Long time ago when I was young, I used to go very far; at times, beyond the boundary of my own town, for hunting different sorts of animals and plucking a lot of juicy fruits. Any time I left home, I would go farther than I went last. I passed through countless villages where each village is culturally different from the other.
One fateful day, I passed through dozens of villages until I arrived at one village where the characteristics of its people were quite astounding. With my bow and quiver of arrows hung on my back, a faded wool-woven side bag cross-hung on my shoulder, my tattered-looking clothes of hunters and rubber boots, my sword and tiger-looking dog, I saw a man yawning; he, without any iota of doubt, seemed famished and thirsty.
When I asked him about the village I was about to step my legs into, he said that the village was first and only one of its kind in the whole Mafar kingdom. He told me of the king, his subjects and the villagers and the ruling of the village. I heard from him how the people were spiritually tested with serious love of the king that they hardly find fault in how he ruled them much less of having the gut to dare his rulership rather than leadership. I heard of a people who smiled while suffering, people whom were slapped but pretended to feel no pain, people who went slim but wore thousand clothes to show the world that they were fat, people whom despite flooding of sweat from head to toe, claimed to be rainfall of the summer and the winter. They loved him beyond the borders.
The man told me that he was cast out of the village because he dared not even the king, but one of his dwarf, dull-looking and seemingly deaf and dysfunctional subjects. I asked if I could be allowed, as a stranger, to pass through the village, but he told me that the well-trained, strong and fat dogs of the king would arrest me as a spy and charge me of espionage. Despite his invidious revelation, I mustered courage to not only pass through the village but to fundamentally approach the palace.
Having passed through den of lions and lionesses, tigers and tigresses, having crossed caves of pythons, valleys of different sorts of snakes etc., as a hunter, how would I then be scared to face the king who was also human like me?
Though I faced terrible threats from the king's agents on my way, I however, told them that I was a messenger to the king. That was what cleared the way for me. Upon arriving at the palace, I realized the kind of opulence and luxury of the king's life. I told him that I was sent by the illustrious king of Dakusawa, a neighbouring village that situated at the eastern Sahara region. My message went: "Long live the king of this village. Your Majesty, I was sent by my humble king of Dakusawa. However, the message is ordered to be delivered orally. My king is advising you to have a rethink on how you lead your people; you should know that a leader shows and leads the way, he fulfills promises, should be more concerned about the welfare of the people than his subjects. That you need to know pride goes before a fall. Rejig your subjects who mislead and misguide you. Be humble and go out yourself to see how your lovers on the streets are severely hungry, thirsty and fatigued. Change your style, your system and get yourself out of rulership to leadership; be rational and responsible. A leader is a representative of God on earth".
The king was speechless and I went out to the man whom I met on the borders of the village. These were the words I delivered to him: " The struggles of the slaves led to the abolition of slavery. The struggles of the serfs against feudalism led to the the French and American liberal revolutions. The struggles of workers over the years has given workers the right to associate, to organize even to go on strike. The struggle of the colonial people gave rise to the new independent states and dismantling of the colonial system. The struggle of women is gradually opening new opportunities for them just as the struggle of progressive peoples of the world has led to the recognition of specific rights of children. So, the sacrifice you made of telling truth to the king is far better than the love of his thousands of lovers and supporters". I added: "Go back to your house, don't be afraid, there is nothing to fear like fear. Some of us must sacrifice before millions would be saved. The continues struggle of Mafar villagers would eventually change the style of the king or overthrow his so-called Dangi Dynasty."
©Abdul Mutallib Muktar
5th Jan., 2018.
One fateful day, I passed through dozens of villages until I arrived at one village where the characteristics of its people were quite astounding. With my bow and quiver of arrows hung on my back, a faded wool-woven side bag cross-hung on my shoulder, my tattered-looking clothes of hunters and rubber boots, my sword and tiger-looking dog, I saw a man yawning; he, without any iota of doubt, seemed famished and thirsty.
When I asked him about the village I was about to step my legs into, he said that the village was first and only one of its kind in the whole Mafar kingdom. He told me of the king, his subjects and the villagers and the ruling of the village. I heard from him how the people were spiritually tested with serious love of the king that they hardly find fault in how he ruled them much less of having the gut to dare his rulership rather than leadership. I heard of a people who smiled while suffering, people whom were slapped but pretended to feel no pain, people who went slim but wore thousand clothes to show the world that they were fat, people whom despite flooding of sweat from head to toe, claimed to be rainfall of the summer and the winter. They loved him beyond the borders.
The man told me that he was cast out of the village because he dared not even the king, but one of his dwarf, dull-looking and seemingly deaf and dysfunctional subjects. I asked if I could be allowed, as a stranger, to pass through the village, but he told me that the well-trained, strong and fat dogs of the king would arrest me as a spy and charge me of espionage. Despite his invidious revelation, I mustered courage to not only pass through the village but to fundamentally approach the palace.
Having passed through den of lions and lionesses, tigers and tigresses, having crossed caves of pythons, valleys of different sorts of snakes etc., as a hunter, how would I then be scared to face the king who was also human like me?
Though I faced terrible threats from the king's agents on my way, I however, told them that I was a messenger to the king. That was what cleared the way for me. Upon arriving at the palace, I realized the kind of opulence and luxury of the king's life. I told him that I was sent by the illustrious king of Dakusawa, a neighbouring village that situated at the eastern Sahara region. My message went: "Long live the king of this village. Your Majesty, I was sent by my humble king of Dakusawa. However, the message is ordered to be delivered orally. My king is advising you to have a rethink on how you lead your people; you should know that a leader shows and leads the way, he fulfills promises, should be more concerned about the welfare of the people than his subjects. That you need to know pride goes before a fall. Rejig your subjects who mislead and misguide you. Be humble and go out yourself to see how your lovers on the streets are severely hungry, thirsty and fatigued. Change your style, your system and get yourself out of rulership to leadership; be rational and responsible. A leader is a representative of God on earth".
The king was speechless and I went out to the man whom I met on the borders of the village. These were the words I delivered to him: " The struggles of the slaves led to the abolition of slavery. The struggles of the serfs against feudalism led to the the French and American liberal revolutions. The struggles of workers over the years has given workers the right to associate, to organize even to go on strike. The struggle of the colonial people gave rise to the new independent states and dismantling of the colonial system. The struggle of women is gradually opening new opportunities for them just as the struggle of progressive peoples of the world has led to the recognition of specific rights of children. So, the sacrifice you made of telling truth to the king is far better than the love of his thousands of lovers and supporters". I added: "Go back to your house, don't be afraid, there is nothing to fear like fear. Some of us must sacrifice before millions would be saved. The continues struggle of Mafar villagers would eventually change the style of the king or overthrow his so-called Dangi Dynasty."
©Abdul Mutallib Muktar
5th Jan., 2018.
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