By Fai Cassian Ndi
If being recognized as a colossus is to
guarantee peace, unity and development, then politics is a good game. But when
the game is played with bad players it harnesses a vanity of an ego that
promotes instability, ethereal and divisive tendencies. The values turn ugly
perhaps. Political analysts who witnessed
the tension and the aftermath of the 2013 Twin elections in Donga Mantung left
with the passive opinion that what have the influence to alter what we coin our
political "reason, vision, and or mission" is sowing a dangerous seed
that when it germinates, even it promoters may not be able to harvest.
Priorities can be altered in a fraction of a
second whenever men of goodwill have the interest of the people they are
serving or want to serve. It can be just one single word or an action because
whatever has the strength to destroy, can be used to re-build once again.
Bitterness in politics just doesn't seem to
make sense; it needs no justification to exist in the 21st century.
Being lost in the "why" only clouds the ability to pass it and move
on. A higher intention awakens when we get to the edge of the precipice and as
the bigger picture is exposed and lies out there in front of us. (Don't be
afraid to step out of the madding crowd of haters and to stay there is to
sacrifice the future of the unborn, development and progress.) The more rooted in
love is the higher you fly and the clarity of your duty (purpose) is
transformed with good will and forever shining on.
Hate, bitterness and revenge are luxuries politicians
of Donga Mantung Division have been offering since the last September 30, 2013
Municipal/ Legislative Elections. Hatred
and bitterness is doing a great deal more damage to the vessel in which it is
stored (the population) than the object on which it is poured (the political
opponent). I have seen many of them sitting on the table but hidden knives
ready to stab the other from behind. It has generated into witch-hunting,
character assassination et cetera. I have observed militants of the same
political parties not Seeing Eye to eye as well as those of the opposite side.
The most dangerous threat is that any action involving this or that personality
is sabotaged. Yet what they do not value is that odium leads to great acrimony,
which is a deadly misuse of the creative flow from above. This kind of belief
is completely unproductive and especially when it is patronized by people who are
or want to hold a public trust. Hatred has gradually become a poor travelling
companion in Donga Mantung Division causing discrepancy and despondency.
In politics, consciousness always advocated
for politicians with character and conscience, but I do not want to think that
our politicians are of low political culture, immature to the point that they
have been blinded not to understand the essence of it. The situation is very
precarious and disturbing especially when the youth are used as toys in the
upset.
In Nwa, Misaje and principally Nkambe, some
politicians seem to think they can only thrive under a climate of growing
political hatred. This is very dangerous, both about the growth of hatred in
politics and about its danger to individuals and the polity itself. We are
increasingly witnessing covet and identity politics writ the large. It has
germinated everywhere to produce the political overreach (a weapon to settle
scores). As it is reaching into pockets, bedrooms, private lives – it is now
uncontrollable. Donga Mantung has been taken hostage by this dilemma which has
no parentage in love, and claims the allegiance of today on the ignorance and
blindness of the past.
Every citizen's life in this part of the
division is inevitably mixed with every other citizen's life, and no matter
which political party they belong, no matter what precautions they take, unless
the people of the lie are humane and decent and loving, this part of the
country will continue to witness underdevelopment, and to the worse character
assassination, blackmail and or life becomes short. Thomas Hubbs says it all
about life in the jungle, and nothing is so perfect to Hubbs’ description than
the present deadlock in a padlock that always ends in a deadlock in Donga
Mantung Division.
The time is now for Donga Mantung politicians
to sing the song of oneness, love and forget about their political outlook and
affiliations. Until that bitter pile is swallowed by the little drummers hereto
comes the glory for a win-win gimmick in Donga Mantung Division which may
outsmart the Santa mafia in the game.
The Eye is aware that hatred is born out of
envy in excess of the opinionated successes of opponents, and of competitors.
But if envy has any shape it is just the boomerang of occurrences that the
population is being nurtured with and tortured in. Envy is the most ridiculous
of ideas, because there is no single advantage to be gained from it. An old
saying goes that "When you compare what you want with what you have, you
will be unhappy. Instead, compare what you deserve with what you have and you
will discover happiness." The problem is that influencer paddlers have
invaded the game and turned it into the game of the mastiff. They fabricate
lies, rack in rumours. They want to be what they are not, tell what they think
is good for the person they have at hand and bad for the person who is not at
hand. The fools themselves love to give the ear and compensations. There is the
need for politicians and their supporters to realise that nothing gets you
behind faster than trying to fabrications. If envy were a disease, Donga
Mantung politicians would all be hospitalized forever. Frances Bacon observes
that, "Envy has no holidays. It has no rest." The envy that compares
us to others is foolishness. "They
are only comparing themselves with each other, and measuring themselves by
themselves. What foolishness!" (2 Corinthians 10:12). Richard Evans Iin
trying to decipher what could place the human mind in such an obscure behavior said,
"May we never let the things we can't have or don't have spoil our
enjoyment of the things we do have and can have." What makes us
discontented with our personal condition is the absurd belief that others are
so much happier than we are. Thomas Fuller warned, "Comparison, more than
a reality, makes men happy or wretched." Hatred and envy consumes nothing
but its own heart. It is a kind of admiration for those whom you least want to
praise. John Chrysostorm reflected, "As a moth gnaws a garment, so doth
envy and hatred consume a man." There are many roads to an unsuccessful
life, but hatred and envy are among the shortest of them all. Should Donga
Mantung continue on this road?
There is a common
saying that you can maintain power over people as long as you give them
something. But when you rob a man of everything that man will no longer be in
your power. Putting brothers and sisters at loggerhead, separating homes,
destroying families is on the menu in Donga Mantung. It is being consumed in an
overdosed manner which may lead to an explosion of consciences. My father once
told me that “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will
eventually come to believe it. But the day the truth shall explode, it becomes
the mortal enemy of the lie”.
For example in Nkambe,
the SDF and the CPDM do not want to see each others. The hatred has escalidated
into confrontation, divided homes, entered into all the drinking spots and
business places; in fact is a very
dangerous tool in the hands of youths and the speed break to development.
In Nwa, it is the CPDM against the CPDM. The
two elected officials even though from the same political party are like petrol
and fire. In such a situation it is the people and development that suffer to
their dictates. Nwa is enjoying its fair-share.
In Misaje, camps have been developed and have
grown into full scale. The CPDM is in factions and the council has been
fractionalized. Who suffers, it is the people.
The lesson from Ako has always been
meaningful, though from different political parties, Hon Abe Michael and Akio
Augustine, SDF Mayor of Ako won the admiration of the world when they embraced
and warned that anyone who dares will suffer and not development. The promoters
of political hatred we taken aback, some sank into their chairs yet, it came to
past that the entire Donga Mantung Division can learn from that and reconcile
themselves. Ndu and Ako may have their political wrangling but the magnitude is
not that of open bitterness.
(We
might have avoided names but we will spare no efforts to unmask people anytime
there is any attempt by whosoever to disturb the people from reconciling
themselves)
When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)
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