A recent event has just influenced my further knowledge of Jagaban. A few days ago, three of my classmates: one from a North American country, another from West Africa and the last from Europe, accosted me with a question during coffee break, after lectures. The guy from North America asked, “Who is your president?”
Before I could say anything, they were already laughing, boisterously. At first, I wanted to tag it “racism”, but I reminded myself that my African brother was also laughing with them. At that point, I became enraged and I felt psychologically abused, even thunderstruck.
When they noticed my countenance, one said in Italian, “mi dispiace caro (I am sorry dear)”.
I became calm and I wanted to engage them in a friendly discussion. The African jokingly asked again, “Who is your president?”
Without waiting for my response, the guy from Europe uttered, “A GENIUS.”
I asked myself, what are these guys up to? These guys might have been discussing the recent events in Nigeria and making a mockery of the whole country, I told myself.
I mustered courage and I hummed. “Hmmmmmm”.
“The recent events in America and Nigeria have shown Jagaban’s ingenuity in crime”. I responded.
At this point, the atmosphere erupted with laughter and I angrily left the scene without much ado. I was emotionally hurt! I felt embarrassed, treated with disdain and tears rolled gently from my eyes.
After a few moments, the North American guy came to me and said, “Emmanuel, be calm and let’s talk”.
At that time, the other two guys joined us.
He started with a story.
“Around 1860s, there was a German who was later nicknamed ‘The Napoleon of Crime’ due to his genius in robberies, jail breaking, pick-pocketing, change of names to dupe gullible people, defying all security measures, etc. He made so much money through fraud; but he ended miserably because the society rose up against him. But Nigeria is yet to rise up against her ‘genius.'”
He continued.
“Do you know Joseph Goebbels who was celebrated by the Nazi Party as the master strategist and purveyor of Nazi propaganda? By his oratory prowess mixed with a little sarcasm, he turned the Germans against the Jewish people. Yes, he could be called a genius if he were to be a Nigerian today. But the world rose up against him and made sure he paid for his crimes.”
My friend equally said, “There were many other ‘geniuses’ like that man that has captured every sector of your country. Mention could be made of Joseph Stalin, Zodiac Killer and the Chicago Henry Howard Holmes where he claimed to have gone to study.”
According to him, “These guys used their ingenuity and prowess to perpetuate fraud, bloodthirsty missions, crimes and advance aggressive moral decadence of their countries and humanity. That’s what that man in your country is doing right now.
After these stories, he quoted Joseph de Maistre, saying, “Every country deserves the kind of leaders it has.” At this point, he asked, does your country celebrate “geniuses” like Jagaban because likes attract likes? Only a “genius” can forge primary, secondary and university certificates! Would Nigeria celebrate and be associated with EVIL GENIUS? As he was saying those words, the lecturer arrived for the next lesson! I WAS SPEECHLESS! I WAS SADDENED!
How have we gotten here? Frankly speaking, on Friday, October 6, I was not able to sleep at night because of this discussion I had during the day. Why would the giant of Africa be moving with a speed of millipede? When has the giant of Africa become a laughing stock just because of one man’s selfish interest? Why would a man be consistent in crime?
While all these thoughts were going on in my mind, I remembered that in 2014, I was a secondary school teacher in Awka North Local Government of Anambra State and then, I handled CIVIC EDUCATION for SS 1, SS 2, SS 3. In some of my lectures for SS 1 and SS 2 students, I taught them topics like: VALUES, CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION and LAWS. I told them that exam malpractice of any form, impersonation and forgery of any kind is punishable by the state. After almost 9 years, I am beginning to realize that what I told my students aren’t realizable in Nigeria. Did I lie to my students?
Who would save this country from this mockery and ridicule? The courts? Hmmmmmmm, most of our Justices are “GENIUSES” just like JAGABAN, their patron in evil. I am waiting for them to prove me wrong and reaffirmed that I was right in telling my students in 2014 that certificate forgery is a crime.
JAGABAN is an EVIL GENUIS!
NIGERIA IS BECOMING A LAND OF “GENIUSES”!
** Rev. Fr. Nwafor contributed this piece from Italy
