Thursday, January 31, 2008

End the Rule of Agbaiya in Nigeria

I read with some pain the snub given to the speaker of the House of Rep by the PDP chairman, the President , ex-President et al. It is quite typical. I remember my chairman when I first started my company (in the UK) was nearly 70 then but in spite of it we worked as colleagues . Of course it was a little more complicated than that but more on it another time. Part of my initial problem was i had been brought up in an environment where you acted completely dumb around older people and acted subservient. I had real problems in my own business challenging any unproductive behaviour from him. It took a while but I came back to my real culture. People, our ancestors did not really believe in the absolute rightness of the older person. Worse still when someone is even one day older they try that bullshit rank pulling. We forget the reason for giving respect to age was that in the times of old access, exposure, experience and competence came with age as you were more likely to be most knowledgeable the older you were . It is frankly no longer the case. There are many things my children are more knowledgeable about than i am . I hope I have the wisdom from time to time to be open and allow them to educate me. It is the failure to be truly open that means that most government departments still you yahoo accounts for email in spite of the inefficient, insecure and disorganised implications. It is part of a failure to let young more knowledgeable talent through. Remember it is the same people born before independence constantly in a dick measurement exercise with each other that as imprisoned the country in a spiral of personal conflict. They treat the country as part of their family compound.

It is because of these kind of people my Yoruba ancestors came up with the word Agbaiya which does not fully translate literarily into English but it is the description of a undignified and unwise elder. You know them by their behaviour , many who use their age and exposure like a baseball bat on the ridge of the nose. Many of those who have gone before us have exemplified that name. They refuse to know when to bow gracefully of the stage, they are blinded by what they know to what they do not know, they exemplify hubris in their conduct and lifestyle. It is time to put them into pasture simply we are more in number than they are, it is time to bum rush them out. This is our country we are the future and they are the past we need to kick these people out period! Now!

10 comments:

ijebuman said...

nice post.
We should start from your back yard by getting of that old man in Molete (lol)

Onibudo said...

This year my brother. This year believe me.

ijebuman said...

correction
i meant getting rid of that old man

Onibudo said...

I know what you mean and agree it will be done this year.

Sherri said...

which kondo will be used?

Anonymous said...

@ onibudo stated "People, our ancestors did not really believe in the absolute rightness of the older person".

O ro lo so yen (This is an absolutely true statement). The Yoruba were not docile follow follow of ancient geriatrics. We all need a lesson in our own history to know that we have missed it altogether. The historical checks and balances are no longer in place and the current lot are taking us to the cleaners.

Nigerican said...

Amen to all u said, i couldn't have said it better. Change is coming whether they like it or not.

Thirty + said...

@Onbibudo, I fear you o. E wi be esi se be.

Now the climate of Ibadan and Oyo state will change hopefully for the better.

ijebuman said...

"This year my brother. This year believe me."

ahh you talk am and it happened, anyway i hope the people of ibadan will finally rise up and claim their rightful place in SW politics (now that Adedibu has passed on)

Onibudo said...

It is not us but God. She gives and takes away. All power is Gods and she gives it to us for a purpose. It is the failure to use power for its purpose that is true abuse. In the end when you old onto the power as if you own it and attribute it to your own self you are ready for one of two things, complete humiliation or death or both. It has been ever thus. The question is what will we do differently this time?