Arts and Life
W. S Vs J.U . The Thin Line Of Difference?
By Jarlath Uche Opara
Life has no blueprint or framework that produces results with the precision that is error proof. Nothing about life has such, there are however , strings of probable degree of error in anything in life , even in the word “perfect” is the letter “F” which could mean failing, fake, fault, frailties, felon etc.
W.
His words are law, his expressions, a fragrance of amazing smell and his coinages hedged with the licence of a poet, nothing questions them.
For years he has been painted with the above image by friends, love ones, admirers etc who unconsciously built a personality cult around him.
Sadly, that image is gradually being whittled in a whirlwind manner. I know some will still argue it and stick out their neck to defend how sacred and revered he still is .
However, the truth is W.S of 30years ago is today a shadow of his former image in the eyes of many. He grew and remained in the minds of Nigerians as a patriot for years, whose stock in trade was speaking truth to Power, fearless and emboldened.
Today, his real back end is seen and the stench and oozes from it very repulsive.
This is the image of W.S in the minds of many Nigerians. He suddenly lost his voice in the midst of this cry of pain and misery of the people. That is W.S now.
Then J. U, my uncle who passed four years ago at the ripe age of 96. A better version of W.S both in words coinage and classic
He was sane and vibrant till the end, without an obvious display of mental dysfunctioning unlike the former. Deep in knowledge, verse with English words and a czar in classic
When he lost his sight, to keep his mind very active he would call anyone around to read books for. In one of those moments to stimulate his brain, he called me to bring a dictionary.
He would mention a word and gives its meaning and would ask me to look it up. The exact description he gave would be what would be in the dictionary. It was from him I first heard words like burlesque, grotesque, gerrymandering, pastiche and many more.
Guess you like the sound of these words. J. U had them at his finger tips even in his old age.
He spoke the truth no matter whose ox is gored. Unlike the former, he had no two tongues or a tongue twisted because of greed or what he stood to gain. Until he breathed his last he stood on the path of fairness, justice and equity. One measure for all, no preferential treatment on halo effect syndrome, another word I got from him.
By all indication the personality of J.U, his carriage, his creative intelligence and the values that honed his life stood him far above W.S. who vacillates, panders on issues and have many measures for measuring same situation biasely.
“All the people that protested against bad governance in 2012 and can’t speak up today are hypocrites. is Nigeria better today, where are the pastors and professors that condemned Jonathan in 2012 ( Oseni 28/7/24) I add to the voice of Oseni, where is S.W? Why have he suddenly lost his words? What happened to that craft of creative coinage of words to describe bad governance and leaders?
Why is his voice gone mute? Like someone with a gun on his head not to say pim?
My heart bleeds for him. With tears on my eyes, with a nostalgic feeling I remember those years of activism that so much endeared him to the masses. What happened? His ear bad he couldn’t hear the cry of injustice and frustration from the hapless masses? Has his eyes blured he couldn’t see the hunger in the land?
Just as Oseni said , where are the pastors and Professors that condemned Jonathan in 2012? Have they swallowed the voice sniffling pill from the baron himself?
At the twilight of his life, he seemed influenced to lower his standards, may be for some grains.
One wonders what would be the epitaph on his grave when eternity calls. For J.U , his epitaph reads. Here lies a man of honour, integrity and nobility. He remained J.U until he passed without denting his image for frivolities.
S.W. your curtain isn’t drawn yet. You still have chance to warm yourself into the hearts of millions of Nigerians, who couldn’t recognise the SW of 2012 and SW now.
Ta bu gbuo! Thursday on a platter, we give to anyone. Accept it with patriotism or allow posterity to judge you S.W, the best way it can.
My dear S. W please don’t be that Ant called “Egu” holding unto a tree strongly at a young age only to lose grip of it in old age, either to be trampled upon by human legs or picked for a delicacy
Jarlath Uche Opara Jarlathuche@gmail.com