The ascension of His Royal Highness, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi to the throne of Ile-Ife tends to incite the opening of several pages of Yoruba history that may be better glossed over. “Pages” in the context of what is largely only remembered, not really written, does in itself cast serious doubt on the facts of the narrative. It cannot, all the same, be argued that some of the highlights of what has been cherished by the people for decades as the basis of their heritage do not bear any semblance to their status as a distinct unit of homo sapiens with their own languages, culture and traditions. On the contrary, the pattern of a cultural development that identifies a people is more harmoniously blended among the Yoruba than in many other communities in the world. (That is written as a Yoruba man, whose mother was from the royal Edo family of Osula.…no apologies)

I have always wanted to write on forgiveness since this column started, but never did. The opportunity came when I was chosen as the guest speaker at this year’s “A Day with the Archbishop” to mark the St. Valentine Day in the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos. The topic: The Importance of Mercy in a World Searching for Love. Since forgiveness is a major component of mercy, I spent time reflecting on it. It then occurred to me why I have been unable to write on it. Writing on forgiveness is just as difficult as forgiving unless you are a hypocrite.

You’ve got to love the social media, especially if you are no longer in your ‘active’ years and the phenomenon has grown on you as opposed to the other way round. The amount of creative work out there is simply amazing. A Nigerian friend who lives in the US said to me: “Nigerians are either very creative or very idle”. To which I added “or both”. According to him, most of the stuff he gets are from his Nigerian contacts. We seem to be able to reduce every situation we find ourselves in to words and graphics and in a language that is simple but profound; hilarious but serious. I received one of such messages last week that I wish to share because it describes the situation we find ourselves in very aptly. Here goes….

I am constrained to write you again so soon . Our sick economy ought to be receiving intensive care management. But it is at home receiving the sort of attention that street corner patent medicine dealers are noted for , and pity from passersby . Even founders of Jonathan’s TAN have passed by , mocking our helplessness , touting their Ojuelegba ‘staphylococcal’ ideas . It is true that some of those weeping, cursing and feeling bereaved, raped and bled this economy. Others have lent their sympathy to the rapists. They will spit curses at anyone who doesn’t share the folly that the rapists are saints or that we are all too evil to condemn anyone. Be that as it may, we elected you to clean up their confusion and the filth.

It was a dark day last Monday for the entire Vincentian community of the Catholic Church as they were thrown into mourning as six philosophy seminarians of the congregation died in a motor accident with eleven others sustaining various degree of injuries. The Vincentian philosophy students were travelling from Ikot-Ekpene, Akwa-Ibom State to attend a compulsory human development programme scheduled at Enugu. But unfortunately, this could not be as one of the two 16-seater buses conveying them had a burst tyre at Otu-Ozara just a few kilometers away to their destination.