§ Dr. Ayotunji Bewaji in response to my December/January Update, sent these inspiring message and I sought his consent to share it because I believe he spoke the minds of many of us who came into life full of dreams and hopes only to find ourselves stranded midway. I believe it is not too late to reinvent those hopes and dreams. The important thing is for all us to believe in the power of possibility. Thanks very much to Dr. Bewaji:
§
Dear Salihu,
Please, accept my congratulations on your success at the Primaries. I know how hard it must have been in an era where ideas and ideals are not much valued in national arena. But that there are some who are able to believe, and dream, and know that there can be better ways of doing things, even in Nigeria, is very encouraging, no matter how far and in between and endangered these persons may be.
By the end of this month I hope to be able to send my widow's mite then. I wish you success in your challenging ambition to make a difference in national life.
Please, keep the flag flying, believing that little positive and good toddler steps in the midst of elephantine monsters gallivanting around with primitive predatory acquisitive intentions can, in the long run, be neutralized and made to retreat. It is a shame that many of my generation of the 70s who participated in the "Ali Must-go" demonstrations are now among the most dangerous kleptomaniacs in Nigerian public life. We mouthed so much inanities about Marxism and Socialism then only to become co-opted into the ranks of oppressors that we fought so hard - even under military regimes - to repudiate.
For the record, it might interest you to know that I served the NYSC in Kaduna State from 1979-1980, specifically in Southern Zaria, at the Advanced Teachers College, Kafanchan. So when you mention Saminaka, I quite easily recognize the area, as I spent time with friends at ABU, Zaria and in Kaduna during those good old days, when it was possible to leave Kaduna at 8 pm going to Kafanchan with no fear of either bad roads or criminals harassing you. Wow! How the mighty have fallen - Nigeria.
God will give you the energy, good health, and mental fortitude to make the difference you dream of.
Aluta continua.
Ire o.
Tunde.
Dr. John Ayotunde (Tunde) Isola BEWAJI, FJIM
Department of Language, Linguistics and Philosophy
University of the West Indies
Mona Campus Kingston 7 Jamaica
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