THE SOLILOQUIES OF THE ELDERSTATESMAN:
By Ojealaro Friday
PROLOGUE
"Leave my business and mind your own" is now the new mantra from supporters of APC to supporters of PDP whenever the latter try to X-ray and critique the conduct of APC and their leaders who have just won the main elections to form the next government in Nigeria.
I have no problem with the general usage of this admonishment. What I have problem with is the users and the context of usage. The APCItes have forgotten so soon that hitherto, they talk more of PDP and their leaders than they eve talked of their APC. President Jonathan is the President of Nigeria and PDP is in charge of Nigeria public offices are some of the premises they advanced for their interest in PDP affairs. What changed? Have the premises been recently altered? Well,I think I better tell ourselves the following story and perhaps,the lessons therefrom can help solve the dilemma.
THE STORY
THE LIZARD,THE TORTOISE AND THEIR CRIMINAL SHOW OF WITS..
Once upon a time,the tortoise decided to take a big bag of salt to his in-laws ( wife's parents) who live about a kilometer away from him. Because he is of small stature,he decided to tie a three meter rope round the bag of salt and started dragging it to his In-laws' house. He had not gone half the journey when he discovered that the weight of the bag has increased and he could not move it further. When he looked behind him,whom do you think he saw sitting happily on the bag of salt? It was the Agama Lizard. The Lizard is shouting for all the world to hear that his benevolent ancestors have given him the good fortune of stumbling on an ownerless bag of salt. The tortoise could not believe his ears and he calmly tried to explain to the Lizard that the salt is his and meant for his wife's family. But the dubious Lizard would have none of that honest explanation. They took the dispute to the elders council for resolution. The Lizard who prides himself as a local lawyer argued that,any item that is three meter away from anybody is ownerless and any finder of such item automatically becomes the owner. He asked them to measure the rope the tortoise claimed he used in transporting the salt and it was discovered to be about three meter away from the main body of the tortoise. The elders gave verdict in favour of the Lizard and he was declared the owner of the bag of salt to the grief and annoyance of the tortoise. He held his peace and decided to pay back the Lizard for his criminality. It is important to point out here that the agama lizard used to have a beautiful long tail about 4 meter long which is his pride.
RETALIATION:
Four weeks later,the Lizard who has almost forgotten about the tortoise and their encounter decided to take a new wife. He was going to his prospective In-Laws place( about a kilometer away) when he felt something on his beautiful long tail. You can imagine his surprise when he saw the tortoise sitting on his tail with gleeful contentment. " Hi Old friend Tortoise,what do you think you are doing on my tail" he remonstrated.
" I don't know what you are talking about my dear friend Mr.Lizard. Can't you see I just found this beautiful tail lying ownerless on the ground" the Tortoise retorted.
"If you are joking,please stop it. Can't you see that my tail belongs to me and not ownerless" The Lizard reasoned.
The arguments continued from both sides until they brought the dispute to the same Elders of four weeks earlier. They tabled their dispute and the tortoise employed the precedent argument of the Lizard. The elders measured the tail of the lizard and discovered it is about 4 meters away from his main body. They gave verdict in favour of the tortoise on the principle that he found an ownerless item that was 3 meter away from anybody. The Lizard sensing what is about to happen begged the tortoise and even promised to give him 7 bags of salt. The tortoise refused and insisted on enforcement of the verdict. A machete was brought and about 3 meters of the Lizard's tail severed and given to the tortoise who having nothing to do with it gave it to his friend the vulture for dinner. This story explains why today,the agama Lizard's tail is shorter than it used to be.
EPILOGUE/LESSONS:
" Asa lare gbi Odion,alore gbi ovbokhan"
Interpreted it means" the cane used in flogging the senior will also be used in flogging the junior.
But that is not the only lesson in the story. I will clap for the persons who help in bringing out more lessons in this story.
Time for Lunch jare.
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