Why I Should Care About What I Don't Care

photo: Chat gpt

"Farmers get killed every day, you say it's not that bad. Policemen get killed every day, you say it's not that bad." — Lucky Dube

Some years ago, someone shot one of our dogs. It was actually the most loved dog. At the time this happened, my uncle wasn't around. It was just my parents, my siblings, my uncle's children, and me.

When my uncle returned and was informed of the tragedy, he was very furious, extremely rage. He stood speechless for a minute or two and then said, "If I take hold of this man(the one who shot the dog), I will deflate him like I would do to a pumpkin."

No doubt, the man in question(my uncle), was gigantic and well built when it came to physical combat, with the knowledge of a traditional African man. So, if you asked me, I would tell you that he could do exactly what he claimed.

Again, my uncle added, "If not for my kids, I would teach this man a lesson. I would invoke the spirit of the dead dog against him and his household, and as long as I live, they would be haunted."

This is not fiction. It is not just crafted out of imagination, neither am I saying it to bring to lamplight my uncle's personality. No. I want to prove a point.

I deliberately personalized the caption of this write-up by using the first person pronoun, 'I', so as to cause you to see yourself in the middle of what I'm about to say because, to me, it is one of the areas the world is really missing out on.

I was actually listening to one of Lucky Dube's tracks titled: Corruption, from which the quote above was extracted, and I found myself pondering something. Some time ago, the government in South Africa actually turned its eyes against its own citizens, just as it is happening in Nigeria and in many other countries today.

You see, my uncle's statement, "If not for my kids," has taught me a very great lesson, which I want every one of us to know.
You would never be weak because you refuse to strike. Though, in international law, that is, the chicken law of international relations, you would be regarded as a chicken.

My uncle's statement taught me that sometimes I should accept and bear with gladness the name chicken for the sake of my children, my family, my fellow citizens, and my government.

As soon as my interest supersedes the interests of those people, and even the institution I represent, then corruption is at its best state, and taming its consequences becomes as critical as it is almost impossible.

The whole world is turning upside down today because of the selfish interests of leaders who do not really care whether you live or die, provided they firmly take hold of power.

And I know it wouldn't surprise you if I told you today that your leaders are gambling with your future.
And what if you, who are reading this article today, are a leader, or will someday become one? Would you choose to be called a chicken for the sake of your followers, or would you pursue the pounds, dollars, euros, naira, and every other currency, and then offer their heads on a tray?

Today, I tell you this: a president, governor, senator(leader) should always weigh his decisions in a balance and sometimes say, "If not for my citizens..., If not for my children..."

I know you don't care because they aren't your brothers. They are not your sisters. They are not even related to you in any way. But you should care because they are humans, they also have people who will lament deeply if they die. You should care because they deserve to live.

E. L. TEDDY
Ethics and Morality Advocate