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| Blindness to Irony |
I was thinking this morning ..... on my way back from work during the week, I turned on the radio and heard the news of how two men pretending to be blind beggars were arrested by security agents at Imo State University. While I was wondering why anyone will pretend to be blind when thousands of blind men and women are beseeching heaven for a miracle, I recalled a recent article by Pius Adesanmi titled 'APC: The Obstinate Journey to Shame via London.
In that piece, he had said 'If blindness to irony stopped within the ranks of APC's leadership, if it was limited to Governors, Senators, Reps, and other political figures within her ranks, I wouldn't be so worried. It would be their funeral. My worry lies in how the leadership of APC has democratized blindness to irony, especially among their followers so effectively. If irony hits you like a Dangote truck and you are unable to recognize it as a citizen, you wear that condition of ignorance like a badge of honour.'
When I read that sentence about democratization of blindness to irony, there was celebration in my cerebral hemisphere, with the immediate effect of throwing me into deep thought. 'Am I blind to irony? I asked introspectively. I thought it was only PDP that had confirmed symptoms of 'blindness to irony?' Think about it, how come our political leaders cannot uphold the true tenets of democracy, but can effectively democratize blindness to irony? We must be under a spell!
But how is this so? You do not drink alcohol nor subscribe to your friends drinking, yet you took up a job with Nigerian Breweries Limited. It is an irony. If you do not see anything wrong with your position, then you are suffering from 'blindness to irony,' but if by virtue of your position as a manager, you have influenced everyone around you to be so inclined, then you have democratized blindness to irony. Hmm!!!
You might be saying 'wetin concern Ogoni man with NEPA light?' Just be patient with me. You say you are watching your weight and decided to eat veggies in the morning, take fresh juice in the afternoon and in the evening, the heap of pounded yam and egusi soup you demolish will be a challenge for 4 regular men to handle. It is an irony. I have no problem if you are hiding to do this, but if you do this openly then you are blind to irony. It's okay if it ends there, but if you have managed to convince your spouse and children to engage in this deception, then you have democratized blindness to irony.
Interestingly, blindness to irony did not start today because Matthew 23:16 says 'woe to you, blind guides, who says, 'if anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' To me, it doesn't matter if you are pretending to be blind or you are actually blind to irony, there is nothing honourable about being blind, except of course you are blind to sin.
Happy Sunday.
......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey.