Value of restlessness in creating intentional economy: Case study of Egypt.

 Today, as we witness the value of restlessness in the stepping down of the Egyptian oppressor of three decades. Something valuable came to mind. The importance of intelligent resistance cannot be displaced on the match to democracy. Lets recall how valuable it will be for all and sundry to pick a lesson from hereon. 

For Hosni Mubarack, he may learn that honor is the peak of all achievements! A man that cannot live and die for honor is not worth living. And Great leaders learn to leave the stage when the ovation is loudest! For us, the moral lie in: the power of protest!

For instance, Canada is a peaceful country. We don’t want any unrest. So we allow everything? It is okay to be just quietly nice? It is cultural to go with the flow? You don’t offend anybody? Don’t disturb your neighbor? Always sit patiently on board for the Bus driver to have his lunch while you run late for your appointment? Activism is evil? It is impolite to protest? Be agreeable in everything? And never ever raise any dust? These are all implied and imbedded in the Canadian culture?

On the other hand, Nigeria (a West African country) is where you are free to protest at your own risk! It’s perilous to speak against the Government of the day. It’s like cutting your own throat! Most African countries face intimidation, oppression and corruption with fear of the consequence of protest. We are scared of being killed. We worry about being jailed. Nobody wants to lose his head. “They” will arrest us and imprison us”; we say. I am the last born in my family, how dare you expect me to protest? I am the only survivor of the civil war in my lineage, how can you push me to War again? Why should I end up in jail or on stake for the masses? As a result of such fear, evil continue at its bliss in Africa?

 The opposite is true of Egyptians. Despite their piety and religious culture, resist oppression and prevailed. Theirs, was one of the rare protests that ever succeeded in Africa? Usually the Military and the Police would have disbanded such protest? Again, it points out the fact that the Military have crucial role to play in any democracy anywhere?

 If the glory that passes away could be this glorious in Egypt today, how much more is the eternal weights of glory going to be like? If the Egyptians fought for honor and won, how much more should we? It is imperative we stand against evil in all ramifications?

The case study of Hosni Mubarack of Egypt is a lesson for all African leaders. Don't overstay your visit by seeking a third term in power like one of our politicians. Leave political office honorably when you're no longer wanted. Nobody is indispensable. How so true was the statement of the Patriarch who said: “…But when you grow restless, you will throw his yoke from off your neck." (Genesis 27:40). The yoke we see today are more than oppression. Until we become restless, dominion will remain an illusion.  Until we learn to see evil and resist it, we won’t break the hold of evil! 

Just because oppression does not appear in guise of “Hosni Mubarack”, it is easier to merely cast a glance and walk away. We can casually let the sleeping dog lie? But the sleeping dog may continue lying forever, even making more mess on the threshold? The principles  we break will boomerang to haunt us.There is value in intelligent resistance.

Where are the Legends amongst us?

Consequently we cry aloud: where are the knights? As we look around, they appear and disappear, faded into twilights. Champions of mediocrity reigns with charm, gazing further, we see the heroes. They are shaping the age ahead. Our age is evolving. This generation is self-defining. Imagine how we are emerging. Our age is dividing and defining. Can you see the divide? Can you see the dots? We were raised by heroes, fathered by giants. Their voices cry aloud from afar. They are voice of discipline. We were likened to gods, daily dying like moths. We were bound for Palace in Paris. We detoured as troupe through greed to Greece. We landed in Cyprus seriously injured. We were displaced to Syria. Our journeys have become a destination. We stopped. Progression ensnared at four-way sign. We came to the place called Kalahari. It’s like Sahara. These deserts happened to us amidst our journey through Arctic. We feel the winds amidst the storm. The wind-chill as we burn. We live with heat within. Our souls cry out for help. We starve, we stench, we sound as those who seems to be starched!

Legends are afar; we must catch up with them. Nevertheless we must run towards the light! Do you need to look far to see and plunge in? Do you have to squint to see the utmost? Who said they’ve all gone? The legends are all dead? When we see the handwritings of change, we feel the hope and know those who bring revolution are not far fetched. It is uncomplicated recognizing why we live in two worlds. How two different matrixes hold us all? Why they are strangely pulling us apart? There is a world of greatness. There’s distinction. It is the lowest height of prospect. The daily tenet there is plain: you either breathe your last on it. It’s excellence. It is exceptionality. It’s for you and you alone. You must live for fineness or there is no other option. There’s the second matrix. It is the world of mediocrity. It is where few things matter. It’s where principles and values don’t grow with age. It is an island of ease. You just take it easy and go with the flow or flow with the groan. Sometimes you can be stuck in between.

You can be pushed or pulled. You can even fall so badly; beaten by the drift, forgotten in the fight and flight of survival. The attitude of gang of choice may knight you as a “legend”. Words, habit and more may make you. There are those whom we only need to see once again and our dreams would soar again within [us]. There are those we need to run the Deer’s race away from. If only to preserve our dreams, we may have to reverse. If we will ever fulfill those dreams, there are destiny gangs we must identify with. We must stick together forever. There are those we must observe closely for fortune to be born forefront. There are inspirers even from afar that we only need to see again and soul would soar again. We may come to the post tagged “arrival” to see that there are few of these ones amongst us. We may get to that point when stimulation can only be drawn from within us. We may reach a yield sign where our inner reservoirs of old is calling enter to great lanes. Join only noble causes. Motivation may be a question of within and not without. We can either yield or stick, seeing maggots, faggots and harlots. Change will never be born; greatness will never be real until we can truly cry, not for the legends but dare to be the legends amongst us.

“My Knight in shining amour”

The Knight with a blazing sword,
My knight in shining Amour!
You’re my battle fighter
My hero, n’ friend,
Defender, n’ helper,
The warrior
Combatant with the blazing sword
who has never lost a battle like you?

You are my hero!
My song, my all
My very strength,
You're my all
And all in all.
My many thanks to you
My Lord, my King
The King of kings,
The LORD of lords...

-Babawale Odunga

Activism and spirituality...

If you are asked to cast a vote for Self defense or God defense, which one will you pick? Joseph was not afraid of losing his job at Portifar's house. He did the right thing, yet he lost his job anyway. For standing up with integrity he lost his position probably to a mediocre. His resume was spoilt. His reputation stained. Job security was out of the picture because he did not report his master's wife to anyone other from God who sees... Hagar the maid of Sarah called God the one who sees…And the one who sees attended to the situation; treating each person’s mess up accordingly. He will never allow the wicked to go unpunished because He is a righteous God. Joseph allowed God to be his shield; he did not depend on the Labour Union. He was put in prison for depending on the most righteous one.

And because seasons must pass...time has to pass over certain things in our life. Some things have to happen that way [so that the name of the Lord might be glorified...a man was born blind right from birth because God wanted to prove something through that]. Somehow, some things have to be like that for the time being. Jesus said to John the Baptizer, let it be so for now, that we might fulfill all righteousness .The same way it happened for Jesus and Joseph and Jones! [That is you!] It will happen in your life and mine. God will not abort His processes for any reason because He has a purpose in mind. Imagine, how the Lord did not allow the officer Butler remember Joseph after being released from prison and restored to his butlership because He will never have distinguished the favour of God from the influence of man. He will never share His glory with Pharaoh's Butler or any man.If I was Joseph, I would have been very angry and bitter against everyone else but God's spirit and grace was on Joseph. He was not bitter against Butler or Portifar. He was not angry at other people for being forgotten. For not being remembered, referred or rewarded. After two years, the Lord revisited Joseph's situation directly through Pharaoh the king. The access that God alone brings has no attachment to people's efforts. An ordinary dream was what led to his release. If God could use a dream, He can use anything to lift any man He desire to lift!