Intrigued and curious to read the book: “The beautiful ones are not yet born,” by Ayi Kwei Armah, I had to negotiate with my brother. It was one of his recommended literature texts in high school. So desperate to read it, I negotiated with him to pay a due of N20 per day to borrow it.
In this novel, Ayi Kwei Armah creates an analogy of an interesting bird called the ChiChi Dodo. The ChiChi Dodo, a mythical Ghanaian bird, claims to be a very clean bird which hates any form of filth. The bird goes through all the pains to keep filth out of its way. The ironical fact about the ChiChi Dodo is that despite its hygienic standards, it feeds on maggots which are found in animal excreta. The bird feeds from the filth it detests.
Every time I reflect on human actions and their outcomes, the thought of the ChiChi Dodo comes to the fore. Are we living in a society where people claim to be clean and despise any form of filth but return to feed on the maggots from the very filth they loathe? Are we living in a society where people say one thing but their actions mean differently? Are we all ChiChi Dodos?
Everyday, we awaken to the sheer audacity to siphon billions of public funds for personal gain. Everyday, we demand justice for these atrocities. Everyday, we celebrate these same people who have betrayed public trust.
This has been very evident since the expansion of the social media. Opportunistic bloggers fill the internet with posts of ill-gotten wealth, artistes sing the praises of corrupt politicians, traditional rulers offer chieftaincy titles to the highest bidder. Every time we observe a display of material possessions, we must ask questions as to the source of such possessions.
Are such possessions correlatable with their jobs and income? Religious leaders should question the sources of outrageous tithes, Parents should question the sources of their ward’s sudden wealth. When we turn a blind eye, we promote corruption, internet fraud, armed robbery yet we call for Change. Change begins with us looking at the man in the mirror.
We must reflect on what matters most for the well-being of our society. Change can only be sustained when we stand up to evil, ask questions and remain persistent in our demand for justice.
We must depart from a state of moral ambivalence. It is our responsibility to ensure that the society we live in maintains a high moral standard. No one has the right to denigrate the moral fabric of our society. First, as a citizen, we owe it as a duty to protect the integrity of our country, as parents, we owe it to our children, to safeguard the moral values we were brought up with, as individuals, we owe it to God and ourselves, to maintain a high moral standard.
As Mark Twain rightly said: “Always do what is right. It will gratify half of mankind and astound the other.” When we do what is right, a feeling of contentment and happiness tickles our souls. Declining to do the right thing, retards our judgment and debases our values. The greatness of a nation can be judged by the moral virtues it propagates. There can be no compromise.
. Okon Jr. is a medical doctor. He can be reached via email at eddyeti2004@gmail.com.
Trending
- Enoh applauds NFF for ‘buying local’, as Gusau promises total support for Finidi
- ‘Tough skin’ Finidi pledges six points from Bafana, Cheetahs matches
- Atiku felicitates with Awujale, Adeleke
- UNILORIN gets 40 new professors
- Tinubu vows to end gender-based violence, inequalities in Nigeria
- Pro-Fubara Rivers Assembly screens, confirms Dagogo, as commissioner-designate
- FCT Police apprehend car theft syndicate operating in Lagos
- Access Bank SL strengthens leadership team with key board appointments, names new chairman