A PLEA FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION AS NIGERIA GOES BREAKING
By Taiye Olaniyi
Socrates: ” Until philosophers are kings, or the kings and princes of this world have the spirit and power of true philosophy, and political greatness and wisdom meet in one, and those common natures who pursuee either to the exclusion of the other are compelled to stand aside, cities will never have rest from their evils, ….no, not the human race, I believe and then will this ideal State have a possibility of life and behold the light of day”.
Patriotism and nationalism are daily facing the trend of attrition and incineration in Nigeria.
Just as concepts that could help bring about an ideal state are caving into what average Nigerians fear as the brink of once sovereignty, so also the fear that those in positions of rulership and leadership feel unperturbed about the genocides looming round the corners and crannies of the entire geographic space called Nigeria.
Why is Nigeria in conflicts and conflagration especially now that we all are wriggling and ringing the bell of what ordinarily is globally termed, “the government of the people, by the people and for the people”, democracy as the process of government, governance, and the governed are usually referred to.
Democracy ordinarily should be patterned after the three main parts of being such as (1) the Head which is the seat of thinking thoughts, the intelligence, and wisdom.
(2) the Chest- the nerve center, the central point that co-ordinates all laws and their devolutions to the parts that make the whole.
It is the legislative arm of being and the house that assemble the assemblages of the assembly (3) the Abdomen-Bowel wherein permeates all attributes of action both noble and/ or ignoble bordering on selflessness to gamut of selfishness.
From being communal, societal, national, global, and humanistic to degenerating to being individualistic, tribal, racial, and of outward religious dispositions, appetites without attributes of the spiritual kernel.
To resolve the conflicts thereof, it becomes incumbent that the ruler(s)must first adopt and adapt to the altruistic process of personal conflicts resolution through embarking on soul jihad, the holy war that throws one into ” the fire of spiritual passion” so that one’s life truly gets refined.
By so doing, selfishness and individualism get atrophied, tribal, ethnic, racial, and religious inclinations anchored on superiority/ inferiority complexes give way to Fatherhood of God and brotherhood of man.
Therefore , from the pedestrian nature of being merely in a position of authority, one haven been now thrown into the fire of spiritual passion ascends from the bowel of being to the chest area of existence.
At that “Chest ” level of being, uttermost now to an average ruler and the prince is the desire to aspire and perspire and thus be raised into the consciousness of the Divine laws as encapsulated in the spiritual and natural laws for the attainment of good health, harmony, kindliness, and peace to and for all and sundry.
In this realm of the chest of being, the true and one and only God now starts inspiring one to obedience, harmony, and compliance with His laws as dictated by the guidance of “Conscience” which shall remain “The Eye of God in the heart of man”.
This ” All-Seeing -Eye” shall continue to direct and inspire the ruler or prince in a myriad of actions and/ or inactions to be taken in times, tides, tests, trials, and tribulations as they come for one’s just judgment.
With this second and advanced step in the resolution of the conflict, from the lowest stratum of the abdomen- bowel of being wherein the initial holy war took place, with the ascension to the chest level wherein the laws of God, the spiritual and natural laws now daily guide as the “Conscience” of being, the ruler, the prince now advance into the highest realm of initiation, the chamber of wisdom and thus is crowned the”Philosopher King”.
This time around he is more known and renowned as a “Lover of Wisdom” who though may wear the crown of uneasiness on his head but yet is respected and can take the mantle of rulership and leadership.
Whether or not in State’s affairs, in religion, tradition, and custom, he becomes an all-rounder, discipline, and disciplinarian in interdisciplinary nature associated with true governance by the government of the governed.
He is now a “Philosopher King”, a man of wisdom that sees unity in diversity and applauds humanity in every human being no matter from where, how, when, who, and whatever one is.
The prayer now is, let those in the position of authority please resolve to resolve personal and collective conflicts by seeking the wisdom of God which surpasses all human understanding.
On this note, I humbly submit God Bless Nigeria.
* Taiye Olaniyi Is a Lagos-based Public Commentator*
