The inhabitants of Umuofia have returned, engaging once more in a futile dispute, having chosen to forsake their rich heritage, ideals, and cultural lineage. The people would consistently favour a rat race approach to dealing with their prevalent societal issues rather than confronting these same obstacles as recurring adversities in their lives. I am uncertain about the issues afflicting the kindred, although I am confident that the intrinsic secular form of civilisation is the underpinning of the disturbing reasoning capacity among the populace in arriving at amicable resolutions anytime they are confronted with conflicting challenges. I have consistently asserted that, at any moment, my thesis posits that greater harm has been inflicted by adopted beliefs and religious faiths to the detriment of our own, which is precious and invaluable.
Personally, I was raised as a proud Catholic with a strong religion that I can proudly proclaim to anyone that passes by. My dear parents provided me with the opportunity to receive a formal education, for which I am grateful. Nonetheless, allowing one's faith in foreign religions to govern what and how to reason in this life in the resolution of glaring pertinent confrontations when formal education is irrelevant is a perceptible incongruity and unconscionable.
This is something I will never mince words about at any chance, and rebuttals will be welcomed without hesitation. More often than not, it forces me to ask for answers to the question of why we even go to school in the first place. Could it be that we enable borrowed beliefs and religions to replace our common reasoning and logic, as if these were what we took from our learning to properly inform ourselves? As eloquent as we might be, you have to ask if we truly care about ourselves.
The conflict started with Tyrone Marhguy up against the Achimota School management unit. The bone of contention then was just because of his dreadlocks, which were tied to his faith leaning to the Rastafarian creed. The judgement by the jury was somewhat characteristic of common sense because we tried to reason for the fact that we operate a liberal and secular state of governance with fundamental human rights shrewdly preached to being extolled, unfortunate though. I have at times quipped, Who are you deceiving, yourselves or me?
At the time, everyone presumably thought the dust was settled with students and their hairstyles in our second-cycle institutions, only to realise today it was burning cow dung. Anyone who follows my writing on the subject matter of dressing and lifestyle knows my stance, and it was unequivocally stated in that last article sharing DNA with this one.
My position then and now is anchored on the unfairness due to aligned creeds, religions, ethnicities or tribes, regional or geographical blocs, language, and heritage, amongst others, in the handling of student victims in these schools. I have since not hidden my rage and would describe it as disgusting. Otherwise, what students wear to school is never a mootable motion in my debates. It is public knowledge that schools pretentiously label some student victims as angels and others dreadfully as 'goats'. This contradicts my belief in pantheism, which values tolerance and respect for all individuals regardless of background or affiliation.
The last article in reference was jittered by murky criticism, which overshadowed the proposition or statement made by the Hon. Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu. He did not mince words on his call to headmasters/mistresses of our secondary schools to outrightly disallow any student from wearing busy hair. To some his statement was at variance and contravenes the legal ruling that bound Tyrone to wear his dreadlocks at Achimota school in his days. No one is more special than the other in the face of the constitution of the republic, but some students' hair was cut down or debunked after the call was made by the minister of state. To some it was their opinion of a clear and flagrant violation of the court rulings and that of individual practices by faiths. Isn't it a boomerang, if I may ask?
Equality before the law eliminates any semblance of unfairness meted out to citizens by higher authorities. I assure you that injustice will continue to fester among us as long as all forms of unfair treatment exist. Why can't we, as people who care about ourselves, stop this from happening?
Wesley Girls Senior High School is back in the news with the contentious or alleged wearing of hijabs on campus by Muslim students and their compulsive observation of religious practices other than those of their faith. The Hon. Education Minister has expressed a strong position on fundamental human rights this time round but not the same for the right to choose a lifestyle with long-grown hair, regardless of religious affiliation, without compromising morality. The Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has expressed a strong opposing viewpoint. This suggests an intriguing plot to follow and awaits the outcome of the court proceedings.
Conflicting foreign faiths in full practice with self-interests are usurping proper reasoning and logic. Despite common sense, the conflict between Christian and Muslim religious practices will remain unresolved in court and among officials. This is common sense that is supposed to be common with all the parties before the courts and officialdom in the corridors of power, but it will be denied the space to bring finality to the loggerhead of Christian and Muslim faith practices. Prioritising faith over common sense leads to negative consequences. It is a boomerang, and it will remain so as long as common sense is not used first. I instinctively anticipate an inconclusive verdict from the courts. We will continue to ask why we are still in school in the first place. If the solution is not evident, we follow the practices of our respective faiths without formal instruction.
Treating this matter as a human rights issue rather than one based on morals would result in another failure. Is it only with pupils in our schools that human rights should be aggressively pushed for, or in all aspects of our human endeavour? What about our marriages and workplaces? Aren't human rights violated? Do you see the hypocrisy we are plagued with? If tolerance and respect for many faiths (pantheism) cannot lead to a satisfying conclusion for all parties, consider watching Tom and Jerry cartoons.
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