the oyibos that make them, we parade degrees that foreigners that award them, and steal more to save in foreign banks. Now tell me if the gods are not on our case already? I stopped blaming the government a long time ago, after all they are peopled by us and not foreigners. We are simply a society programmed to self-destruct, and effectively we are on schedule. It so an attribute of nature to seek balance and order. When these are lacking, nature sets in and do the needful. With the way we are set up , calamity has us high on his to-do list. The greatest enemy of Nigeria is Nigerians. The day we learn to think-plan-act-rethink is the day we brake this down spiral into abyss. It is not a government thing, but societal. How is it societal?...grow common sense and start using it. On the matter of salt and water, like my good friend aptly advised, please do remember to add some pepper, curry, onions and maggi to spice it up too. By the time Ebola plague is over, ignorance and stupidity would have beaten it to higher number of kills. Hopefully by then we shall be wiser, but higher wisdom is not by experience in this case. Let the rat in the temple tell it to that in the field that the wrath of the gods is at hand. Emehelu Nnamdi Lagos, Nigeria. 4:49pm 8/8/2014
Posted on: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 16:17:48 +0000