With the coterie of persons crisscrossing the length and breadth of our state seeking the peoples’ mandate to lead them come 2019, my suggested net determinant on whom should be crowned to lead this state out of this present death grip is a man or woman full of human kindness; a man of true humility and not politically contrived humility that presently abound.
That people think delegates and voters like you and me idiots and empty-headed is bad enough. Imagine your uncle, friend, next door neighbor, that business guru, famed industrialist, man and woman of ‘god’, and all sorts who hardly acknowledge your common greetings, whose mighty gates are always closed to you, his security men and security dogs always at alert all year round, whose chains of luxury cars and convoys does nothing but to splash you with flood water, mud and dust across the seasons; so annoying especially the nincompoop whose father was trained with community money or the other misfit who couldn’t pass WAEC with his mates and ended up a ‘yahoo boy’, who now turn round all because of their selfish political ambition to tell us they are humble. Humble my feet.
Their act of humility like their smile does not cross the lips. They suddenly turn up in churches looking like the ‘lamb’ of God, arms crossed, heads bent double, walking like snails to receive the holy communion! They now open their all-mighty gates to all and sundry even when they are not at home. They endlessly wave to villagers on their way home from the airport. Sponsoring ama-ala meetings are now their forte. Some even go to the foolhardy levels of dumping their SUVs for Keke and Okada rides. Suddenly they have discovered that there are old shriveled widows in their vicinity and so must extend Easter and Christmas cups of rice to them. The worst that really gets my stomach churning are those who play god and with God! Starting and ending every discussion with ‘God bless you or remain blessed’, whilst squeezing the people’s blessings with both arms all in the name of HUMILITY.
But how will these good-for-nothing folks know that humility cannot be contrived? Their false humility is simply to draw attention to themselves. Exactly what a writer described as ‘pride undercover!’ How can these unreachable and un-teachable know that we know who they truly are?’
True humility is a lifestyle. The truly humble are teachable and reachable. They are always willing to hear another's point of view, even while knowing that the view may be in the wrong. They are humble enough to listen and give respect to each person and his/her views.
The truly humble prefer others instead of self. They need not be first and yet and are ever happy, even if they are last. They are content with themselves and often unaware of their humility. If someone were to point it out to them, they would be embarrassed. They don't like attention drawn to their way of doing things.
Humility in its essence means ‘not regarding ourselves as more important than other people, including those who have achieved less than we have. And it implies judging ourselves not in comparison with others, but in light of our capabilities, and the tasks we believe God has set for us on earth. As Rabbi Salanter’s, a rabbinic theoretician said, the very capabilities that can make a person most proud are also those that should be most humbling. If we have greater wisdom, then we also have a greater responsibility to bring people to understanding and wisdom. If we have wealth, then we have a greater responsibility to help those in need. If we occupy a position of power, we have greater obligation to help the oppressed. Judged against the above statement from Salanter, how humble are the politicians hobbling around you now seeking for your votes?
Our now ubiquitous Wikipedia defines humility as, "unselved", a liberation from the consciousness of self, a form of temperance that is neither having pride (or haughtiness) nor indulging in self-deprecation. It is, therefore, an outward expression of an appropriate inner, or self-regard and is widely seen as a virtue which centers on low self-preoccupation, or unwillingness to put oneself forward. The act of humility is to place others first; it is to appreciate others' worth as important.
True humility is therefore different from "false humility" which consists of deprecating one's own sanctity, gifts, talents, and accomplishments for the sake of receiving praise or adulation from others. As Waleed Basyouni stated, “Humility is not to think less of yourself, but to think about yourself less."
As a commentator rightly posited, truly humble people don't expect a return. They are helpers by nature and do help because they think someone needs the help. They are the caretakers of life. And this is truly what IKE C. IBE represents – a Caretaker of life. Ike C. Ibe is true humility personified and it is only a truly humble human persona that can save Imo from this present death grip, of ndi tigbuo zogbuo currently contriving humility because it is election time. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
Gerald Oluchi wrote in from Owerri the Imo State Capital!
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