GREED, NOT RELIGION TO BLAME FOR WORLD’S CONFLICTS Across the World from my native Nigeria, the fear of boko haram is palpable especially in the north-east states and some parts of northern Nigeria. By the coast of Somalia, the lands of Bangui in Central African Republic, cadavers are strewn everywhere. The morgues overflow with the bodies of our young African fathers, sons, daughters and innocent children…In the pole north of our nubile continent where the revolutions and the voice of the people rose highest…Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and the contagious infestation and spill over into the Far east Syria, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon. Kiev, Ukraine and Sochi, Russia where the Olympic spirit of friendship is supposed to flourish at the winter games is threatened. The World burns, it mourns…its barf of dead bodies, martyrs and war criminals, heroes and villains are gut wrenching and nauseating. How much more can we take? How much more can we bury the ideas of innocents and leave much part of the World in poverty and war, in debt and impoverished and claim to fear God? Often termed the opium of the people, Religion has been wrongly accused, crucified and used at the behest of the West cum educated blind who may have chosen to exploit and recolonize other countries and in some cases their own. This write-up aims not to fester hatred but it’s a blunt x-ray of our pitiable World and how greed has wrought pain on human existence. I am a disciple of liberation and I affirm to the right of every individual to religion of their choice be it Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, etc. to mention a few. This is rooted in the firm belief that Religion teaches us to love one another. The foundations of the separate faces of religion are hinged on historical spread and education of locals who made their choices. Religion also teaches us not to be killers but proponents of peace. One of the Christian commandments did urge us not to covet our neighbour’s goods… It’s obvious that some folks don’t learn from history. The World wars fought, the reign of despots in the past and present, the use of nuclear, biological and chemical innovation in warfare…the gruel some stage managing and deaths of late Gen. Muhmar Gadhafi and President Saddam Hussein, not forgetting Prime Minister Yasser Arafat of the Palestinian liberation organization of blessed memory whose death is throwing more questions than answers years after his demise. The West has continued to remain domineering and bullish in the spread of its propaganda despite her plethora of good intentions and noble act of preserving the World order and peace. Greed and power mongering as we all know has led to the fall of Empires…the Roman, the French, the Egyptian as well as some kingdoms in the past as we welcomed revolutions and ran to the arms of democracy whose comfort we sought. It is a fact that being free and enjoying the privilege of our rights being respected is luxury and better than any gold accumulated. If in doubt, ask anyone with a blue Uncle Sam passport. Being a citizen is gratuitous, and many people have fulfilled their dreams in God’s own country-the United States of America whose practice of federalism and state autonomy is still the discourse of many scholars who learn the gospel of democracy. History is a fine teacher who also taught us that colonies and counties existed before civilization came. With civilization, came forms of governance…democracy, communism, colonialism and others with mention made boldly for obvious reasons because they hold sway in our World of today. The gospel of democracy has travelled far and wide and has liberated some nations and much as I respect its contribution to prosperity of Nations. It is noteworthy that many nations especially those united among ethnic multi-cultural societies are grappling with it like my country and the Asians who are still confused by its dynamics. Their confusion stems from that ‘suspecting opening…’ of laissez-fraire (free market) economy which democracy teaches. The World powers G-8 comprising The US, Russia, United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, France, Italy, Germany and their allies have usurped world peace in place of coins and in the interests of their purses. This is because, having gotten their acclaimed power from advancement of technology, military strength, great industrialization and production have chosen to compete unfavourably in the global market. By threats, spying, espionage, bans and limitations to emerging Countries to develop where they have a competitive advantage; they have sown seeds of discord that are germinating to hate which has culminated in reprisals as seen on a vast scale in the world stage-this was the birth of terrorism! Oil, energy and arms are sold are sold with muscle-arm tactics albeit openly and with transparency. Regulatory bodies like OPEC and the great world unions like EU, UN, OAU, Arab League and their regional groups have failed in their bid to remain impartial as they have bowed to the whims of the West, another bastard born-corruption! The success of the economies of the BRIC nations, the emergence of a strong, stubborn and communist China as a strong player in World politics and economy as well as the entrance of the Koreans, the Iranians, the MINT nations and other nations who want to prosper and free themselves from the chains of re-colonialism to make their mark in the global village. It is their right! If these tensions are calmed and some interests shelved by some of the Western Powers, the World could be a safer place to live in else we might go back to the stone age and ban some useful technology rather than be spied upon. Transparency and friendlier foreign policies would do the World some good. Religion and Politics are two parallel lines and not siblings. Now more than ever, there should be economic concessions to debt and poor nations, admissions of wrongdoings in past and present, apologies to victimized nations and unifying. Imagine, if half the billions and trillions of dollars spent on arms innovation, proliferation and sales are spent on infrastructure, grants, eradication of diseases and other peaceful pursuits. Imagine if Israel is recognized and Palestine granted her independence…wouldn’t peace reign in the Middle East? If Iran were to develop nuclear technology monitored obviously for energy purposes, I f Nigeria was to have 24 hours supply of power, If our sit-tight African leaders can serve their people and take a rest from clinging to power and all its affluence, how fast the continent would grow. It is in our hands, the future I once heard of as a kid is here…but greed and not religion has done us a great evil. I applaud the role of the west but they too must allow others grow and not force all their inclinations on the world. The world stood still in December to pay their respects to the late Nelson Rolihala Mandela because he personified all the attributes of a great leader. In forgiving, he brought peace and unified South Africa. In not clinging to power, he taught all that service to the people is of the greater good. As we pray in our religious languages and ways, lets pray for visionary leaders who would serve the world and leave it a better place and individually may we cultivate the tenets of compassion, trust, forgiveness, entrepreurship and as we strive to be ambassadors of our Nations.
Posted on: Sun, 26 Jan 2014 13:22:46 +0000
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