A FEW GOOD MEN

It is thrilling, it is captivating and certainly, it is full of suspense and all the best descriptions that characterise a good movie. Buddy, the movie, a few good men, is really nice to watch and I guess having done that, your opinion about it would not differ from mine and that of certain friends who have already done that. Great movie, it is.

There are moments when one really is confronted with that exceedingly relevant question of the 21st century of whether there are a few good men (and by implication a few good women) in the world today. Hmmmmmmmmm! Are they? A seemingly simple question in terms of construction and diction, I guess! But hey! In terms of providing an answer, it is really extremely difficult and complex.

It is the land that has been full of bad news despite there are some moments which call for celebration. It is that part of the world that is almost always in the news for the bad reasons. It is that part of human existence that comes to the world’s attention only for extremely negative and dehumanizing tendencies and unthinkable atrocities. It is that part of human habitation whose whole generation of people in certain parts of it may only hear about peace as an abstract and unreachable situation whose home is not in human existence. It is the land where people easily answers the question of whether there are some few good wo(men) in the world in less than a twinkle of an eye. Yes, it is that land. Ironically, it is the land that looks like the vessel of peace, harmony, love and care – woman. Why did it look like that but yet the inhabitants exhibit opposite behaviours? That is what they have been reduced to just because of the actions of a few wo(men).

The African continent is full of one form of extreme challenge or the other that is characterised by massive loss of lives almost at every moment in time. Can’t she partake in the oasis of peace, harmony, love and care that its geographical representation depicts? As I write, folk, the atrocities being meted out to the children, youth, women and men in Somali is still fresh on my mind. One cannot behold the denigration of human dignity through disease, starvation, massacre and death around us. Many, day-in-day-out, are losing their lives just because of a greedy bastard out there who wants to hold on to power, that power which in its true meaning derives its authority and strength from the masses (people who are been killed) just because he or she believes that he or she is the repository of wisdom and must rule. What an unforgivable mistake! Sometimes, it baffles me when I thought they are also beings called human. How on earth can a human being preside over the killing of his or her fellow human being for no other reason than just because of greediness of heart?

Some few days ago, the good people of Zambia were put to the test, that test that had led to the oozing of immeasurable litres of human blood in some parts of this land. They have to go to the polls to elect their leader. Crucial as it is expected to be courtesy the fact that it is being held in an African country and also the fact that the incumbent president is in the race after several years of being in power, many not excluding my good self nearly experienced astronomical rise in our adrenaline level just because we are afraid of another dozens, hundreds and thousands of God’s own-imagined beings losing their lives again. Then, the day came. Despite some few skirmishes reported, it started and continued, generally, well.

Then it was on air that some fighting broke out at certain parts of the country. “Oh! My God, so it has happened again?” was the question on some lips. The greatest moment came when the incumbent president, Rupiah Banda, who was again hoping to be maintained in power, delivered his conceding speech. Yes, he ‘wilfully’ (because his attitude seems not to be the norm) admits to relinquish power to the president-elect, Michael Sata. At the end of his conceding speech in which he stated that “the people of Zambia have spoken and we must all listen”, the BBC reported that he (the incumbent president) cried. At this point, I felt to cry and had droplets of tears formed on my eyes which are tears of joy. Buddy, there are still a few good men.

Folk, it is all not lost yet. There is much to preserve and live for. Let us continue to make it great in life because we can and we must. Do not forget, your thought today can make the world better tomorrow. Think about it.