After weeks of the Gazarization, (a new word which means, destruction, pulverization, grinding down to dust without let or hindrance, or any shred of human sympathy), of Lebanon, thankfully, peace may yet reign as Israel and Hezbollah finally agreed to a ceasefire a week ago. As people returned to their homes in Southern Lebanon, they greeted each other with a new kind of greeting—-not hello—but—good to see that you made it. “I’m glad to see that you are safe.”
The ordinary people of that country, and the surrounding countries have suffered for over half a century for things that barely concerned them. Their only crime seemed to be that they are neighbors to Israel, a country deeply hated by other neighboring countries, and also, their kindness at harboring Palestinian refugees through years of displacement for which they have paid a heavy price. It is sad, but any relief is good for the hardworking, beautiful people of Lebanon, and Israel likewise. It is hard to find anyone who has anything bad to say about the Lebanese, even though things started to change with the infiltration of religious extremists of Shiite orientation.
It is always religion stupid.
Karl Max called it the opium of the people. From the Communist point of view, you may give the people religion, and go ahead to plunder them. They will hail you, and aid you along in their own plunder. Unfortunately, the replacement for religion by the Communists did not do much to improve the lot of the people.
Could it be safe therefore to come to some kind of conclusion about humanity in any hue—to wit—that man is inherently a wonderment of creation who complains only when he is in the spectrum of the oppressed class, but sets out to unleash the same oppression on others when he gets the chance?
This reasoning may not be far from the truth when we examine the history of mankind through the ages except for a few benevolent rulers who constitute the exceptions.
We will take any kind of peace we get in Lebanon. Let us just hope it will hold for a reasonable amount of time.
As for Gaza itself, it is hard to understand why Hamas is still fighting. October 7th must be a day of infamy that Hamas must by now be regretting, even though again—-writers like me far from the theater of war may want to come up with all kinds of theories about what may look like foolishness in that region of the world. However, we must also try to imagine what it must be like to be stripped of human dignity by an occupying power.
I was a young boy in Benin City in the period of the Civil War in Nigeria. I remember vividly, the day Biafran soldiers entered Benin. We lived in New Benin at the time. They drove in a convoy singing war songs of victory as they drove through the city.
Had we been conquered?
My father had all of us in the car. We were ready to go to school. He stopped suddenly in front of our compound at Sparta Lane.
We watched in consternation, unsure of what the future held. School came to an abrupt end. A few days later, my father drove us to the village, passing through hundreds of checkpoints manned by young, good looking, but harsh Biafran soldiers. We thought the North was the enemy, but the way we were treated in the Midwest in their few months of occupation, including the imposition of an outsider as Military Administrator of the Midwest left a bitter taste in our mouths. In discussing that period of our lives with a dear friend recently, who is Benin, he shared an experience with me about how his father was humiliated by Biafran soldiers during that period. He was in tears even after over 55 years since the incident.
Now, imagine that kind of humiliation being your everyday life as a Lebanese, or a Palestinian under the iron foot of the IDF for 76 years?
One more word may earn one a label of antisemitism in the new world in which we live, and that is the dilemma the average American person faces today, and the land mine every American President must navigate.
Rebels in Syria Take Aleppo.
As Hezbollah is distracted in Lebanon, and Russia in Ukraine, rebel forces in Syria seemed to have found a gap which they have exploited in quick maneuvers to capture over 70 villages including Syria’s second largest city, Aleppo. President Al Assad inherited the throne from his father. The country “belongs” to his family. The Civil War could have been avoided if only he had loosened up a little bit to allow a semblance of participatory democracy like King Hussein of Jordan did for his people. War brings benefits to a few people, but suffering, and pain to a vast majority of the people. Syria, having been bitten by the bug of a Civil War, may not know peace for a long time to come.
In a twist of irony, the wars in the Islamic hemisphere are causing great migration to Europe and changing the political landscape of Europe. The consequences are far reaching as the former liberalism of Europe is now giving way to Right Wing extremism as opposition to Muslim immigration. The Muslims are not helping
matters as they refuse to be assimilated into the culture of their new homeland, but instead, seek to impose their customs on their host countries. A new kind of conflict may thus be taking shape in Europe in the near future.
One Country, Two Presidents.
With the way Trump is carrying on already as President-Elect, a sitting President Joe Biden seems to have faded away completely. Over the weekend, the Prime Minister of Canada was in Maralago to see Trump, virtually, to grovel at an impending 25% Tariff promised by Trump. America is Canada’s only client—literally. A trade war will destroy the Canadian economy. No question.
Canada and the US have the world’s largest trade relationship, trading over $1 trillion between them in 2023. Any disruption will hurt both sides, but destroy Canada irreversibly. They cannot absorb the ensuing pain. One therefore needs not be surprised by the obeisance to Maralago to see the King. We can only wait to see how Trump plans to govern, and how he would handle being undermined in 4 years time when in accordance with the Constitution, a new government must be forming.
The only question is: Will there be an election?
Australia Bans Social Media for Teens under 16.
The Social Media ban imposed on teens under the age of 16 may not have come sooner for grieving families. Bullying is a real problem. For some people, it’s the only language of expression they know. So many young people have fallen victim to online bullying which is even more devastating than school or community bullying as this is international in dimension. Ex-Husbands use it against their ex-wives, just as ex-wives use it against their ex-husbands. Children use it against each other just as boyfriends use it against their former partners. Having been a victim of bullying myself as a kid, I have great sympathy for the new law in Australia. People who bully others online should be made to face not only fines but jail time. The consequences are far too grave to be ignored. One can only hope that the big tech companies will see this not only through the prism of profit, but also as a duty to safeguard society.
Putin Praises Trump.
One could not ignore praise from Putin for Trump last week. He called Trump a very intelligent man who knows how to solve problems. We can only deduce that the man is tired of war. His country was on the verge of great prosperity with the gas pipelines to Europe when he misadvised himself to go to war in Ukraine. He had been promised a quick victory but the war will be three years old on February 24th, 2025. The invasion of Ukraine which was literally the food basket of the world is a major reason for the worldwide inflation being felt everywhere. Ironically, the same inflation fueled by the war in Ukraine has led to the defeat of the Democratic Party in the US.
Notre Dame Comes Alive.
The world watched in horror as Notre Dame, the famed architectural masterpiece in the center of Paris burned in April, 2019. In the ensuing years, people from 150 countries raised $740 million dollars to restore the Cathedral to its former glory, and beyond. The rebuilding of the cathedral speaks to European values in a way that Africans cannot comprehend. According to President Macron, as he inspected the building prior to its opening in the coming days, “You have transformed ashes into art.”
We Africans show very little respect for our institutions, and our history. The Palace of the Oba of Benin ought to be transformed for example into a veritable tourist attraction.
Do we care?
The Slide continues in Nigeria.
Inflation continues to ravage our beloved country. Last Christmas, I bought one live chicken for N23,000. This Christmas, it may go higher than N30,000. By our country’s standards or any standards anywhere on earth, someone like me can be regarded as an elite. The question then arises—-if I am complaining about inflation, what do I expect of someone who earns minimum wage or a Professor who earns a paltry N400,000 a month at bar?
Nigeria has reduced elites like the professor into the class of the struggling poor. However, as a respected online News Platform, Egogonewshub will not just complain but also offer solutions. We have said it over and over again on this platform, and we will continue to say it until our governors hear and the President hears.
We need a Food Czar.
His job description will be to ensure the institutionalization of an Agricultural revolution to ensure that there’s so much abundance within one year. I have a blueprint ready. We can do a pilot project in three months before rolling it out nationwide. Food should not be one of our problems in Nigeria. We are not in a state of drought.
NNPC Magic.
We celebrated what we all thought was good news from the Portharcourt refinery last week, but alas!!! It may not be so after all. Is the refinery working? Is it not working?
We should find out soon.
I conclude this week’s essay with a wish from Moses the liberator of his people as he pleaded with God in Deuteronomy 3:25– “I beg you, let me go over and see the good land that is beyond the Jordan, that goodly mountain region and Lebanon.”
Moses spoke of the Promise, and of Lebanon.
I speak of Nigeria.
It is a goodly land.
May God keep you all until we see next week.
O’meekey Ovienmhada.
