TATATACRACY: THE SNAKE, THE FARMER , THE HERON AND LESSONS FOR THE REST OF US

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A story is often told of a snake that was chased by hunter. The animal asked a farmer to save its life. To hide it from its pursuers, the farmer squatted and let the snake crawl into its belly. But when the danger had passed and the farmer asked the snake to come out, the snake refused. It was warm and safe inside. 

On his way home, the farmer saw a Heron and went up to him to whisper what had happened. The Heron told him to squat and strain to eject the snake. When the snake stuck its head out, the heron caught it, pulled it out and killed it. 

The farmer was worried that the snake's poison might still be inside him, and the Heron told him that the cure for snake poison was to cook and eat six white fowl. 

"You're a white fowl," said the farmer. "You'll do for a start." He grabbed the heron, put it in a bag and carried it home where he hung it up while he told his wife what had happened. 

"I'm surprised at you" said the wife. 

"The bird does you a kindness, rids you of the evil in your belly, saves your life in fact, yet you catch it and talk of killing it". She immediately released the heron, and it flew away. But on its way, it gouged out her eyes.

The story above does not prove to discredit the sanctity of trust but it is an eye opener. The truth of the matter is, not everyone or everything should be trusted at first glance and/or action.

In my undergraduate years in the University, a good jolly lecturer of mine and pioneer Head of Department of Political Science in Kogi State University, Anyigba, Mallam Ibrahim Otuking, good at storytelling, was fond of telling us a Chinese proverb of how dangerous it is to ride on the back of a tiger. 

In one of our classes (or several I should say?), while explaining the dialemma of American forces in Iraq having succeeded in removing Saddam Hussein and his Baath party from power, found themselves between the deep blue sea and the devil. 

The sectarian violence that trailed (and continue to trail till date) the forceful eviction and eventual killing of Saddam makes it impossible for peaceful post-Saddam's Iraq to be achieve. 

American troops cannot pull out of the country without ensuring that stability, law and order are fully restored. It would have amounted to betrayal on the part of Americans and too shameful for them to live with as superpower leaving behind a destabilized Iraq that would be harmful to both Iraqis and more importantly, American interest in the Middle East. Then, on daily basis hundreds of American soldiers and civilians are being killed inside the country. George Bush Jr. policy in Iraq became exact opposite of the original intention. Therefore, to Mallam Otuking, the White House and Pentagon rode on the tiger's back and found it extremely impossible to dismount.

The two scenarios above earnestly describe the situation those who supported the disaster and charade in the Confluence State exactly found themselves today. 

We saw it coming and did all within rationality to stop it but never, gun became mightier than the pen! Some called us all sorts of appellations and descriptions. Today, what happen? 

The proverbial hen has indeed come home to roost. Events and circumstances trailing the relationship of their "Excellencies" in Lugard House and their lackeys if at all gists making round are really true, the farmer, the heron and the farmer's wife all have their wounds to nurse. 

For some of us, it is a deserving comeuppance for the 4+4ists against the will of majority of the people.

When you cruise on the back of a tiger like Americans in Iraq, we understand quite well that it sooner than later becomes discomforting to remain there forever. Nonetheless, don't be in a haste to dismount from it because you may end up in the belly of the tiger. That is the tragedy of supporting evil when it rears its head.
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-Usman Solomon Ayegba (USA)

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