BY: Manoah Kikekon
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| Manoah Kikekon |
In my series of works, I have tirelessly cried
out on what the term Midodoism has done to our prestigious society howbeit,
little or no attention has been paid to this parasite eating away the virtue
out of our great society. I tell you that the major carrier of this parasite is
the so-called politically inclined individuals, who have succeeded to spread it
to both our religious and ethnic groups in Badagry.
And this I fear will bastardise the future of
Badagry if it is not addressed at the tender stage.
What I see of the coming generation if the parasite
is not nipped from the root; is a divided Badagry both on religion and ethnic
lines, which will do more harm than good. Badagrians are known to be
accommodating people but the harm Midodoism has done to the city is so
pathetic. This is where you see young men hunting their fellow men on the basis
of an unprofitable desire; which was never an attribute of Badagry.
WHAT IS MIDODOISM?
Midodoism as I rightly said in my past works is a
sense of selfishness where some group or individuals feels every good thing should be under their control not minding or considering other people. In
politics, these groups believe it is their right to hold and remain in the elms
of power and affairs for the rest of their life. More so, they are not ready to
allow a common man to enjoy the dividend of their being in such a position. They
reserve all such benefits for their relatives and immediate allies.
READ ALSO: BADAGRY IS DYING OF MIDODOISM
Hendrik Hertzberg, a renowned Journalist, best known
as principal political commentator rightly said "the country is
afflicted with a class of parasites “Career politicians,” who devote their
lives to perpetuating themselves in office by spending the people’s money.”
People infected with the parasite in an ethnic group
are shrewd with the sense of sole right to hold power believing the other
ethnic group is a minority group, insisting or maintaining that the ethnic
group is the custodian of such position or claiming to be the only group that
can function well at a particular office.
In terms of religion, Midodoism is not found
wanting, this is where some groups hide under the umbrella of religion to lay
claim to some vital positions, personalising Badagry to be their property;
pocketing public emolument.
UNITY IN DIVERSITY
I have never seen any difference between Badagrians
either on a religious basis or ethnic grounds, for that is the major step to
tackle the spread of Mododoism. Midodoism as a parasite has resulted in
pitching various groups of people against each other in Badagry, where the same
people become a threat to each other solely for selfish reasons.
If the Holy Book had said “And if a house be
divided against itself, that house can not stand” ( Mark 3:25), what then does
the future of Badagry holds for the unborn generation? I have now saddled
myself with the responsibility to challenge the anomalies that may hinder the
attainment of a better and united Badagry.
READ ALSO: BADAGRY AND MIDODOISM: A WAY FORWARD
If Midodoism has become a major backlash to revamping the glory of Badagry, I think a fellow advocate of development should rally towards the achievement of a better Badagry. This need to garner our wise counsel does not exclude the intellectuals of Badagry, it is very much important if we must end the damage of the parasite, "Midodoism".
The Holy Book said “For by wise counsel thou
shalt make thy war, and in multitude of counsellors there is safety” (Proverbs
24:6). I believe combination of various wise counsels will land us in a safe
zone.
The idea is to re-install the unity and glory of
Badagry and to shun the spread of "Midodoism" and the harbingers of
the dangerous ideologies.
POLITICS IN BADAGRY
In a society where you will see people holding
political offices for not less than eight years and could not raise a structure
in his locality for the benefit of his people, not to talk of making his
community accessible. This confirmed the saying that they had gone there to
represent their pockets.
Feeling guilty about the points highlighted above
will not stop the damages this parasite has caused or will cause in future. But
I'm convinced that the only permanent
solution to Midodoism is to hold the interest of the people in high esteem; if
not over personal interest, then, it should be on the same pedestal, bearing in
mind that the future of my fellow Badagrians is at stake.
The most pathetic of all is that the politicians that are consumed with Midodoism could still have the nerve to justify their incompetency or un-usefulness by deceiving the people, laying claims to some unprofitable projects in other to retain power.
What I see in Badagry today is the display of power
by political gladiators, which does not portray who we are or what we stand for.
What is common with these unscrupulous politicians today is pocket empowerment
and enriching their loyalists, closing their eyes to the cry of the people that
had voted them in.
This work serves to alert the incoming, to make sure
things are done differently to avoid the same result because I believe better
things are ahead.
If we remain a host to this parasite, our position in the state may not change. However, I believe very much in a better Badagry which can only be attainable through the cure to the parasite. Most times, visitors get disappointed in the Badagry they came to see when compared to what the city has been known for. A critical research into the cause of the state of Badagry revealed that Midodoism is the stumbling block between her and her greatness.
I am therefore forced to ask; what shall it profit a man, if he shall be a host of Midodoism, and destroy the future of Badagrians?
Edited by: Anastasia Igwe and Kikelomo Olawepo