The Federal Republic of Dust and Ashes –1

Posted by admin Latest Politics Sunday, October 5th, 2014

By Dele Shobowale

“Life is brief; a little hope; a little dream and then – good night.”Leon Montanaeken, 1859.

“Ah make the most of what we may yet spend/ Before we too into dust descend/ Dust unto dust…Omar Khayyam.

Dying is a serious business; as much as living – believe me. With it, the Grim Reaper, death, takes us all into the Federal Republic of Dust and Ashes. Incidentally, that republic is the most democratic in creation.

Into it are accepted young and old, rich and poor, male and female, kings and subjects, presidents and paupers, despots and captives, villains and victims. Death conveys us to the Republic in singles or wholesale (a plane crash, a church building collapsing, Ebola, wars and pestilence).

There, Hitler retired with the six million Jews he murdered; Stalin sent over twenty million Soviet citizens and soon followed them, Idi Amin did his bit, ran to Saudi and still ended in the Republic.

Death is inextricably linked with life and fate – which are both games of chance. Some are in for the hundred metre dash – like the babies born, who cry for a few seconds, and then return to the Republic of Dusts and Ashes; all in less time than it takes Usain Bolt to finish the 100 metres dash.

Others, like Methuselah, who we were told lived almost one thousand years (I don’t believe it, I mean who lived as long to verify it?), take almost forever before returning to mankind’s only ancestral home –the Republic. In modern times the oldest on record lived 156 years. That means two lifetimes lived and sixteen of the third life time underway when he too joined the billions now permanently resident in the Republic – from which there is no escape. No return ticket.

Omar Khayyam, Persian poet and philosopher, who died in AD 1123, once said that three things never say “enough”, the earth and rain water, the stomach and food and the grave [Republic].

It does not rain everyday, even in the Rain Forest; and people might not eat everyday, or every minute, or second. In the time it will take you to read this sentence, the Republic would have passed thousands through its own version of Immigrations !! And the parade goes on every second.

Remarkably, people generally come into the world the same way – including those rascals who had to be drawn out with forceps and knives. But, there are thousands of ways of getting out. Some do it, so quickly, they have reached the Republic before they knew what sent them there. In the summer of 1965, while working in the mortuary of Belleview Hospital, New York City, one bloody bag, (ok it was heavily soaked in blood, if that makes you feel better), was brought in.

It contained the remains of a man on whom a 10-ton load being lifted by a crane had fallen. The heavy load and the force of gravity had undone what it took years of feeding to produce. From all appearances, no single cell in his body was left intact. It took the guy all of one second to die. Just about enough time to say Oh! And he had migrated from the United States of America to the Republic. Fortunately, there are no illegal immigrants there. Nobody will deport anyone who gets there.

On the other hand, some see it coming for a long time. Aaron Burr, 1756-1836, who was for a while Vice President to Thomas Jefferson, 1743-1826, knew he was headed for the Republic.

Two days before obtaining his visa for the Republic, he, reportedly, described the situation this way: “It’s like floating on the river, on a barge, getting farther and farther from shore.” In the end, all those whose carcass can be found, because not all are recovered (remember in Nigeria, as in Malaysia we still have not located the ADC plane and its human cargo, coming from Calabar, which ended in the lagoon around Majidun in Lagos State), irrespective of how much hated or deeply loved, still end up as debris to be swept out of sight – and into the Republic.

Friday, October 3, 2014 marked the first year after young Tunji Okusanya, son of Mr Tunji Okusanya, passed away in the fatal crash involving Associated Airlines as they were on their way to dispatch late Dr Olusegun Agagu to the Republic. Little did they know that they were going on the same ferry. Even now, I still find it difficult to believe that fate could be so cruel, and dispassionate, as to take away one of the most beautiful souls I ever came across and at a tender age. He ran the mile, not the Marathon. May his gentle soul rest always in perfect peace….

REMEMBER THE ELDERLY PLEASE

“If you don’t die you are bound to grow old” Uncle Sam.

“And if you are old, remember it is God’s grace”. Dele

October 21, 2014 is the second time we will be celebrating the elderly people often forgotten – until they die. Venue is the United Nations Information Center, Kingsway Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. But we need support, not a lot of money, but some support. So, I am calling on everybody, old and young who can assist us to send their contributions to the account designated:

GTB: 001-216-3187, Mrs Toun Giwa.

Last week when listing the names of those from who we expect support, I forgot to mention the following Babas of the Nation.

In order of seniority as Heads of State and Presidents:

1. Yakubu Gowon, 2. Obasanjo, 3 Alhaji Shehu Shagari, 4, General Buhari, 4, President Ibrahim Babangida, 5, Chief Ernest O Shonekan, 6, General Abubakar, all GCFRs. We will be grateful for your support as we wish you longer lives in the service of Nigeria. You are also invited, Sirs.

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